Root Do OTAs on Nexus fail when system files are modified?

[sharksfan7]

On my HTC One, because I've rooted & modified many system files, OTAs for that will fail to install. Would that also be the case for my Nexus 10? I just got notification that the OTA is available, but this too is rooted, I modified my build.prop and possibly some other system stuff, and have TWRP recovery. Is it safe to assume the OTA won't work?

When I upgraded from JB to KK I used the factory image and did a completely fresh installation. Are the updates in 4.4.3 worth the hassle of doing that again?

 

[Rxpert83]

The OTA from google usually verifies the system parts that are being patched have not been changed. It'll cause issues if what it expects to be there isn't there.

So if you've tinkered with the system it will likely fail, as 4.4.3 had 7,000+ changes in the code


If you're already rooted and have custom recovery just download and flash the updated stock ROM

 

[texascwby1836]

I sent a similar private message .... here is a post that I hope some of you will find useful.

I successfully applied the OTA from 4.4.2-->4.4.3 on my N10.

My setup
- Nexus 10 (running rooted kitkat, 4.4.2)
- clockwork mod restore rom
- SuperSU (the paid version)
- BusyBox free by StericDroid

Initial OTA failed because of an incorrect MD5 in build.prop. I did not make many changes, but it is nice of google to tell you why you are failing OTA so you can address it.

My Path in Summary (details follow)
1) Restore my build.prop file to factory stock (NOT THE WHOLE IMAGE, just the file)
2) Apply OTA
3) Reboot from CW restoring root
4) Reinstall BusyBox

I'll expand this a bit since I had a couple of stupid problems like the OTA no longer tried on to download and I did not keep a copy of my original build.prop file around.

0) in SuperSU select Settings|Survival Mode (paid version)
1) Restoring build.prop (if you have your original use it -- I did not have it)
-) on my linux box: download the factory stock 4.4.2 for Nexus 10
-) tar -zxvf <file_downloaded>
-) cd to created dir, then unzip the zip file (creates system.img, ...)
-) linux: install some tools: sudo apt-get install android-tools-fsutils
-) process system.img: simg2img system.img system-out.img
-) mkdir ./mnt; mount -o loop system-out.img ./mnt
-) grab ./mnt/build.prop and put it on my Nexus in the /system dir
2) Apply OTA
-) I downloaded to my Nexus 10:
-) ttp://android.clients.google.com/packages/ota/google_mantaray/f9195e9c509dbbaa734df03138b11b7f66a7f09d.signed-mantaray-KOT49H-from-KOT49E.f9195e9c.zip
-) I rebooted my Nexus into the recovery rom
-) I'm using ClockWork Recovery ... Select "Install zip | from file ..." follow your nose to select the downloaded OTA from where you saved it (in my case /sdcard/Download/<that_long_zip_file_name_above).
-) I backed out and rebooted from within recovery mode. CW will ask you if you want to keep root -- I very surprisingly said "Yes"
3) Final steps
-) rerun "BusyBox" Select "Install"

I was done. Root intact. settings intact (except for build.prop), all data intact, just an upgrade.

I did not disucss how to copy over build.prop, but I'm assuming that if you have a rooted nexus you can do it. A refresher -- /system is a read only file system, so from a shell I did the following:
-) su -
-) mount -o remount,rw /system
-) use cp to copy build.prop to the /system dir (back up your custom one .

As I said before I hope others find this useful.

Enjoy.

 

[sharksfan7]

I sent a similar private message .... here is a post that I hope some of you will find useful.

I successfully applied the OTA from 4.4.2-->4.4.3 on my N10.

....

Thanks for the information. So the OTA will flash from a custom recovery? I just assumed it needed the stock recovery. That's how it is on my HTC One; figured that how it was on all devices.

I ended up just backing up apps & data w/ TiBackup and copying my sdcard to a flash drive, then flashing the factory image. Takes longer to get it set back up, but I like doing clean installs every once in a while. And it probably would've taken just as long to find stock versions of all the files I may have modified or deleted.

 

[Rxpert83]

It does not require the stock recovery, but the stock recovery will be installed as part of the update

You'll need to reinstall your recovery of choice after

 

[texascwby1836]

Clockwork recovery is retained after the update. No additional manual reflashing is required.

 

[texascwby1836]

I just moved to 4.4.4 from 4.4.3 -- previously rooted with cwm as above.

1) i used the rom manager app from cw to reflash cwm recovery
2) i copied the ota from /cache to a known location and used the procedure above, booting into cwm recovery and installing from zip, keeping root, reinstalling busybox.

Trivial and fast this time.