[Q] Sort Me out on 4.4.3 update

pairustwo said:

The more I read the more confused I get. Could someone sort me out?
<complain>I got the moto x because of the quick OTA updates. Now it seems that because I installed TWRP and froze a few apps with TB that this feature is totally borked!</complain> is that correct? I cannot update without stock recovery and all the original apps installed / unfrozen?

In my predicament would the easiest thing to do be
1. Unfreeze any system apps I've frozen.
2. Use msfastboot to reflash stock recovery?
3. Accept the OTA or somehow flash it manually (I'm not sure about this last one see below)

I accidentally accepted the OTA download and now it bugs me to install. I won't install because it just reboots into TWRP. But it does keep prompting me to set at time to install. If I simply flash stock recovery I think i will still get this prompt. Would that be the easiest way to go?

Thanks for any advice.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

1. - You do not need to unfreeze apps. The apps are still there untouched in the file system, and in recovery the OS hasn't booted enough to know that the apps are "frozen". By the way, frozen apps are basically just tagged in the OS as not available....so with the OS not running (just recovery is), they aren't "frozen" in recovery.

2. - Yes, fastboot to flash stock recovery. Boot to bootloader mode, fastboot flash recovery recovery.img (you don't need mfastboot for recovery, though you can still use it.)

3. - Accept the OTA. Since yours is trying to install, you should be able to boot to bootloader, flash stock recovery and on reboot it will start the install of the OTA. When done and booted.....reflash TWRP if you like.

That would be the way to go, yes.
Flash stock recovery and try to upgrade. If you cannot, try to unfreeze all sys apps. That should do it. ?

@pairustwo

Every time another OTA comes out, people who modify their phones ask the same question. I've written up a FAQ based on the past OTA's.. -> http://mark.cdmaforums.com/MotoX-OTA.html if you want to read it to get more info.

Part of the issues you are talking about when taking an OTA is that the OTAs want to patch and replace only SOME files on your phone, so it checks to make sure the update is for your phone and its android version by evaluating certain files on the phone, that they exist and that their check sums match what the update expects.

i.e. change/modify/delete files the OTA update checks before installing, and the OTA will refuse to install.

If it didn't do this, the wrong update could possibly flash to your phone, replacing files with incompatible versions and making a big mess.

So yeah, "getting back to stock" (or as close to it as you can) is always recommended before taking an OTA so the "check" doesn't fail and prevent the OTA from applying.

In the past, freezing apps with Ti Backup was enough of a modification to cause the OTA's to fail. So often it is still suggested to un-freeze those done with TiBackup.

The OTA zip file (as downloaded) will only flash from Stock Recovery. TWRP and CWM for example don't properly process and flash them, so if you try to install when stock recovery is NOT on your phone, you get stuck in a bootloop. Using mFastboot to flash stock recovery back on is fine for those with unlocked bootloaders. Locked Bootloader users, is another matter.

There is a way "side load" the OTA, IF you have stock recovery, your phone hasn't received the push from Moto or your Carrier yet, and the OTA Zip file has leaked. But it still requires you get back to stock, etc. just as if you were getting it OTA.

pairustwo said:

So I've tried to flash back to stock but am having an issue. Does anyone have a link to a stock recovery image? Maybe the one I have is corrupt.

Click to expand...

Click to collapse

Answered here -> http://xdaforums.com/moto-x/moto-x-qa/dead-android-red-exclamation-t2778189

and I made this -> http://mark.cdmaforums.com/MotoX-EnterStockRecovery.htm