Database Users

Is there any method to root the Nexus 7 without unlock the bl?

is there any method to root the nexus 7 without unlock the bootloader?
i read several posts about rooting n7, but every posts needs to unlock the bl first.
and "Flash Clockwork Mod Recovery" .
but i really don't know what the "cwm" is ! i want to use the stock nexus7 rom with rooted. is the cwm recovery will ruin something original?
could anyone solve my anxiety? thx!

You need to unlock the bootloader in order to root.
WugFresh's toolkit has a friendly interface making this extremely simple:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1766475
Follow the instructions within the toolkit to ensure drivers are correct, backup apps, unlock bootloader, root device.
After doing this your Nexus will still be identical to stock.

mythomasy said:
is there any method to root the nexus 7 without unlock the bootloader?
i read several posts about rooting n7, but every posts needs to unlock the bl first.
and "Flash Clockwork Mod Recovery" .
but i really don't know what the "cwm" is ! i want to use the stock nexus7 rom with rooted. is the cwm recovery will ruin something original?
could anyone solve my anxiety? thx!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep you need to unlock your bootloader to root.
You don't actually need Clock Work Mod recovery in order to be rooted.
In fact, I believe that the Wug Fresh toolkit posted by retrobeans above allows you to root and not install CWM.
Having said that, all CWM does is replace the stock Recovery on your device. This allows you to make backups, flash new ROMs and mods etc. If you never go into it, you will not notice a difference - you will still be running your stock rooted ROM. So i wouldnt be afraid of installing it . Or you can always do it at a later date if you want.

Bootloader can always be relocked with "fastboot oem lock" anyway...
why are you concerned about unlocking, or do you just not understand fastboot?

mythomasy said:
is there any method to root the nexus 7 without unlock the bootloader?
i read several posts about rooting n7, but every posts needs to unlock the bl first.
and "Flash Clockwork Mod Recovery" .
but i really don't know what the "cwm" is ! i want to use the stock nexus7 rom with rooted. is the cwm recovery will ruin something original?
could anyone solve my anxiety? thx!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can use a great toolkit by wugfresh which applies root without cwm. You still need to be unlocked though
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Harry GT-S5830 said:
you can use a great toolkit by wugfresh which applies root without cwm. You still need to be unlocked though
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
is there any harm of being "cwm"ed? if not , i will try the easier way of one click root.(btw, i tried the wugfresh's toolkit ,but failed to install the driver...)

CWM (clockwork mod) is just a custom recovery image, from here you can flash files to your phone, wipe data, take full system backups (or restore).
Its a handy way to do key things people require when changing or modifying roms.
If in the future you will want to do any of the above then you will require a custom recovery.
Its not (in my opinion) the best recovery for the nexus 7 though, I use the Team WIN (TWRP) recovery.

You failed to install drivers? Or maybe when you installed Wug's tool it didn't download correctly? If you go and manually install the drivers which come with the tool I don't understand how they would have failed. Not trying to sound condescending or anything so sorry if I do. But Wug's toolkit (I know it's not the only one out there) is extremely easy and efficient. I would try re-downloading and on the driver install part go to
Right Click on computer
Manage
Device Manager, Here you should see a device either not detected or says that it's incorrectly installed blah blah
Right click the device and uninstall
at the top click on "Scan for Hardware Changes" (or something along those lines)
and right click your device when it comes up and the drivers are located wherever you installed his toolkit
I hope this helped and if not then just ignore. :laugh:

mythomasy said:
is there any harm of being "cwm"ed? if not , i will try the easier way of one click root.(btw, i tried the wugfresh's toolkit ,but failed to install the driver...)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Get the pdanet drivers, cwm is just a custom recovery, for wiping data and caches. Just has a few nice options like backing up full system data and boot.img . No real disadvantage and you can always flash back stock
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

Im In Same Situation
is it possible to lock bootloader after and still have root?
Also do you still recive ota updates?

jxer4567 said:
is it possible to lock bootloader after and still have root?
Also do you still recive ota updates?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can lock bootloader after.
You can get OTA but you would lose root and also lose your custom recovery, and with a locked bootloader you would be unable to root again
Sent from my Jelly Nexus S

Thank you bummed a little do i still recive ota with unlocked bootloader so i can have it rooted im wanting to keep original recovery no custom recovery but unlocked bootloader will i get ota?

