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Root How to get the OTA updates?

L

landwalker000

Lurker
I want to flash the ruu and get the OTA updates, but I am finding that to be hard to find out how to do. I can find how to lock the phone and return it to stock completely, but I want to just get the updates, then go back to another rom. I know this may sound simple to some of you, but it's confusing for me and has to be for others. Can some one just make a guide for people who want the updates, but still want to be unlocked and s-off as well? I also can't find the RUU, almost every link I have found on this site has been dead.
 
landwalker000 said:
I want to flash the ruu and get the OTA updates, but I am finding that to be hard to find out how to do. I can find how to lock the phone and return it to stock completely, but I want to just get the updates, then go back to another rom. I know this may sound simple to some of you, but it's confusing for me and has to be for others. Can some one just make a guide for people who want the updates, but still want to be unlocked and s-off as well? I also can't find the RUU, almost every link I have found on this site has been dead.
Click to expand...
This post explains how S-OFF users can install the RUU and apply the two VM OTA updates. It assumes that the all-in-one file linked from the OP of that thread which contains the VM RUU has been downloaded, but you can get just the RUU here.

ramjet73
 
There are several aspects to the March 2013 OTA. These are hboot, kernel, firmware, and many changes to the ROM. If you are S-Off the firmware may be flashed with ease, and Ramjet posted a zip to do it. The hboot in a version modified to allow fastboot commands is available as jbear 1.58.5858. Again, ramjet has an archive of hboot's on XDA and there are links to it around here. This particular hboot is probably not going to help things any unless running a rooted stock ROM.

Most of the custom ROM's around here do not have any of the changes from the March OTA incorporated. The exception is Negaman's ROM which has some of the changes applied. I doubt the stock kernel from the OTA will be much good, unless running a rooted stock rom with the OTA applied, but what do I know?

I have read comments around here that ROM's based on the March 2013 OTA will not be reliable until an RUU is available aligned to that OTA. Negaman, posted ROM's based on dumps of updated phones, but I don't think that is the same thing. Again, I could be completely wrong. Perhaps one of the guides has better information.
 
If you're S-OFF, you may also flash a firmware-only file. It is believed that this will have the same effect as taking the OTA updates (if you're going to flash a ROM different from stock), but nobody's sure of that.

For what it's worth, I've flashed the firmware only and noticed improvements. I then did the RUU to revert back to stock and took the OTAs. I didn't notice any difference in performance between the two methods.

Above, ramjet73 is coming through with the helpful links once again :D

If you're interested in firmware only, I have a file that will flash the firmware from both the November & the March OTA in one shot.
 
remanifest said:
If you're interested in firmware only, I have a file that will flash the firmware from both the November & the March OTA in one shot.
Click to expand...

Can you link this file you speak of? I'm trying to get the most recent radios and firmware, (including the March OTA) and i'm not entirely sure the easiest way to do it. I'm s-off, rooted all that fun stuff. I'm also running the ENG 1.04 HBOOT, and it's worked great for me for everything since I flash around a lot, but if the JB 1.50.5050 works just as well I have no problem with that either.
 
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