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Leakers Who Want the OTA.. Why?

Frisco

=Luceat Lux Vestra=
Jan 19, 2010
22,475
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androidforums.com
I'd just like to see some posts expressing the reasoning so many of those with the leaked version(s) of the 2.1 software are becoming worried that they will not get the OTA (a few interesting threads along those lines have been coming along.. most recently: http://androidforums.com/htc-droid-eris/83579-those-who-had-shred-hope-2-1-leakers-getting-ota.html).

For example, do you feel the OTA will clear up some bugs in the leak you're running? Or do you just want to have the official version of the software in your phone? .. etc..
 
I'm not so much interested in the OTA as the HBOOT that it uses. Original HBOOT = ROOT. Also, the only reason I want root is so I can get the latest and greatest cooked roms based off of new versions of the Android OS. I'm assuming (I know, that's dangerous) the Eris will likely never see an official push of an upgraded OS. At least with root, we can have cooked roms based off of them with better performance that will make a great phone even better.

just my 2 cents
 
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I've just been curious to know if leaked phones would get the OTA... and only because VZW was saying they would... but that has been squashed today. I kinda figured they'd come clean on the last day of the roll out.

The other thing I'm interested in is how they can figure out you installed the leak, and therefore voided your warranty. I only see 2 ways they can do this: 1) By the OTA ping logs, if your phone already had the OTA, then you weren't pushed the update... or 2) the different HBOOT

Either way, my phone really has no big problems... so the warranty probably isn't gonna be needed.

EDIT: Also because I held out for the update until leak 3 came along... I installed it because the reports were it was very stable and very close to an official version (not knowing it WAS the official), and then a week later the official OTA was released... so I'm kinda mad at myself for not waiting longer... and avoiding the warranty mess. But in the end, it's all the same and happy with the update.
 
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i was hoping to get the ota for a few reasons.

1. hopes that it would have cleared the no audio bug. and others.
2. the comfy feeling of having "official" software.
3. root.

1. Have you tried doing a factory reset?
2 & 3. Isn't that an oxymoron - wanting "official" OS but wanting to "root"? Unless you want the OTA so you can root.
 
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I'm trying to figure out how people on the leaked versions think that they will be able to get root once they upgrade to a 2.1 OTA or official version. IF they send it OTA, it will likely contain changes that will allow it to install over the leaked ROMS, but you will still have the same bootloader that you downloaded with the leaked version, therefore you cannot root. IF they allow for a manual download, they will likely include the latest hboot that came with the leaks, if not a newer version. Once again, no root.

I don't want to be a buzz kill but the bottom line is, you will not be able to get root unless the bootloader from the 2.1 leak, or the newest one that they post is rooted.

If I am misinformed, please point me to the post that tells you that you will be able to root your phone from the leaked version to official or OTA.
 
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In hopes that I could root, but there are no guarantees there, either, because of the HBOOT issue.

I'm still amazed that the Eris has not been officially rooted, yet. The method for rooting was handed to the devs. No one has been able to crack this thing no matter what version people have been on (1.5, one of the three leaks, and the official 2.1).
 
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I'd like to have official software that way when I go in to complain about the bugs I'm having I cant be told any this is'nt official bull shit. I also would like to know why these leaks came with a new boot loader when the OTA stayed the same. A little weird, leak is released with new non rootable bootloader, day later after everyone installs the leak a few lucky people who held out are told ROOT is now possible.
 
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Some of us that want the OTA, want it so we can ROOT!

For the Eris at least, HTC/VZW have not yet pushed an OTA that replaced the bootloader. That doesn't mean it is impossible, but only that they have not been in the habit of doing that. So, the possibility exists that they could do an "OTA" that fixes up all the leak phones to the OTA-2.1 code ... but leaves the 1.49.xxx bootloader intact. No root for leakers (using existing methods) if that happens.

Having said that, I don't know why they would even be doing that: releasing an OTA that does nothing substantial other than replace the bootloader, as it has been widely reported that leak-V3 and OTA-2.1 are essentially identical in all regards except the bootloader. That's just shy of Big Red issuing a press release saying "here you go, please root your phones!"

The MR1 and MR2 (or "RUU") PC-based software, did replace the bootloader, although the upgrade from MR1 to MR2 overwrote the original bootloader with an identical copy (1.47.xxxx).

It's a curious thing: does HTC/VZW want rooters, even though they publicly disavow such activity?

After all, they could have installed the 1.49.xxxx bootloader as part of the OTA-21 - that would have prevented anyone not rooted who accept the OTA from using the prevailing method to obtain root afterward. And the time frames involved certainly allowed HTC/VZW to do just that - it's not like they were unaware that the root leak occurred. ( My own pet theory is that HTC management knows exactly who the root leaker is - and that he did it with their approval; but that's a different post.)

Perhaps HTC/VZW have been thinking that because the OTA goes to 99.99% of the Eris customers, and a failure during IPL/SPL (bootloader) replacement results in a hard-bricking of the phone, it is simply too dangerous a method to be used with 99.99% of their customer base. ( If the bootloader is intact but the rest is trashed, I suppose the phone could be reflashed by the VZW Refurb techs using methods similar to "Goldcard", but if the bootloader is whacked, you can't even do that. ).

The other 0.01% of Eris owners will either be a rooter, or willing to give a RUU/MRx install a try, and are more likely to accept the consequences of a failure during flashing, as they make an "active" choice to attempt the method(s), rather than having it forced onto them (as the OTA does).


All conjecture at this point. If I were to bet, I'd bet that no "custom OTA" will be released for leaker-Vx handsets - ever.



eu1


ps I've got root :p
 
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eu1,
A very small percentage of people actually root any given phone. Most people are completely unaware that there is even such a thing, then you have the many that know that this exists but sees no need to do it or just doesn't want to screw around with their phone. That really whittles down the number of rooted users.

As for your theory...I'm not sure about it, but I do know this. An HTC/Verizon phone has yet to be rooted by breaking through an exploit. The root that the Eris has was, obviously, given to the devs by an employee of either HTC or VZW. I've not gone to a dev to ask why it only works with the lower bootloader versions, but that's how they got it. Other phones, including the up and coming Ally, have been rooted before the freaking phone even comes out. Either HTC figured out one hell of a method to protect their software, or there weren't enough devs with the experience to find a working root exploit. I'm sure that there is a gifted soul out there who can root this phone in about 20 minutes, but they aren't helping us out.
 
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I have leak v1. I haven't upgraded to another leak yet because I just don't want to feel the remorse that I felt after leaking and then finding about root a few days later. I should have been patient. I was hoping for the ota on the chance that it brings the hboot back so that I can root. The main reason that I would like to root is if we do not eventually get froyo. That being said I have not had any of the bad bugs that some leakers and 2.1 ota people have had so if I dont get the ota and it is not available within a few weeks to download for leakers, I will upgrade to v3 so that I have images in gmail back and the browser links from apps back.
 
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I am running V2 of the leak and I am a sad panda because I cannot access the market place protected apps. :( Does V3 do this or do you need the OTA? If OTA ever gets rooted, will V3 essentially be rooted? I'm not even sure I really want root, but right now on V2, I have crazy crap happening like lag when trying to place a call that makes me double call people (literally puts the person on hold and calls them again) and a lag on showing the accept screen on an incoming call that causes me not to be able to pick up the phone in time.

I think at this point, I'd rather be permanently stuck on 1.5...
 
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