jxer4567 said:
Thank you bummed a little do i still recive ota with unlocked bootloader so i can have it rooted im wanting to keep original recovery no custom recovery but unlocked bootloader will i get ota?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, unlocked bootloader does not affect OTA
Sent from my Jelly Nexus S

So only if i install custom recovery i lose ota just im wary with nexus 7 alot more important than v845
Sent from my Vodafone 845 using xda app-developers app

Sorry fellows, but you are wrong There IS a method to root the Nexus 7 without unlocking the bootloader.
Then you can have root without wipping your data, for instance, as happens when you unlock your BL. And with root you can unlock the BL without wipping your data too. All thanks to efrant with his awesome tutorials! It is in the Galaxy Nexus Forum, but me and some others have reported to be working on the Nexus 7 too.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1894717 -- Root without unlocking
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1731993 -- Unlock BL without wipping

Let me sum it up.
Can i root without unlocking bl? yes.
Can i unlock bl without full wipe , when i do it the first time? no.
So u install pdanet drivers(i know, i had driver problems on my old win xp company laptop), then unlock bl, root. Thats it. u dont need to install CWM(btw, I prefer TWRP).
OTA updates n recovery: As far as i know, u will receive OTA updates whether u have CWM or not, but when u click install for the update, if u have CWM/TWRP, it wont install. It will install properly only if u have stock recovery.
OTA updates n root: U will get n will be able to install updates whether or not u have root. But u will lose root if u install the update. Re rooting is esy if u already have an unlocked BL, but theres an app "voodoo ota rootkeeper", that makes a backup of your root status b4 update n then restores it after update. N its free!! Nice, huh?
Unlocking BL shindig: So u would have 2 reasons for not wanting to keep ur BL unlocked. First, if anything goes wrong(very very very unlikely, believe me I have done a lot of crap on this phone, its extremely hard to brick), u need to return it in BL locked state. Second: Security. If your phone gets stolen n ur BL is unlocked, some guy could easily flash CWM n flash a custom rom n access all your data. For both cases, I suggest a very useful technique.
1.Unlock BL.
2.Root
3.Relock BL.
4. Install app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.segv11.bootunlocker. This app will let u unlock BL from within a rooted phone without having to wipe your whole phone. If you are confused at this point, let me explain further, in case something happens to your phone n u need 2 return, u can just return it, if BL is locked, there wont b any issues. Also, if your phone is stolen, the theif wont b able to access it without completely wiping ur phone(unless he is a xda member n knows about that app!!! lol).
Got it?

Lennyuk said:
CWM (clockwork mod) is just a custom recovery image, from here you can flash files to your phone, wipe data, take full system backups (or restore).
Its a handy way to do key things people require when changing or modifying roms.
If in the future you will want to do any of the above then you will require a custom recovery.
Its not (in my opinion) the best recovery for the nexus 7 though, I use the Team WIN (TWRP) recovery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think The peeps who also agree twrp is much better than CWM is grown to the point where is the preimanant force for custom backup now. This Dev is 100% correct in my opinion also

[Q] Nexus 7 (4.1.2) can't root

Hi I have a Nexus 7 version (4.1.2 OTA).
I wanted to ask what the deal is or what I'm doing wrong. I purchased the full version of Nexus ToolKit 7. According to the instructions I made the unlocked bootloader and I wanted to root but each attempt failed.
I do not know what I could do wrong when root is fully automated.
PS: I also tried to reflash Stock Rom (4.1.2)
I enclose a picture attachments with an error message

IAmNice said:
usb debugging on? Have you checked that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi. Yes mam (usb debugging on) have a look to the attachment.
Toolkit me boot into fastboot then reboot then for something to fastboot loaded and back to android and trying to upload the files but nothing superuser is not recorded because of (read-only file system).
have a look on the attachment is there to see everything ...

yep same issue here - problem with the forum regs is unless you have enough posts you can't actually address the issue to the appropriate person can you? Anyway, able to unlock but then is unable to root and rest due to a permissions problem. have tried as administrator but of coure this doesn't make any difference.

