Related
OK Please note (4-25-17) this message is a work in progress, as I slowly restore my system.
This is a listing and hopefully helpful listing of what I did (right and wrong)
in upgrading my Systemless-rooted (suuser) phone from 6.01 to 7.00 (nougat)
# 1. it did not work, and I went back to 6.01 successfully using the twrp recovery
I have previously used Bender's guid (here) to get the system-less root on 6.01.
essentailly, here's the best plan. Use the Minimal ADB and Fastboot package (MADB &F) (here)
(Explanation: the MADB&FB package will allow you do do LOTS of stuff related to updating your phone, with very little grief.)
it also includes the ability to automatically "push" a package over your usb connection if the ZIP file doesnt load right. **THIS will come in handy later!
Once MADB&F is installed, make note of your directory, and then make sure you start your dos window (for pc users) as an administrator!
BTW, if I HADN'T made the "TWRP backup" of my system, I'd be Sh*t out of luck right now...", because I screwed up the 7.0 upgrade.
the technical problem was that I had no data, no modem, no way of getting data/voice in/out.
SIMPLY using the TWRP restore fixed me!!!
(so far, we have MADB&FB, downloaded and bender's (chainfire) rootless guide.
Next you want to download the current firmware image for your phone. This will be a lifesaver, I promise!
3) Download a TWRP image (this will MAGICALLY load on your pc when you tell it you need help! Look HERE
(Athene is the Motorola Codename for the motoG4+)
3) copy the athene TWRP image into your madb&FB directory to make it easy to load
4) next, (you still haven't touched your phone yet, you realize: (skipping some basics here, you can search here on XDA to find more info)
a) plug your phone into your pc
b) make sure you are a developer
c) make sure your phone shows you are connected to your pc for file transfers, NOT for charging
5) in your MADB&FB directory, (aka a dos/(admin) window) type the following:
all commands at this point will take place in whatever directory you installed Minimal ADB & Fast boot (MADB&FB)
Connect your phone to your PC and open MADB&FB, check the connection with:
adb devices
return should include your "serial-no" and "device".
6) next, on pc, tell the system to reboot your phone to the bootloader!
Reboot into bootloader with:
adb reboot-bootloader
and check again with:
fastboot devices
7) Next you are going to download TWRP to your phone (not permanently, just for a bit!)
fastboot. flash recovery twrp-3.0.2-0-athene.img
Now you have TWRP (Team Windows RECOVERY PROJECT) loaded.
SO.. THIS is where you create a backup of your current stuff using the backup options.
NEXT:
take the suUser2.78 (stateless rooting), and once your backup is done, install it from TWRP
Then (I was) back to 6.01 rooted.
NEXT: 7.0 and then rooting... (will update tomorrow)
did a successful upgrade to 7.0,
then unsuccessfully tried to sideload supersu2.78, which bricked loader
then downgraded again to 6.01 (and rooted again, ok)
will continue tomorrow.
need working phone for now..
cheers to all, and to all, a happy spelunking!
You can't root factory Nougat as is, it is well encrypted.
You need to replace first the kernel with the ElementalX one, or you will end up with bootloops.
Only after that you can do SuperSU, but only with the latest beta.
A few pointers from your story:
1)As you've found out the hard way, you won't be able to update to Nougat if you have root and/or TWRP, because the update requires a stock system - stock recovery, system and no modifications (bootloader status doesn't matter). In other words, you'll need to unroot and restore your stock recovery - might be easier to reflash the stock system, probably the quickest way to flash a stock ROM (and update to Nougat) is to use the fastboot ROM. https://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-g4-plus/how-to/moto-g4-plus-xt1640-43-athene-npj25-93-t3549369 Of course, this will remove root and TWRP, as well as potentially wipe your data, so back up accordingly. This should flash the NPJ25.93-14 build on your device, which appears to be the latest global build.
1a)Also, if you flash Nougat this way, your bootloader and GPT partitions will be updated, so if you wish to downgrade to Marshmallow at any point, when flashing do not flash these partitions from the Marshmallow ROM. Fastboot should stop you, but a brick may occur if these get flashed.
1b) You may find in the Guides section TWRP backups of Nougat builds, I don't recommend using these to update your system with. Granted, they have most of the Nougat system in a TWRP backup, but some crucial firmware (e.g. the baseband) is not included, and may cause you issues if your device is not formally flashed to Nougat.
