* * * [Pixel 2 XL] - UPDATE Monthly Factory Image / UPGRADE To New OS * * *

[Az Biker]

That's pretty wild bro. I had the same type of thing last week while trying a different version of V4A. Had to dirty fastboot the factory image to get all my settings back to normal. Gotta love these toys from time to time

Going through the paces isn't really the frustrating part, I like that learning process. What frustrates me is NOT knowing what caused it or WHY it happened.

When you apply the normal remedial steps to get back to square one, and they don't work, and none of the other usual fix it steps work, then all of a sudden it works. THAT is super frustrating!

Since I don't know what caused it, I really didn't "learn" anything from this snafu...

 

[Badger50]

Going through the paces isn't really the frustrating part, I like that learning process. What frustrates me is NOT knowing what caused it or WHY it happened.

When you apply the normal remedial steps to get back to square one, and they don't work, and none of the other usual fix it steps work, then all of a sudden it works. THAT is super frustrating!

Since I don't know what caused it, I really didn't "learn" anything from this snafu...

I hear ya man. Although, with electronics and my ever progressing age, sometimes I just figure it's best just to say...whatever you pos! :silly:

 

[CPngN]

Going through the paces isn't really the frustrating part, I like that learning process. What frustrates me is NOT knowing what caused it or WHY it happened.

When you apply the normal remedial steps to get back to square one, and they don't work, and none of the other usual fix it steps work, then all of a sudden it works. THAT is super frustrating!

Since I don't know what caused it, I really didn't "learn" anything from this snafu...

This is exactly where I have been, for the past 2 updates, plus the update to Pie in general. I have had to run the Magisk uninstaller every time and REALLY start from scratch. Maybe it has to do with forgetting to disable the Active Edge module, but it seems like the system figures out I have something going on and gives me a hard time until I nuke all related files from Downloads and start with a fresh patch, reboot, magisk re-do. At least I see I'm not the ONLY one running into starnge issues out of the blue. :\

 

[Az Biker]

@clothednblack, @Badger50, @CPngN

Since you guys were part of my "I will be doing a clean install soon" conversation, I thought you'd appreciate my epic snafu!

So there I am, sitting at the table, 2 XL hooked up to the lappie, fixing to exercise all the Android demons in my phone.
-all the needed files in platform tools- check
-twrp.zip, magisk, EX.zip files to be copied back to the phone on pc - check
-handy-dandy flashing instructions up and ready should any brain farts invade- check
-TiBu folder copied to pc later transfer - check

The wifey and daughter "DAD! It's time to watch "The Nativity"......
Me: 5 minutes, I need five minutes...

I reboot to bootloader, fastboot devices, flash-all (-w intact ), and away we go.
Boot into TWRP, clean install procedures all done, fresh kernel, magisk, all booting up lickity split,

"DAD! It's been 10 minutes!"
Me: 37 seconds, I'll be right there!

Connect device to pc, copy TiBu folder to phone - check
Copy TWRP folder to phone ...........
Where's the TWRP folder?

Yep, forgot to transfer my SDcard to the pc!

RULE #1 MAKE BACKUP / COPY BACKUP AND SDCARD TO PC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!How many times have I typed this in guides, and told users to remember this step?

So I'm literally starting from scratch. I had some old transfer files from Aug 17 on my pc

On the bright side; I have 51GB of storage available to me

Andy ( the noob snafu master)

 

[Badger50]

This is exactly where I have been, for the past 2 updates, plus the update to Pie in general. I have had to run the Magisk uninstaller every time and REALLY start from scratch. Maybe it has to do with forgetting to disable the Active Edge module, but it seems like the system figures out I have something going on and gives me a hard time until I nuke all related files from Downloads and start with a fresh patch, reboot, magisk re-do. At least I see I'm not the ONLY one running into starnge issues out of the blue. :

@clothednblack, @Badger50, @CPngN

Since you guys were part of my "I will be doing a clean install soon" conversation, I thought you'd appreciate my epic snafu!

So there I am, sitting at the table, 2 XL hooked up to the lappie, fixing to exercise all the Android demons in my phone.
-all the needed files in platform tools- check
-twrp.zip, magisk, EX.zip files to be copied back to the phone on pc - check
-handy-dandy flashing instructions up and ready should any brain farts invade- check
-TiBu folder copied to pc later transfer - check

The wifey and daughter "DAD! It's time to watch "The Nativity"......
Me: 5 minutes, I need five minutes...

