Root Any reason NOT to do the latest OTA update (Dec), losing root, and then re-root?

[Deleted User]

Or is it better to backup apps/data, flash a rooted ROM, then restore?

Thanks in advance, and I apologize in advance if this was asked before.

 

[akazabam]

No worries. Once you know the answer, you'll know what to do from now on, so it doesn't hurt to ask.

1) This OTA update includes more than just a new software version. It includes new radios, nv, and pri. If you just flash an updated ROM, it's most likely not going to boot. If nothing else, it will be unstable.

2) Generally, the best idea is to manually update the radios, then flash an updated ROM. That will do close to what an OTA update will do, but it will not touch your hboot version.

3) Normally, if you have root, unroot, then accept an OTA update, you'll be stuck without root until another exploit is discovered and/or unrevoked gets an update. In this case the OTA update has been out for a while, and unrevoked can root all version.

4) BUT, if you choose to accept the OTA update after unrooting, you will update your hboot version. If you do so, your old nandroid backups (if you have any) will be useless. There *is* a way to get back to your previous hboot version (as long as you have an hboot 0.97 or older), but it's more of a hassle than just updating radios manually would have been in the first place.

So, if you have not nandroid backups, and don't mind starting from scratch, you can accept the OTA update, and reroot. My personal opinion is that it's better to update manually. Updating hboot is rarely a good idea. To update manually, see the Rooting for Dummies guide - section 6 under "after rooting". There are instructions and links to update radios and the ROM. Let me know if you have any other questions or problems with those steps.

 

[Deleted User]

Thanks, I had forgotten about the possibility of a non-vulnerable HBOOT update being included with the OTA update. Manual it is!

 

[Mr. Ed]

That would be best. You can get your hboot back but like he said ...irmts a 20 min pita

 

[darkworld260]

sorry but i have a question so you cant flash a updated Hboot version after flashing new radios and the new rom? when sprint releases a new Hboot?

 

[akazabam]

OTA updates typically include:

a) an update software version (changes to the OS/kernel)
b) new radio firmware versions
c) a new hboot version

When you accept the OTA update, you're getting all of those. The hboot update is the biggest deal, as it will prevent you from rooting again, most of the time. If a root exploit is already available for it, then it's not *that* big of a deal, as you'll be able to just root again. Note that unrevoked technically gives you the ability to keep s-off through hboot updates, but it puts your phone in a weird state. Also, if you update hboot, you'll lose the ability to downgrade hboot (without a hassle) and your previous nandroid backups will no longer work (unless you manage to downgrade). That being said, to manually update, you just flash the radios and the ROM, and leave your hboot alone. We do that to avoid messing up s-off, BUT you can update hboot manually any time you want. You'll still be able to flash new radios, etc. as long as you have S-OFF. Just understand the implications of updating hboot.

 

[Droidster]

I learned by way of a replacement evo along with many others... I got an 0004 hardware version back in ~ november... anyway, had to wait a couple weeks until unrevolked found the exploit and was able to root... very sad time... was like having an iphone

 

[surfologist87]

I cant remember at the moment.. Do you have to unroot to download and install an update? Or can you do it, and just get the new update and be no longer rooted?

 

[akazabam]

I cant remember at the moment.. Do you have to unroot to download and install an update? Or can you do it, and just get the new update and be no longer rooted?

If you attempt to install the OTA, it will (*almost* invariably) fail since you no longer have the stock recovery. The stock recovery is useful for pretty much one thing, and that's OTA updates.

If you want to accept the OTA update (rather than update manually, which I'll still always recommend), you have two options:

a) Unroot completely. If you do this, and you update to a brand new OTA that hasn't been rooted yet, you're stuck without root. This has been stated a million times, and we all know it, so it is what it is.

b) Do what the Unrevoked team suggests, and restore only the stock recovery, then accept the OTA update. In pure theory, this will allow you stay rooted (as in S-OFF), but you end up in a bit of a weird state. You have the stock recovery, an hboot that technically isn't rootable yet, and an unrooted ROM (of course, make sure you're on the stock ROM when doing this). Since you have S-OFF, you *should* be able to recover a custom Recovery and ROM, but if *anything* goes wrong, you cannot run unrevoked again. You have a chance of being able to recover fine, but not good enough of one for me to ever recommend this.

Of course, if you updating to an OTA that has already been rooted, and you simply don't care about your hboot version (bye bye old nandroid backups), then either of the above should be fine.

 

[ovrrdrive]

If you have root access and want the newest software, why not just flash a nice custom rom like Warm 2.2 or Fresh that is built on the latest release?

You'll probably need to flash radios too but that isn't a big deal. If you wanted some of the software that was in the OTA it's still included in the roms in a removed folder. All you have to do is reinstall them.

This way you can pick and choose the bloatware you install.