2) As SoNic67 has already mentioned, the stock kernel security will cause your device to bootloop should you choose to try to root following the Marshmallow method. If you wish to use SuperSU, follow this guide: https://forum.xda-developers.com/mo...de-root-moto-g4-plus-supersu-android-t3587918 You may wish to use a more up to date TWRP than the official 3.0.2 (I recommend shrep's TWRP 3.0.3 n4 here:https://forum.xda-developers.com/mo...covery-twrp-3-0-2-r3-moto-g4-g4-plus-t3494337) Whatever you do, ensure you flash first the ElementalX kernel before you flash the SuperSU v2.79 SR3 beta (https://forum.xda-developers.com/apps/supersu/2014-09-02-supersu-v2-05-t2868133), or apply the systemless fix with earlier SuperSU versions as directed in the aforementioned rooting with SuperSU guide. Else you'll be having bootloops or your device will not boot whatsoever. Here's my steps in successfully rooting Nougat: https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=71817346&postcount=225. Good luck either way.
echo92 said:
A few pointers from your story:
[...]
1b) You may find in the Guides section TWRP backups of Nougat builds, I don't recommend using these to update your system with. Granted, they have most of the Nougat system in a TWRP backup, but some crucial firmware (e.g. the baseband) is not included, and may cause you issues if your device is not formally flashed to Nougat.
[...]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After updating my US retail xt1644 to nougat, by restoring totally-stock marshmallow then taking the OTA, I wiped data and made a *complete* TWRP backup using @Shreps' unofficial 3.1 TWRP build (https://moto.shreps.fr/Moto G4 (athene)/recovery/twrp-3.1.0-athene_shreps.img).
This version of TWRP allows backup/restore of the full set of firmware partitions including baseband, DSP, etc.
In other words, I believe the TWRP backup folder in the following .zip file provides a one-stop path to the latest xt1644 USRET firmware by doing a restore from TWRP 3.1.0.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4XobQzgZVHyRTlmSDMtYkdZeUU/view?usp=drivesdk
My only uncertainly is if the ota process modified the partition table in a way that might make this backup image incompatible with the xt1644 still in the marshmallow state.
I've often wondered if I (or a more skilled enthusiast) couldn't build a TWRP-flashable .zip that would setup the partition table, update the baseband, etc. This is what I've grown used to from devs on other phones I've had, but perhaps there's something about the way moto does things that makes this problematic.
Sent from my Moto G4 Plus using Tapatalk
bmeek said:
After updating my US retail xt1644 to nougat, by restoring totally-stock marshmallow then taking the OTA, I wiped data and made a *complete* TWRP backup using @Shrep's unofficial 3.1 TWRP build (https://moto.shreps.fr/Moto G4 (athene)/recovery/twrp-3.1.0-athene_shreps.img).
This version of TWRP allows backup/restore of the full set of firmware partitions including baseband, DSP, etc.
In other words, I believe the TWRP backup folder in the following .zip file provides a one-stop path to the latest xt1644 USRET firmware by doing a restore from TWRP 3.1.0.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4XobQzgZVHyRTlmSDMtYkdZeUU/view?usp=drivesdk
My only uncertainly is if the ota process modified the partition table in a way that might make this backup image incompatible with the xt1644 still in the marshmallow state.
I've often wondered if I (or a more skilled enthusiast) couldn't build a TWRP-flashable .zip that would setup the partition table, update the baseband, etc. This is what I've grown used to from devs on other phones I've had, but perhaps there's something about the way moto does things that makes this problematic.
Sent from my Moto G4 Plus using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice one, hopefully that'll help more XT 1644 users I'm still not sure if TWRP can backup/flash the baseband by itself, but I don't have a XT 1644 to test. I imagine your backup will need a clean flash (wipe data/cache/Dalvik) to work?
The OTA process does update the partition table, but as far as I know, that should not prevent you from flashing back to Marshmallow/Nougat as you wish, so long as you did not try to downgrade the GPT/bootloader.
There was an effort to create TWRP flashables of the stock ROMs a little while ago (you can see the thread here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-g4/development/fxz-athene-twrp-flashable-fastboots-t3562147) which if I understood it created flashable radios and ROMs from the firmware files we have. We can't touch the GPT/bootloader since, as I recall, you need a signed stock firmware to do so (and besides, downgrading GPT might be asking for a brick). I recall some users mention they were able to run Nougat TWRP flashes on the MM bootloader/GPT without issue.