I reboot to bootloader, fastboot devices, flash-all (-w intact ), and away we go.
Boot into TWRP, clean install procedures all done, fresh kernel, magisk, all booting up lickity split,

"DAD! It's been 10 minutes!"
Me: 37 seconds, I'll be right there!

Connect device to pc, copy TiBu folder to phone - check
Copy TWRP folder to phone ...........
Where's the TWRP folder?

Yep, forgot to transfer my SDcard to the pc!

RULE #1 MAKE BACKUP / COPY BACKUP AND SDCARD TO PC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!How many times have I typed this in guides, and told users to remember this step?

So I'm literally starting from scratch. I had some old transfer files from Aug 17 on my pc

On the bright side; I have 51GB of storage available to me

Andy ( the noob snafu master)

Oh dude!! You broke the Number 1 cardinal rule! Back up your chit before you start anything! Oh well bro, you'll be fine! C'mon dad, it's been 15 minutes...Bwahahahahaha ???

 

[clothednblack]

@clothednblack, @Badger50, @CPngN

Since you guys were part of my "I will be doing a clean install soon" conversation, I thought you'd appreciate my epic snafu!

So there I am, sitting at the table, 2 XL hooked up to the lappie, fixing to exercise all the Android demons in my phone.
-all the needed files in platform tools- check
-twrp.zip, magisk, EX.zip files to be copied back to the phone on pc - check
-handy-dandy flashing instructions up and ready should any brain farts invade- check
-TiBu folder copied to pc later transfer - check

The wifey and daughter "DAD! It's time to watch "The Nativity"......
Me: 5 minutes, I need five minutes...

I reboot to bootloader, fastboot devices, flash-all (-w intact ), and away we go.
Boot into TWRP, clean install procedures all done, fresh kernel, magisk, all booting up lickity split,

"DAD! It's been 10 minutes!"
Me: 37 seconds, I'll be right there!

Connect device to pc, copy TiBu folder to phone - check
Copy TWRP folder to phone ...........
Where's the TWRP folder?

Yep, forgot to transfer my SDcard to the pc!

RULE #1 MAKE BACKUP / COPY BACKUP AND SDCARD TO PC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!How many times have I typed this in guides, and told users to remember this step?

So I'm literally starting from scratch. I had some old transfer files from Aug 17 on my pc

On the bright side; I have 51GB of storage available to me

Andy ( the noob snafu master)

Dang it, people say "it's the little things in life", it sure is the case in the Android world too ?

 

[Az Biker]

The devil is in the details!

Valuable lesson learned; never get complacent, follow the fundamentals, and DON'T allow yourself to be distracted!

 

[Badger50]

The devil is in the details!

Valuable lesson learned; never get complacent, follow the fundamentals, and DON'T allow yourself to be distracted!

C'mon dad....it's been 2 hours! :laugh::silly::laugh::silly:

 

[CPngN]

@clothednblack, @Badger50, @CPngN

Connect device to pc, copy TiBu folder to phone - check
Copy TWRP folder to phone ...........
Where's the TWRP folder?

Yep, forgot to transfer my SDcard to the pc!
RULE #1 MAKE BACKUP / COPY BACKUP AND SDCARD TO PC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!How many times have I typed this in guides, and told users to remember this step?
So I'm literally starting from scratch. I had some old transfer files from Aug 17 on my pc
On the bright side; I have 51GB of storage available to me
Andy ( the noob snafu master)

Been there for sure. But what is this TWRP folder you needed so badly? Backups? Oh well, enjoy the free space for a while I guess. lol. Hopefully if you are photo maniac you are backing those up to Google.

 

[jd1639]

@Az Biker. I've been using otg-usb for all my backups. Memory is cheap and saves oopses and coping.

Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

 

[Badger50]

@Az Biker. I've been using otg-usb for all my backups. Memory is cheap and saves oopses and coping.

Even the rebound and highly respected AZ is not beyond the consequences of his own actions! :laugh::laugh:

 

[Az Biker]

@Az Biker. I've been using otg-usb for all my backups. Memory is cheap and saves oopses and coping.

Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

I was actually looking at one if those this week, prior to my epic failure.

As long as you can get to TWRP this is basically an ext sdcard?

