VS98024A - OTA manual install + Patched Stock Kernels

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xdabbeb

Inactive Recognized Developer
Sep 10, 2010
1,248
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After interrupting the 11A to 12B OTA to see what was happening and decompiling certain framework bits along with the LGFOTA.apk I was able to figure out how to force the 24A OTA KitKat build to install. Thanks to @JackpotClavin for finding the bin file.

It looks like an official release is near, so if you aren't VERY comfortable with adb, etc. then this isn't for you, and please don't attempt it. As with any procedures of this sort you risk getting your phone in an unusable state and potentially worse. If you are comfortable with this and don't want to wait for the OTA, here's what I did to make it work. Hopefully this will also help others force future OTAs as the procedure should be transferable.


Manual OTA Install:
  1. Restore to 100% stock VS98012B via one of the available tot/kdz methods, then get root using the latest ioroot from autoprime (or do it manually). Don't install a recovery. Don't modify anything.
  2. Download the bin file from here and verify that the md5 is ebb9750e33574c7738a8256fb01a9e00
  3. Rename the file to dlpkgfile and push it to /cache/fota/
  4. From an adb shell run the following command:
    Code:
    echo "--update_package=/cache/fota/dlpkgfile" > /cache/recovery/command
    ** Note: If the recovery directory does not exist on your phone...create it :)
  5. From adb shell run the following command:
    Code:
    am start -n com.lge.lgfota.permission/com.lge.lgfota.permission.DmcEzUpdateStart
  6. The phone will restart on its own and go through the software update procedure.

Optional:

If you want a custom recovery, then you have a few more steps. JackpotClavin has already written up an excellent guide on how to do so HERE. Follow his steps 5-8 (as you've theoretically already followed this guide to get to 24A), and substitute one of the .lok files included in this archive for the file named "boot.emmc.win" in step 7. If you have already gone through that procedure and have a custom recovery, you can simply flash either of the following two zips:

xdabbeb_vs98024a_kernel_google_gcc

xdabbeb_vs98024a_kernel_linaro_gcc

Q: What's the difference between the two?
A: One is built with the standard 4.6 gcc toolchain (same as stock LG) and the other is built with a linaro 4.7.4 optimized gcc toolchain.

Note: In order to have a custom recovery you need to be use an older (12b, 4.2.2) aboot/bootloader. At the same time, your laf partition (which is the one responsible for download mode) is now based on the new 24A OTA and won't work with the older aboot. All you need to do to get a working download mode again is dd the laf partition from 12b. You can find it right here. Since the only way you got to this point is by using dd to install an older aboot, I'll assume you can do the same thing for laf.


Devs: Feel free to use the kernels in your roms. Just give credit in your OP.
 
Last edited:

Enter The Nexus

Senior Member
Oct 28, 2012
550
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Trapped at UCLA
FAQ

Can I flash this with a custom recovery?

No, 100% stock. Follow the instructions in the OP or find an alternate version on pg. 37 here. There's also a video here, thanks Chet.

Is this Android 4.4.2 Kit Kat?

Yeah.

Is ART included/working?

It's broken/unusable for now.

Can I root on 24A?

Yeah. Use ioroot25!

Can I do this from my phone?

If you're rooted, go ahead and download a terminal emulator app. Then, proceed to do the process from your phone.
 
Last edited:

xdabbeb

Inactive Recognized Developer
Sep 10, 2010
1,248
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No way to keep your data? Other than that, thanks, you're amazing.

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

Well, if you want to manually undo every last thing on your phone that could possibly bork an OTA patch you certainly could, but I've made dozens of modifications to the stock ROM that I know would cause problems so for me it was easier to just use the TOT method to restore.
 

bonesjones

Senior Member
Dec 9, 2009
354
75
35
Birmingham
Only thing I've done is installed twrp.
Anyway to just undo that change?

Sent from my VS980 4G using xda app-developers app
 

JackpotClavin

Inactive Recognized Developer
Feb 27, 2011
1,024
3,814
New York
This kept root you said?

Did you use any root backup method or you just kept the original /system/xbin/su and it didn't do anything?

Sent from my LG-VS980 using xda app-developers app
 

xdabbeb

Inactive Recognized Developer
Sep 10, 2010
1,248
7,257
@JackpotClavin Correct, I kept root and I've never used any of those "rootkeeper" methods. I just manually pushed/created everything necessary for root (you can look at the update-binary for SuperSU if you want) and it works fine.

If you have a stock vs98012b recovery you can just dd it back. At one point in my testing I did so. Here it is if you don't have it.
 
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flyinj54

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Sep 14, 2011
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OnePlus 5T
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@JackpotClavin Correct, I kept root and I've never used any of those "rootkeeper" methods. I just manually pushed/created everything necessary for root (you can look at the update-binary for SuperSU if you want) and it works fine.

If you have a stock vs98012b recovery you can just dd it back. At one point in my testing I did so. Here it is if you don't have it.

In the future we would probably have to downgrade back to 12b to reinstall custom recovery as Roms come out with this base correct?
 
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player911

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In the future we would probably have to downgrade back to 12b to reinstall custom recovery as Roms come out with this base correct?

At this point, yes. Doing this will get you on stock KK. Waiting to flash this as a rooted custom rom will allow you to keep recovery.

Sent from my VS980 4G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
 

jesssiii

Senior Member
Aug 19, 2010
4,942
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Southern CA
You changed the name of the file without .bin on the end, correct? Not sure why my attempt failed.

I already have files in my /cache/fota folder, should those be deleted?
 
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RandomGuy982

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Oct 18, 2010
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flyinj54

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Sep 14, 2011
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At this point, yes. Doing this will get you on stock KK. Waiting to flash this as a rooted custom rom will allow you to keep recovery.