There were issues with simply flashing the Nougat 93-14 radio baseband files for some US users, losing LTE in the process and appears the only resolution was to flash the stock ROM - I don't know what the cause was (perhaps no/incorrect CDMA support in the radio files?). Your TWRP flash is from a US based phone so may have better luck in that department, and will likely behave on your device since that OTA has updated all the firmware on your device that TWRP isn't able to touch. I still am not sure if we can use this TWRP backup to update on a MM device without issue, but only one way to find out...
https://forum.xda-developers.com/sho...99&postcount=3
I downloaded the factory image, extracted the bootloader and radio from the factory image at:
https://developers.google.com/android/images
(Update N2G47W). Flashing these two items are the only things that scare me, I just want to make sure this is correct. Does this update version and the two files seem correct? (Confirm unlocked for Cricket.)
Also, is it ok to mix and match? Example: I use the bootloader from the recent update I linked, but if I don't care to use the O Preview radio, can I use the most recent one from page 1 of this thread?
And finally, I think I can flash right on my phone, as long as I use a terminal emulator, is this correct?
Bump.
Is there someone here who can please answer this?
It's ok to mix and match. There are some flashable zips you can find in the threads but otherwise you will have to use your PC to fastboot the bootloader and radio.
I see over a dozen different versions here but I'm not sure which one to download:
https://firmware.center/firmware/Motorola/Moto G5 Plus/Stock/
I've already tried two different ones but I receive no cell signal when it boots.
Any ideas?
Thanks!
I actually found the answer on my own: none of them. Wrestling with the G5 this morning made me lose my mind. I ended up with the Pixel ROM.
Does anyone have a copy of the XT1687 stock rom (carrier unlocked ... I bought mine at Costco)? I could really use it.
My phone is totally messed up. My /system is empty except for 'bin'....
Thank you for any help!
I have used this one: POTTER_NPN25.137-83_cid50_subsidy-DEFAULT_regulatory-DEFAULT_CFC.xml.zip
I was on this version for a while, rooted, and I had to use this firmware to reflash back to stock in order to take the OTA successfully (the OTA is NPNS25.137-93-4, which is the latest as of this writing).
I basically flashed everything from the flashfile.xml
dunderball said:
I have used this one: POTTER_NPN25.137-83_cid50_subsidy-DEFAULT_regulatory-DEFAULT_CFC.xml.zip
I was on this version for a while, rooted, and I had to use this firmware to reflash back to stock in order to take the OTA successfully (the OTA is NPNS25.137-93-4, which is the latest as of this writing).
I basically flashed everything from the flashfile.xml
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did going back to stock and accepting the OTA work for you??!
roydhritiman said:
did going back to stock and accepting the OTA work for you??!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I ended up with some kind of error with the OEM partition, but in the end all of the details on my settings screen show that I'm on the latest security patch, kernel, etc.
dunderball said:
I have used this one: POTTER_NPN25.137-83_cid50_subsidy-DEFAULT_regulatory-DEFAULT_CFC.xml.zip
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What does this version of the firmware say for (in the About settings) Software Channel? Android Version? Or rather, I guess what does it say now that you think it took the OTA successfully?
dunderball said:
I was on this version for a while, rooted, and I had to use this firmware to reflash back to stock in order to take the OTA successfully (the OTA is NPNS25.137-93-4, which is the latest as of this writing).
I basically flashed everything from the flashfile.xml
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The OTA that are downloaded into /cache are named something like Blur_* right? Do you know if those OTA contains the full image or is it just patches to various parts of the system?
dlong said:
The OTA that are downloaded into /cache are named something like Blur_* right? Do you know if those OTA contains the full image or is it just patches to various parts of the system?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Patches, a full ROM is rarely sent as an OTA. You'll know it's a full ROM if the size of the OTA is greater than 1GB. Anything less than say 300-400MB is patches to the system
dlong said:
What does this version of the firmware say for (in the About settings) Software Channel? Android Version? Or rather, I guess what does it say now that you think it took the OTA successfully?
The OTA that are downloaded into /cache are named something like Blur_* right? Do you know if those OTA contains the full image or is it just patches to various parts of the system?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went from version 83 to successful OTA 92 (November patch), then to 93 January patch (but ended up with a failure message after booting up for whatever reason). I'm on retus, baseband M8953_37.46.07.47R POTTER_NA_CUST, build number NPNS25.137-93-4.