NexusTropers said:
Hi I have a Nexus 7 version (4.1.2 OTA).
I wanted to ask what the deal is or what I'm doing wrong. I purchased the full version of Nexus ToolKit 7. According to the instructions I made the unlocked bootloader and I wanted to root but each attempt failed.
I do not know what I could do wrong when root is fully automated.
PS: I also tried to reflash Stock Rom (4.1.2)
I enclose a picture attachments with an error message
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can try flashing CWM recovery and installing Superuser from there.
Download Superuser and copy it to your /sdcard
Flash CWM recovery
Install Superuser from CWM
????
Profit.

try:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1796109

comminus said:
You can try flashing CWM recovery and installing Superuser from there.
Download Superuser and copy it to your /sdcard
Flash CWM recovery
Install Superuser from CWM
????
Profit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks comminus - but I think that if we could do this then we wouldn't be using the tool kit.

bazabaza said:
Thanks comminus - but I think that if we could do this then we wouldn't be using the tool kit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why not try before you give up? Nothing I suggested is even remotely challenging.
With your tablet booted normally plug it in to your computer and copy the superuser zip in my previous post to the Download directory on your Nexus 7 from Windows.
Judging by the first provided screenshot I can see that option 6 in that toolkit is for flashing recovery. Why not try that?
As far as how to install the zip from ClockworkMod (CWM), there are literally hundreds of threads and YouTube videos that will show you what to do. The better option is to spend a few minutes (literately. It only takes a few minutes.) to learn some basic fastboot commands. If you're willing to learn there are many people who will help.

comminus said:
Why not try before you give up? Nothing I suggested is even remotely challenging.
With your tablet booted normally plug it in to your computer and copy the superuser zip in my previous post to the Download directory on your Nexus 7 from Windows.
Judging by the first provided screenshot I can see that option 6 in that toolkit is for flashing recovery. Why not try that?
As far as how to install the zip from ClockworkMod (CWM), there are literally hundreds of threads and YouTube videos that will show you what to do. The better option is to spend a few minutes (literately. It only takes a few minutes.) to learn some basic fastboot commands. If you're willing to learn there are many people who will help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx you for your post
But in the Nexus7 ToolKit can be done but is ClockworkMod must first rename (recovery restore files) but with da only when I have ROOT.
And why unnecessary to install CWM and resolve other problems I'll eat a connection. If "simply" can I ROOT who create me rich enough.

NexusTropers said:
Thx you for your post
But in the Nexus7 ToolKit can be done but is ClockworkMod must first rename (recovery restore files) but with da only when I have ROOT.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Choose #1 in your first screenshot.
After you install CWM make sure you boot recovery before a standard boot. On rebooting from CWM it will say something like "ROM may flash stock recovery on boot." and prompt with yes or no. Choose yes - this renames /system/recovery-from-boot.p and prevents the ROM from restoring stock recovery.
NexusTropers said:
And why unnecessary to install CWM and resolve other problems I'll eat a connection. If "simply" can I ROOT who create me rich enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not really sure what you're trying to say...

I tried quite a few times to root my Nexus 7 with the Nexus 7 toolkit, it hung every time when it was supposed to be installing SuperSU and BusyBox. Every time the last message I saw was "adbd already running as root", and it would just hang there. Everything else appeared to work properly. The only tool I was able to successfully use (more than once) was the Nexus Root Toolkit from Wugfresh http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1766475. You may want to try that tool.

comminus said:
Choose #1 in your first screenshot.
After you install CWM make sure you boot recovery before a standard boot. On rebooting from CWM it will say something like "ROM may flash stock recovery on boot." and prompt with yes or no. Choose yes - this renames /system/recovery-from-boot.p and prevents the ROM from restoring stock recovery.
I'm not really sure what you're trying to say...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. THX u i try it.
2. AH sorry translator make crazy text.
homerbrew said:
I tried quite a few times to root my Nexus 7 with the Nexus 7 toolkit, it hung every time when it was supposed to be installing SuperSU and BusyBox. Every time the last message I saw was "adbd already running as root", and it would just hang there. Everything else appeared to work properly. The only tool I was able to successfully use (more than once) was the Nexus Root Toolkit from Wugfresh http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1766475. You may want to try that tool.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oki THX u i try this tool...

I'm also having this same problem but here's my story:
Using the Nexus 1.5.4 Toolkit, I Unrooted + Flashed jzo54k, success. I locked OEM, success. I unlocked again, success. Then I ran the root process again, and it keeps freezing at the android recovery screen. Following the prompt in the toolkit, I walked away for a few hours hoping time would resolve the issue.
If you're wondering why I unlocked + rooted, and decided to unroot, lock, unlock, and root again, its because I'm super-noob to anything android related after version 1.5, I wanted to learn the processes after I found out I was having troubles with certian things after my Nexus 7 updated from 4.1 to 4.1.2

I am having the same issue as you. 4.1.2 is not rooting for me. I can't install CWM or TWRP because it needs to rename recovery files, and to do that you need to be rooted. If I boot in recovery I always get stock

Having the same issue with a stock 4.1.2. I can unlock no problem but I cannot get it rooted. Everything appears to have worked, but it is not rooted. If I revert back to 4.1.1 I can unlock, root, etc. without issue. I was able to root 4.1.1 and use the root keeper app to then update to 4.1.2 and I was rooted still. However, it would not let me install CWM or anything. ROM Manager says it was installed, but booting to recovery always too me to stock.
Any ideas?