Sent from my VS980 4G using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

What do you think about fastboot flashing modem.img for aosp based roms? Should work right?

Edit: kk modem breaks boot on cm11 ;p
 
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xdabbeb

Inactive Recognized Developer
Sep 10, 2010
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That worked perfectly to get it started. Good find! Step two is taking forever, but I feel good about the outcome!
Yeah, step two takes forever. Did that both times for me.

You changed the name of the file without .bin on the end, correct? Not sure why my attempt failed.

I already have files in my /cache/fota folder, should those be deleted?

Correcto. You could really name it whatever you want, but you'd need to adjust elsewhere accordingly. If you do everything exactly as in the OP you'll be fine. As I mentioned, if you had anything that wasn't 100% stock it could cause the update to fail. You will have a dummy file and a muc file in the fota/ dir from what I remember. Those are fine. If you had been attempting this on your own and left other files around I suppose it could cause problems though. Best to wipe it all out and return to 100% stock if you're not sure!
 

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  • 85
    After interrupting the 11A to 12B OTA to see what was happening and decompiling certain framework bits along with the LGFOTA.apk I was able to figure out how to force the 24A OTA KitKat build to install. Thanks to @JackpotClavin for finding the bin file.

    It looks like an official release is near, so if you aren't VERY comfortable with adb, etc. then this isn't for you, and please don't attempt it. As with any procedures of this sort you risk getting your phone in an unusable state and potentially worse. If you are comfortable with this and don't want to wait for the OTA, here's what I did to make it work. Hopefully this will also help others force future OTAs as the procedure should be transferable.


    Manual OTA Install:
    1. Restore to 100% stock VS98012B via one of the available tot/kdz methods, then get root using the latest ioroot from autoprime (or do it manually). Don't install a recovery. Don't modify anything.
    2. Download the bin file from here and verify that the md5 is ebb9750e33574c7738a8256fb01a9e00
    3. Rename the file to dlpkgfile and push it to /cache/fota/
    4. From an adb shell run the following command:
      Code:
      echo "--update_package=/cache/fota/dlpkgfile" > /cache/recovery/command
      ** Note: If the recovery directory does not exist on your phone...create it :)
    5. From adb shell run the following command:
      Code:
      am start -n com.lge.lgfota.permission/com.lge.lgfota.permission.DmcEzUpdateStart
    6. The phone will restart on its own and go through the software update procedure.

    Optional:

    If you want a custom recovery, then you have a few more steps. JackpotClavin has already written up an excellent guide on how to do so HERE. Follow his steps 5-8 (as you've theoretically already followed this guide to get to 24A), and substitute one of the .lok files included in this archive for the file named "boot.emmc.win" in step 7. If you have already gone through that procedure and have a custom recovery, you can simply flash either of the following two zips:

    xdabbeb_vs98024a_kernel_google_gcc

    xdabbeb_vs98024a_kernel_linaro_gcc

    Q: What's the difference between the two?
    A: One is built with the standard 4.6 gcc toolchain (same as stock LG) and the other is built with a linaro 4.7.4 optimized gcc toolchain.

    Note: In order to have a custom recovery you need to be use an older (12b, 4.2.2) aboot/bootloader. At the same time, your laf partition (which is the one responsible for download mode) is now based on the new 24A OTA and won't work with the older aboot. All you need to do to get a working download mode again is dd the laf partition from 12b. You can find it right here. Since the only way you got to this point is by using dd to install an older aboot, I'll assume you can do the same thing for laf.


    Devs: Feel free to use the kernels in your roms. Just give credit in your OP.
    23
    Here the flashable zip file to test, make sure you did a full wipe before flashing:
    http://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=23329332407582762
    (MD5: 0c0f55f64c5be1a287e2ddec4bcde272)

    Remember to keep a copy of your working ROM so you can flash it if anything wrong happend. This one already included the system, kernel and modules needed for KitKat.

    If you can boot into the system (patched kernel works), you should enter recovery and flash VS980 KitKat Baseband and SuperSU

    If you stuck at boot logo, then flash your previous ROM and wait for a new patch from Savoca. (Then you will need to flash this ROM, and his later patch version)


    Please test it and give us feedback.

    Thanks @xdabbeb, @Savoca and @JackpotClavin for their hard work.
    20
    Well, something very weird happend. We cant flash this system.img directly (for some reason it always make the file over 2.2Gb and all recovery cant read it) like other variants. I'll dump it and repack in folders format so you guys can flash it. Be patient.
    20
    I'd like to aplogize in advance but the OP clearly states....
    This really is for devs and more advanced users, so I apologize, but I'm not going to be able to help people that run into problems. I've been through the procedure twice now so I know it works. I've also attached some of the system images below.

    Call me what you will for this but if the OPs instructions don't work for you then you're not following them exactly as posted. You're not reading. You're not following the instructions EXACTLY. If this doesn't work for you on the first try - you're doing it wrong. I'm not really sure what the confusion regarding "100% stock" is with people. If you can't figure out what "100% stock" means then you probably shouldn't be trying to follow this procedure. If you can't properly rename a file then you probably shouldn't be trying to follow this procedure. If you can't figure out how to get back to 100% stock then you probably shouldn't be trying to follow this procedure. If you're not sure how to backup the files on your sdcard then you probably shouldn't be trying to follow this procedure.

    If this process doesn't work for you on the first, or even second, try then you should probably stop & wait for someone to package up the contents into a flashable zip that you're comfortable with. It's better to wait & do something you're comfortable with than to bork your phone. Once again I apologize but if this doesn't work for you on the first or second try... you're flat out doing it wrong & not following the instructions in the OP & you need to give up before you make things worse for your device.
    20
    Now it's gone, hope you got it.

    Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk

    No worries, I got it