As far as I see, I don't see any full stock firmware out for NPNS25.137-93-4 which is unfortunate. I have a feeling my update to Oreo will fail if it ever comes out. I'm not even sure why my OTA fails, as I do my best to avoid modifying any partitions and mostly use systemless modules through Magisk. Whatever though.
No joy. So apparently, since I'm on NPN25.137-92 (POTTER_RETAIL_7.0_NPN25.137-92_cid50_subsidy-DEFAULT_regulatory-DEFAULT_CFC.xml.zip), I wasn't able to downgrade to (POTTER_RETAIL_7.0_NPNS25.137-33-5_cid50_subsidy-DEFAULT_regulatory-DEFAULT_CFC.xml.zip).
I did re-flash everything and the results seems to be the same (unable to 'see' new updates). I am on November 2017 patch but when I check for upgrades, it states the system is up to date.
I hope that because my phone is 'unlocked from store (Costco - USA)' that RETAIL is the correct firmware. Anyone know for sure?
Also... I guess I wiped recovery when I installed TWRP. Is there an OEM recovery.img available for Moto 5G Plus?
Edit: So the whole reason, I originally rooted my phone was so that I can enable Hot Spot by adding net.tethering.noprovisioning=true to /system/build.prop (now I wonder if root is even required to do that?)
So, we all know Motorola will eventually (aka never) release Oreo for the G5 Plus.
I am way too anxious so I am going to flash a Custom ROM until they deliver it. However I am quite afraid about something.
I plan to use Lineage 15.1 until Oreo comes out for the G5 Plus. However, I am kind of afraid that I may screw things up when the OTA comes out.
I have recently hard bricked my Moto G 2014 because of OTAs and Bootloader.
So, Oreo releases...
Will it be fine to install the OTA (through normal System Update check) having the latest Stock ROM Firmware for my region installed? (I would erase Lineage 15 and use fastboot to flash Stock again)
Or will I instead need to wait for someone to post the system images and flash it through fastboot instead? (I assume I would need to install the OTA through normal methods because of bootloader changes but still...)
I just don't want this: https://forum.xda-developers.com/g5-plus/help/moto-g5-plus-hard-bricked-t3694119
To happen.
You won't get system updates when you are on a custom ROM like Lineage OS or any other custom ROM. The only system updates you might get are ROM updates if the ROM maintainer has that feature built in.
If official Oreo comes out and you are on the correct stock firmware for your model and region, everything should work fine.
Before flashing custom roms you should backup your efs partition using twrp else you could lose your imei(recoverable) / volte(not recoverable till now) when flashing fastboot firmwire.
You need to flash fastboot firmwire to receive oreo ota.
If you want to avoid hard bricking, then you must flash the same stock ROM or newer onto your device when you revert back to stock firmware.
I imagine your Moto G 2014 got bricked when you took an OTA update? That could have occurred if firmware older than what was present on your device was flashed (bootloaders cannot be downgraded), and like in that thread you linked, attempting to use OTA updates would corrupt your newer bootloader with the older OTA patches, leading to a hard brick.
As mentioned above, if you revert to the correct build for your region and matching your current build at least, you should be okay to receive OTA updates (should also include up to Oreo). Alternatively, you could wait for the Oreo fastboot ROM to be safe, or the Oreo TWRP flashable for a near stock ROM experience (since TWRP flashables shouldn't care about your bootloader or GPT partitions, do it'd be difficult to brick your device. However, TWRP flashable stock ROMs aren't OTA compatible).
Before you unlock your bootloader and flash TWRP/custom ROMs, make a note of your current build version and see if you can find a stock ROM leaked of that build, so you can be sure that you're reverting to the right build for your device.
Just do not flash older stock Motorola firmware to your device or if you do, do not use OTA updates.
Yeah, I did some research and now I understand what happened. Thanks for the comments.
Does anyone know about this ?
The last version of the firmware that got OTA'ed to my phone is POTTER_RETAIL_7.0_NPNS25.137-93-8.
The only twrp backup of the firmware I have is while it was on POTTER_RETAIL_7.0_NPNS25.137-93-4.
When I tried to flash the phone with v 93-4 using fastboot, I got denied because of the version being older than that of the bootloader. But the problem is that I was able to erase prior to attempting writing ...
I need to re-install a stock rom in the phone, but POTTER_RETAIL_7.0_NPNS25.137-93-8 cannbot be found anywhere yet.