Can you point me into the direction to downgrading?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

MetalMadness said:
Can you point me into the direction to downgrading?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used Nexus Root Toolkit v1.5.4 and selected the "Flash Stock + Unroot" option. When prompted I choose the default 4.1.1 option and away it went.

To root my 32Gb on 4.1.2 I had to unlock the boot loader, flash the boot loader back to version 3.34, and then I successfully rooted using the nexus 7 toolkit.

hundred_miles_high said:
To root my 32Gb on 4.1.2 I had to unlock the boot loader, flash the boot loader back to version 3.34, and then I successfully rooted using the nexus 7 toolkit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Winner winner! I was just reading THIS which is exactly what you suggested. I just tried this and can confirm that it did work.
Thanks!

hundred_miles_high said:
To root my 32Gb on 4.1.2 I had to unlock the boot loader, flash the boot loader back to version 3.34, and then I successfully rooted using the nexus 7 toolkit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Indy1204 said:
Winner winner! I was just reading THIS which is exactly what you suggested. I just tried this and can confirm that it did work.
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I did this earlier and it didnt work, but I checked boot instead of flash
FLASH THE OLDER BOOTLOADER DON'T BOOT IT!!!

[Q] Iam not able to install a custom recovery

Hey, just got my N4 yesterday.
I rooted my device today.
I also wanted to install a custom recovery like cwm or twrp.
But everytime it comes up with the android figure and a red warning.
Seems that every tool kit like the 1.6. nexus root toolkit or the Google Nexus 4 ToolKit is not able to install/flash a recovery.
Am i doing anything wrong?

Toobie said:
Hey, just got my N4 yesterday.
I rooted my device today.
I also wanted to install a custom recovery like cwm or twrp.
But everytime it comes up with the android figure and a red warning.
Seems that every tool kit like the 1.6. nexus root toolkit or the Google Nexus 4 ToolKit is not able to install/flash a recovery.
Am i doing anything wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you are doing wrong is using a toolkit. Follow these instructions. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2018179

I use mskip's Nexus 4 Toolkit without any issues. So far I've used it to root, install clockworkmod recovery and flash the stock image after messing up a build prop edit. Saved me a lot of headaches as I haven't used adb or fastboot commands in over a year, don't even have the sdk installed any more. This is the first phone since I got my Incredible in 2010 that I actually wanted to put a custom recovery on and play with.
Here are some basic questions. Did you unlock your boot loader? Do you have usb debugging enabled? Does your device show up when when your plugged in and booted up into fastboot? Do you have the correct drivers installed? Which recovery are you trying to install and did you try the other one available? Did you use the toolkit to root and did it work?

Toobie said:
Hey, just got my N4 yesterday.
I rooted my device today.
I also wanted to install a custom recovery like cwm or twrp.
But everytime it comes up with the android figure and a red warning.
Seems that every tool kit like the 1.6. nexus root toolkit or the Google Nexus 4 ToolKit is not able to install/flash a recovery.
Am i doing anything wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After you root the device using the toolkit, it is easiest to download ROM Manager or Goo.im from the Play Store to install your custom recovery.
As Ed Daddy said, it's best to use ADB, however, it would save you some times and a few headache if you could just go ahead and download ROM Manager. Sometimes people forget there are *really easy* ways to do stuffs.

KyraOfFire said:
After you root the device using the toolkit, it is easiest to download ROM Manager or Goo.im from the Play Store to install your custom recovery.
As Ed Daddy said, it's best to use ADB, however, it would save you some times and a few headache if you could just go ahead and download ROM Manager. Sometimes people forget there are *really easy* ways to do stuffs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I agree there are "really easy" ways to do things, I was trying to point him in the direction of learning.
Obviously since they don't know how to flash a recovery, they probably aren't familiar with much else.
Learning how to do things properly never hurt anyone.
Sent from my Nexus 4

Toobie said:
Hey, just got my N4 yesterday.
I rooted my device today.
I also wanted to install a custom recovery like cwm or twrp...
...Am i doing anything wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
El Daddy is correct.
Toolkits are silly on Nexus devices, for Nexus the simplest way is flashing via faboot. At the very least take the time to learn from the guide that El Daddy provided a link to. With that knowledge you'll be able to resolve issues like this and help others who get stuck.

