Help Software update file size and time to update?

[spman]

Today I received a software update in notifications of my phone.

If I use my phone data SIM card to update, how big is the file size and how long will it take to update?

There will be no interruption to my phone during update correct?

In "notifications" it only says "Software Update", what is the update for?

Thanks

 

[mikedt]

Firmware updates can be anything from a couple of megabytes to over a gigabyte, all depending on the make and model of the phone and the nature of the update. When you say "SIM", I assume you mean "SD storage", either internal or external, because that's where firmware updates are usually stored and flashed from.

What's the make and model of phone, the current Android version, and who's your carrier, because sometimes firmware updates can be specific to a particular carrier.

The phone will off-line during firmware updates, because it has to reboot into its recovery to do the update, which may take a few minutes. If you go into the settings, and look under updates, you should find something there that will tell you what the update is about.

 

[spman]

Does it matter what SIM card I use when I am updating? I mean if I use SIM card A to update the phone, when I use SIM card B in the same phone, I will still see the updated software? or will I need to update again when I use SIM card B?

 

[mikedt]

SIM A, SIM B? You got a dual-SIM phone? Chinese? Thing is software or firmware updates from the manufacturer, don't actually touch any SIMs, they're stored in the internal storage usually. When you're ready to apply the update, the phone reboots, and it applies the update then.

The SIM is what comes from your carrier, and basically contains your subscriber identity. Sure you're not confusing a SIM for an SD card?

If you got a software update notification showing, you should be able to action it from the pull-down notification draw.

 

[spman]

SIM card: Subscriber identity module - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia File:SIM Card.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I have 2 lines, 2 SIM card. One phone currently so I sometimes use either SIM card. Take out one SIM card and put in another SIM card.

 

[spman]

After download update and installed update, can I delete the downloaded files?

(Newbie here. My thinking is if it similar like Windows installing a software, can delete the downloaded software file after installing the software)

 

[chanchan05]

Depends on how the manufacturer sends you the update. Bigger manufacturers like HTC, LG and Samsung update files delete themselves after installation. Some smaller companies have instructions to manually flash the update you downloaded and then delete after.

On your question about the update download and SIM, once you click yes to update, it will behave like a torrent download on Windows, pausing when there is no connection then continuing when there is. It won't matter if you downloaded a quarter of the update using your mobile data, then half using wifi, then mobile data again. You will be prompted once download is finished. Remember to back-up important files. Generally updates don't touch them, but there are times that they get corrupted. Also, it may not happen always, but something goes wonky in the installation that the phone gets bugs. You need to do a factory reset. Bear in mind that doing a reset will not downgrade your OS, it will just reinstall your current update while purging all non-factory state files.

 

[spman]

Remember to back-up important files. Generally updates don't touch them, but there are times that they get corrupted. Also, it may not happen always, but something goes wonky in the installation that the phone gets bugs. You need to do a factory reset. Bear in mind that doing a reset will not downgrade your OS, it will just reinstall your current update while purging all non-factory state files.

1. How do you back-up important files? Can you share your backup steps before you do an update.

2. "Bear in mind that doing a reset will not downgrade your OS, it will just reinstall your current update while purging all non-factory state files." > Does it mean that those SMS, contacts, photos, S Note...that I created will be deleted?

3. Will an android OS update cause apps to be not working correctly? So whats the solution if that happens? Form the reply it seems like once android is updated, it cannot reverse back to the previous older version

 

[Slug]

Moved to Samsung Galaxy S4

 

[chanchan05]

1. How do you back-up important files? Can you share your backup steps before you do an update.

Depends on which files. You have an S4, so you can use Helium Backup to make a backup of your apps and their files, as well as SMS. For others like pictures or documents and other files, you can manually copy them from your phone to a computer.

2. "Bear in mind that doing a reset will not downgrade your OS, it will just reinstall your current update while purging all non-factory state files." > Does it mean that those SMS, contacts, photos, S Note...that I created will be deleted?

If you do a reset yes. If you don't reset, just update, then no. But you will not be able to go back to a previous Android version after updating.

3. Will an android OS update cause apps to be not working correctly? So whats the solution if that happens? Form the reply it seems like once android is updated, it cannot reverse back to the previous older version

Sometimes, but it's quite rare. Some apps have certain "versions" where in the app is different for say, ICS as compared to Kitkat. But it's pretty rare and usually they work fine. A simple uninstall and reinstall may fix any app that's misbehaving after an update.

 

[Crashdamage]

I have done many system updates, both OTA and manually, and never done a factory reset afterwards and never had a problem. Not to say that a reset is never, ever needed to straighten out glitches, nothing is ever 100% perfect. But in my fairly extensive experience since Android 1.0 I've never done a reset after an update and never had a problem. I wouldn't worry about it.

You should backup any photos, music, documents, SMS etc. saved on the phone you don't want to lose. They shouldn't be touched, but better safe than sorry. There are several good backup apps that simplify this such as Helium or MyBackup Pro.

Your contacts, Gmail, calendar, Keep notes, etc will still be there, and if you do a factory reset, will auto-download and reappear as long as you have synced them to your Google account.

 

[Funderbolt]

Depends on which files. You have an S4, so you can use Helium Backup to make a backup of your apps and their files, as well as SMS. For others like pictures or documents and other files, you can manually copy them from your phone to a computer.



If you do a reset yes. If you don't reset, just update, then no. But you will not be able to go back to a previous Android version after updating.



Sometimes, but it's quite rare. Some apps have certain "versions" where in the app is different for say, ICS as compared to Kitkat. But it's pretty rare and usually they work fine. A simple uninstall and reinstall may fix any app that's misbehaving after an update.

You could use Dropbox to backup your files.