I though about twrp-flashing the phone with my 93-4 backup, but I am hesitant, I fear bricking the phone.
Is there any alternative to patience while waiting for POTTER_RETAIL_7.0_NPNS25.137-93-8_cid50_subsidy-DEFAULT_regulatory-DEFAULT_CFC.xml.zip eventually appearing somewhere ?
Or, in other words, knowing that the last OTA to my phone installed v 93-8, is there any way to flash POTTER_RETAIL_7.0_NPNS25.137-35-5_cid50_subsidy-DEFAULT_regulatory-DEFAULT_CFC.xml.zip for instance ?
CanadianGixxerman said:
I though about twrp-flashing the phone with my 93-4 backup, but I am hesitant, I fear bricking the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
An older version (your twrp backup) will work with a newer bootloader, however you can't do any OTAs. An OTA will try to apply the same changes to the bootloader that were already made, resulting in a hard brick - though the OTA would fail anyway since you don't have an intact /oem partition. You will have a functional phone, and you can get back on track after 93-8 images or Oreo are released.
I know because I'm in a similar situation. I wanted to update from 93-4 to 93-8, and I had an intact /system image backup, but /oem was mounted before so I had to flash it via fastboot. Little did I know it was from the wrong channel (retus instead of reteu), resulting in the OTA updating everything except for oem and messing stuff up, so I just flashed a 93-4 twrp backup. Everything works, patiently waiting for Oreo.
bazinga137 said:
I just flashed a 93-4 twrp backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just curious. Did you have a full system image backup through twrp or just the system partition? I have a twrp backup of 93-8 stock boot, logo, oem, recovery, and system PARTITIONS which I thought would allow me to restore and take ota. However, since doing that I've read that system needs to be the full IMAGE backup through twrp. Confused so I haven't restored to take the 93-10 update which I got notification of yesterday.
craigl14 said:
Just curious. Did you have a full system image backup through twrp or just the system partition? I have a twrp backup of 93-8 stock boot, logo, oem, recovery, and system PARTITIONS which I thought would allow me to restore and take ota. However, since doing that I've read that system needs to be the full IMAGE backup through twrp. Confused so I haven't restored to take the 93-10 update which I got notification of yesterday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, I am not sure. I did a twrp back up with the default selected partitions. But it turned out that this backup is not reliable. The phone does boot up on it, but suffers from applications crashes all over. Last I discovered is that the phone itself was not working for a phone, meaning making receiving calls is not possible.
craigl14 said:
Just curious. Did you have a full system image backup through twrp or just the system partition? I have a twrp backup of 93-8 stock boot, logo, oem, recovery, and system PARTITIONS which I thought would allow me to restore and take ota. However, since doing that I've read that system needs to be the full IMAGE backup through twrp. Confused so I haven't restored to take the 93-10 update which I got notification of yesterday.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It needs to be an image backup for OTAs. Unlike a regular backup, image backups are block-by block pristine copies, and restoring them preserves dm-verity and all /system checks. On the other hand the /oem partition cannot be backed up as an image (I asked GtrCraft, the official maintainer of twrp for some moto devices), and since OTAs also check if /oem has been tampered with, the update fails.
Updates will only pass if /oem has never been mounted, and you have a system image backup.
bazinga137 said:
It needs to be an image backup for OTAs. Unlike a regular backup, image backups are block-by block pristine copies, and restoring them preserves dm-verity and all /system checks. On the other hand the /oem partition cannot be backed up as an image (I asked GtrCraft, the official maintainer of twrp for some moto devices), and since OTAs also check if /oem has been tampered with, the update fails.
Updates will only pass if /oem has never been mounted, and you have a system image backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dumb question...How do I know if the oem partition is tampered with or has never been mounted? I am rooted with elementalx kernel and supersu. TWRP partition stock backup made immediately after taking 93-8 update and before flashing twrp, rooting, etc. I know I am hosed without the system IMAGE as far as ota's go, but I'm just trying to learn.
I'm in the same boat. Pretty much stuck on 93-8 forever until a new full image is released somewhere. I might just move onto a custom Oreo rom.
dunderball said:
I'm in the same boat. Pretty much stuck on 93-8 forever until a new full image is released somewhere. I might just move onto a custom Oreo rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I did that. I have tried a few cutom roms : Pixel Exprerience, Resurection Remix, AOSP extended, AOSiP and Dirty Unicorns. The latter and AOSiP are those I find the most reliable. Avoid PE and RR, too buggy, AOSP-E has issues with SIM/SDcard here.