 

[jd1639]

I was actually looking at one if those this week, prior to my epic failure.

As long as you can get to TWRP this is basically an ext sdcard?

Yeah, I picked up a Samsung 128 gb USB c memory stick for about about $25 on Amazon. It saves a lot of hassle.

Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

 

[LolHacker17]

can anyone help me? how to update to feb security .. when im stock and using twrp? can i just flash vendor .img?

 

[simplepinoi177]

can anyone help me? how to update to feb security .. when im stock and using twrp? can i just flash vendor .img?

What about the OP (Original Post) is confusing you and/or end up actually trying/doing? It should all be there, step-by-step, to show you "...how to update to [the] feb[ruary monthly] security..." update. Az Biker really makes it as simple and direct as you can really get.

But, to answer you specifically, no you cannot just "..flash vendor .img". Basically, you have to extract all the image files (including the vendor .img file), I strongly suggest you edit the flash-all.bat file (unless you are doing this on a non-Windows computer; then you are supposed to use the flash-all.sh file) and remove the "-w" attribute to the script, and then move all the files (6) to the platform-tools folder that hold within it the adb and fastboot .exe file where you, then, could update the device using the flash-all (normally the .bat file), fastboot, and the image files you moved.

note: updating via Full Factory image will cause you to lose custom recovery (TWRP), custom kernel, and root access (Magisk), but you can simply temporarily boot into TWRP using an .img file and re-install/re-flash what you have done in the past....I've personally gotten use to doing this every month; and I imagine all the other experts that do the same each month have (somewhat) gotten use to doing this each month as well...

Good luck to you and hope this helps...

 

[Badger50]

can anyone help me? how to update to feb security .. when im stock and using twrp? can i just flash vendor .img?

What about the OP (Original Post) is confusing you and/or end up actually trying/doing? It should all be there, step-by-step, to show you "...how to update to [the] feb[ruary monthly] security..." update. Az Biker really makes it as simple and direct as you can really get.

But, to answer you specifically, no you cannot just "..flash vendor .img". Basically, you have to extract all the image files (including the vendor .img file), I strongly suggest you edit the flash-all.bat file (unless you are doing this on a non-Windows computer; then you are supposed to use the flash-all.sh file) and remove the "-w" attribute to the script, and then move all the files (6) to the platform-tools folder that hold within it the adb and fastboot .exe file where you, then, could update the device using the flash-all (normally the .bat file), fastboot, and the image files you moved.

note: updating via Full Factory image will cause you to lose custom recovery (TWRP), custom kernel, and root access (Magisk), but you can simply temporarily boot into TWRP using an .img file and re-install/re-flash what you have done in the past....I've personally gotten use to doing this every month; and I imagine all the other experts that do the same each month have (somewhat) gotten use to doing this each month as well...

Good luck to you and hope this helps...

The Simple man is correct as usual :good:
However, if you want a simple guide, here ya go. It's what I, and many of us do every month

 

[Likkleskip]

Hey everyone..new guy here.. I just have a simple question.. 8ve tried searching to no avail.. can I flash system images with twrp? And if so could u direct me to instructions as to how? I don't have a PC right now but I'm rooted with twrp and magisk and I just wanna know if I can do it this way in the future

 

[Badger50]

Hey everyone..new guy here.. I just have a simple question.. 8ve tried searching to no avail.. can I flash system images with twrp? And if so could u direct me to instructions as to how? I don't have a PC right now but I'm rooted with twrp and magisk and I just wanna know if I can do it this way in the future

You can flash the OTA's, but not the factory images. They're pretty much the same thing though. This is how my cohort in crime and I typically do it :good:

https://forum.xda-developers.com/pi...k-flash-root-pixel-2-xl-t3702418/post78847569

You get the OTA's from here BTW :good:

https://developers.google.com/android/ota

 

[Likkleskip]

You can flash the OTA's, but not the factory images. They're pretty much the same thing though. This is how my cohort in crime and I typically do it :good:

https://forum.xda-developers.com/pi...k-flash-root-pixel-2-xl-t3702418/post78847569

You get the OTA's from here BTW :good:

https://developers.google.com/android/ota

Thank you bro

 

[Artriel]

Not sure where to ask a particular question??

I want to be able to sync screen app layouts across two android devices on the same google account. Is there a way to do this? Or is there a better place i should be posing this question?

Cheers in advance