Thanks for that very detailed explanation. Based on your input I will change my procedure to:
1. Patch A12 Magisk boot.img w/ Magisk 23 and save to PC
2. Uninstall Magisk from phone using the Restore Image option (hopefully that will work) w/o reboot. If it doesn't work (how will I know?) I can Fastboot flash the stock October Security Update Image to match the ROM version using now
3. Install the OTA A12 Update (it was not offered as I have that option off, but when I looked for it it came up as "ready to update"). It is the full 1.6GB image. Power off (no reboot) when complete
4. Reboot to Fastboot then Fastboot Boot my patched Magisk boot.img from Step 1
5. That should reboot me to System with temporary root and I can use Magisk to direct install.
Hopefully (if correct) this will help me for future updates and help others who are hesitant about this slightly different process
I have only upgraded in A11, and the last time I did a wipe (commented line showing a previous dirty falsh/nowipe).Before I started the below, I extracted the boot.img and patched the new boot on my current install, and transferred that back onto my PC. I am running a windows PC and transferred it all to G:\flash_stock\ as having too long a path has previously caused issues with fastboot, especially with spaces in the paths. I ran each step individually and manually waited for it to complete. ie not as a single batch. I download the factory images from the web, not by OTA.
Code:
adb kill-server
PATH=%PATH%;"%SYSTEMROOT%\System32";"C:\Java\x86\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools";
cd /d G:\flash_stock
fastboot devices
fastboot flash bootloader bootloader-sunfish-s5-0.3-7357976.img
fastboot reboot-bootloader
fastboot flash radio radio-sunfish-g7150-00047-210319-b-7220401.img
fastboot reboot-bootloader
REM fastboot --skip-reboot update image-sunfish-rq3a.211001.001.zip
fastboot -w update image-sunfish-rq3a.211001.001.zip
fastboot reboot-bootloader
fastboot devices
fastboot flash boot magisk_patched-23000_ogfF2.img
fastboot reboot
adb kill-server
==========================================================================================
Now, regarding the A12 upgrade, this is where it may be getting a little funky.
This is a strange case that has happened since this morning. I am on the latest A11 with an unlocked bootloader and rooted and running stable Magisk. Not a magisk beta or Alpha test build.
As expected, I have never received stock update notification for Android 11 or even when the first A12 factory image was available. HOWEVER, this morning I turned on my phone and noticed a notification that an updated factory image was available for A12. When I check in system, it clearly offers me the upgrade. Whike still unlocked and rooted.
I have not re-locked the bootloader or downgraded/replaced the boot image with a non magisk one. I NEVER expected to ever get an official upgrade while unlocked and rooted. The one thing that is a little funky about this latest upgrade though, is that it is specific to my region and service provider. Maybe I would never have gotten offered A11 upgrades even If I was running stock.
I'm just gonna wait for the first android 12 custom rom for our device and flash that haha.
Yeah, I havent seen any absolute glowing reviews of the new A12 interface/os. My next move is from stock A11 to maybe custom Bliss A11, before I switch to A12.