But I will want to go back to stock moto rom when I can (ie : full 93-8 load fastboot flashable is released).
If moto had been quicker to release Oreo AND fix the wifi bug, I would not have given up on retus.
I guess I have an even more fundamental dumb question than my twrp restore issue and maybe it belongs in another thread. Aside from advanced excel formulas, I have no programming experience of any kind, let alone android. However, it seems to me that if I have a full firmware package for 93-4 (which I do) and a "blur" ota update file that takes it to 93-8 (which I do), I should be able to create a full 93-8 firmware package file myself from those two files without waiting on the file hosting sites. Maybe this is way too advanced a process but it seems to me this is 1+2=3 variety.
craigl14 said:
I guess I have an even more fundamental dumb question than my twrp restore issue and maybe it belongs in another thread. Aside from advanced excel formulas, I have no programming experience of any kind, let alone android. However, it seems to me that if I have a full firmware package for 93-4 (which I do) and a "blur" ota update file that takes it to 93-8 (which I do), I should be able to create a full 93-8 firmware package file myself from those two files without waiting on the file hosting sites. Maybe this is way too advanced a process but it seems to me this is 1+2=3 variety.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your device now being at 93-8 is what's in the way. It seems like you can restore your twrp 93-4 on it, but you won't be able to relock the BL, hence OTA will not work.
CanadianGixxerman said:
Your device now being at 93-8 is what's in the way. It seems like you can restore your twrp 93-4 on it, but you won't be able to relock the BL, hence OTA will not work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry for the confusion. My restore issue is with the fact that I did not make a full system image twrp backup of stock 93-8. If I had, I would be able to restore and take ota's (assuming the oem issue doesn't interfere which I don't know about).
My last question is more fundamental and broader. There are quite a few people waiting on firmware updates. It just seems to me that if I have a full firmware package and an update package for that firmware, I should be able to create a newly updated full firmware package independent of what happens to be on my phone at any one time. Again, maybe really stupid and way beyond my capabilities.
I'm on a slightly same boat as OP, but I don't have my backup since I thought it was on my SD and wiped my phone, with the backup only there. I was on 93-8 when I wiped. Would getting a 93-4 backup work?
This question might of been answered but I did not see it when I read through this thread.
craigl14 said:
Sorry for the confusion. My restore issue is with the fact that I did not make a full system image twrp backup of stock 93-8. If I had, I would be able to restore and take ota's (assuming the oem issue doesn't interfere which I don't know about).
My last question is more fundamental and broader. There are quite a few people waiting on firmware updates. It just seems to me that if I have a full firmware package and an update package for that firmware, I should be able to create a newly updated full firmware package independent of what happens to be on my phone at any one time. Again, maybe really stupid and way beyond my capabilities.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I took a full backup of my system image through twrp, and I was on 93-8. I'll upload it when I have time and you can give it a try.
CanadianGixxerman said:
[...] but you won't be able to relock the BL, hence OTA will not work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why would you need to relock the BL to take an OTA?
craigl14 said:
My last question is more fundamental and broader. There are quite a few people waiting on firmware updates. It just seems to me that if I have a full firmware package and an update package for that firmware, I should be able to create a newly updated full firmware package independent of what happens to be on my phone at any one time. Again, maybe really stupid and way beyond my capabilities.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sadly you can't apply an OTA to the firmware images, if that's what you're thinking. They need to be signed by moto to be flashable through fastboot. And if you'd want to provide someone with a twrp backup of a firmware higher than theirs, their bootloader would need to be updated too, via an OTA.
bazinga137 said:
if that's what you're thinking.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. That's exactly my question. So the answer is that Motorola controls the process. Makes sense. Any thoughts on my oem mounting question?
craigl14 said:
Thanks. That's exactly my question. So the answer is that Motorola controls the process. Makes sense. Any thoughts on my oem mounting question?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I really can't think of a way of checking the mount count of Android partitions, and I haven't found anything online.
I discovered the mount counter thingy when sweeping through logs of a failed OTA. I'm really not sure where the OTA script reads it from.
craigl14 said:
Sorry for the confusion. My restore issue is with the fact that I did not make a full system image twrp backup of stock 93-8. If I had, I would be able to restore and take ota's (assuming the oem issue doesn't interfere which I don't know about).
My last question is more fundamental and broader. There are quite a few people waiting on firmware updates. It just seems to me that if I have a full firmware package and an update package for that firmware, I should be able to create a newly updated full firmware package independent of what happens to be on my phone at any one time. Again, maybe really stupid and way beyond my capabilities.
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I made a full backup of 93-8, but still i can't lock bootloader. We need complete firmware, until then, Lineage OS is the answer.
---------- Post added at 11:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:52 PM ----------
bazinga137 said:
Why would you need to relock the BL to take an OTA?
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No idea, i saw this first time now on Motorola. On any other manufacturers i could lock bootloader, and even get OTA updates just by flashing stock recovery and having unlocked bootloader was not a problem.
If your device was formally updated to NPNS25.137-93-8 (March 2018 security patch), then you could try to flash the NPNS25.137-93-4 (Jan 2018 security patch) update again as you previously tried (link to the Jan 2018 stock firmware for EU/US and Asia devices: https://mirrors.lolinet.com/firmware/moto/potter/official/RETAIL/ ). You may wish to ignore the security downgrade errors (you cannot downgrade bootloaders anyway, presumably to prevent you opening security vulnerabilities) when you flash, which should just be for GPT and bootloader. You may also see 'image signed with bad key' for recovery and boot as well, but verify those partitions, and the other partitions report [OKAY] after flashing. That way, you should have a NPNS25.137-93-4 system, with a NPNS25.137-93-8 bootloader, and when you boot you should have a device reporting with fully stock NPNS25.137-93-4. The next OTA you should receive is the NPNS25.137-93-8 OTA and then the NPNS25.137-93-10 April 2018 security patch OTA, which should bring you up to the latest stock firmware.
By reflashing the NPNS25.137-93-4 firmware, this should also restore your OEM partition to being untampered (read only status?), as should your system partition (which should be read only, I recall that swiping to allow modifications in TWRP sets your system partition to read-write, which causes the OTA to fail).
Normally, I would advise against downgrading and using OTA updates, as this is a prime way of hard bricking. However, in this case you are downgrading your device firmware to the firmware directly preceding the newest firmware you had (i.e. downgrading to NPNS25.137-93-4 from NPNS25.137-93-8), with the next OTA being NPNS25.137-93-8, which brings you back up to the build you had, this may be safe. To your device, you are flashing the same bootloader from the NPNS25.137-93-8 OTA as currently on your device, which should not hard brick.
If you previously had stock NPNS25.137-93-10, then I cannot recommend this procedure as you'll be downgrading two firmware versions (and you'll have to wait for newer stock firmware to be leaked), else if you try flashing NPNS25.137-93-4 onto the April 2018 firmware and try using OTA updates, you may hard brick and have a pricey paperweight. I also do not know if this will work by cross-flashing from the NPN25.137-92 series of updates either.
Of course, as the NPNS25.137-93-4 firmware is older than your bootloader, you will not be able to re-lock your bootloader (you'll need a newer firmware, probably the April 2018 or newer security patch stock firmware), but being back on full stock, you should be eligible for OTAs provided you only downgraded from NPNS25.137-93-8 (and that March 2018 security patch was the latest stock firmware on your device).
If you are truly concerned about hard bricking, then I would follow other member's suggestions in this thread and stay with TWRP flashables of the stock ROM, as they do not usually affect the bootloader.
Any questions or comments before you perform this procedure, please ask.
bazinga137 said:
I really can't think of a way of checking the mount count of Android partitions, and I haven't found anything online.
I discovered the mount counter thingy when sweeping through logs of a failed OTA. I'm really not sure where the OTA script reads it from.
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Click to collapse
Thanks. Weird. Sorry for hijacking this thread. But if my process were to take OTA after which it reboots, then IMMEDIATELY reboot into bootloader, fastboot BOOT into twrp (not flash it) and take a backup of boot, logo, oem, recovery and system (FULL IMAGE), how would that change oem?
CanadianGixxerman said:
Well, I did that. I have tried a few cutom roms : Pixel Exprerience, Resurection Remix, AOSP extended, AOSiP and Dirty Unicorns. The latter and AOSiP are those I find the most reliable. Avoid PE and RR, too buggy, AOSP-E has issues with SIM/SDcard here.
But I will want to go back to stock moto rom when I can (ie : full 93-8 load fastboot flashable is released).
If moto had been quicker to release Oreo AND fix the wifi bug, I would not have given up on retus.
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What's buggy about PE? I was just about to try it...