Actually I unlocked my bootloader, rooted the device. Using normal OTA 4.2.1
But it seems that every toolkit cannot flash the recovery.
I will try it now with using adb commands...

All the toolkits are are scripts that run the fastboot and adb commands for you, they're nothing complicated and IMO from someone with experience I prefer using them now as I no longer have the sdk installed. Gave up on custom ROMs, my own and others, a long time ago.
---------- Post added at 08:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:29 PM ----------
Toobie said:
Actually I unlocked my bootloader, rooted the device. Using normal OTA 4.2.1
But it seems that every toolkit cannot flash the recovery.
I will try it now with using adb commands...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually it's fastboot not adb that you use to flash recoveries, two different animals. and to the poster recommending ROM Manager, its kind of borked right now and I wouldn't use it to flash anything.
Edit: spoke too soon on ROM Manager looks like Koush updated it and it appears to be working properly. This was the first app I ever bought back in 2010 when I first rooted my Eris and couldn't get clockworkmod recovery to install, the moderators at the time recommended ROM Manager to me to get it installed as nothing else worked.

Yeah, but both didn't work.
I used now the adb commands on my one, still remembering them from my Nexus One, and see it works

For sure fastboot and adb will work. I used it very recently when my n4 updated. Just make sure to download the latest cwm. Had a boot loop the first time as I used an old one. Hehehe
Edit: actually not sure if it was the old fastboot files or cwm that caused the error. Anyway I updated my sdk so everything works well
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

Actually all the tools booted the phone fine in the fastboot mode, telling me flashing the recovery is fine.
But every time i wanted to reboot in the recovery i got this android roboter with the red alarm...
with the normal adb commands everything was really fine!

You're getting that because flashing custom recovery alone without modifying a file or two generates stock recovery every after a reboot. Go to your /system folder and look for recovery-from-boot.p and rename that to whatever you like then flash the custom recovery again
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

thephantom said:
You're getting that because flashing custom recovery alone without modifying a file or two generates stock recovery every after a reboot. Go to your /system folder and look for recovery-from-boot.p and rename that to whatever you like then flash the custom recovery again
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds great, will try that.
Thank you.

Can't accept OTA

Alright so I'm tired of the notification for the 4.2.1 update sitting in my notification bar. I rooted my phone right after I got it and did the very first OTA. I am running the latest version of CWM that I manually flashed. I thought I saw somewhere that ClockworkMod automatically installs OTA's, and keeps root when it's done? But every time I reboot to try to OTA, it doesn't work. It shows a little 3D Android with something spinning in it's stomach. CWM then pops up with a menu asking if I would like to install an untrusted zip (I'm assuming Google does something weird to the signature or something). But when I click to proceed, it just aborts after trying to flash.
Any ideas?

kcls said:
Alright so I'm tired of the notification for the 4.2.1 update sitting in my notification bar. I rooted my phone right after I got it and did the very first OTA. I am running the latest version of CWM that I manually flashed. I thought I saw somewhere that ClockworkMod automatically installs OTA's, and keeps root when it's done? But every time I reboot to try to OTA, it doesn't work. It shows a little 3D Android with something spinning in it's stomach. CWM then pops up with a menu asking if I would like to install an untrusted zip (I'm assuming Google does something weird to the signature or something). But when I click to proceed, it just aborts after trying to flash.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CWM doesn't do a every good job with Nexus 4 yet. And OTA usually fails if you have custom recovery.
It is best to ADB sideload the OTA. To keep root, you can use the OTA root keeper app from playstore (free), or just reroot the phone afterward.
Both ways should be easy and painless.

kcls said:
Alright so I'm tired of the notification for the 4.2.1 update sitting in my notification bar. I rooted my phone right after I got it and did the very first OTA. I am running the latest version of CWM that I manually flashed. I thought I saw somewhere that ClockworkMod automatically installs OTA's, and keeps root when it's done? But every time I reboot to try to OTA, it doesn't work. It shows a little 3D Android with something spinning in it's stomach. CWM then pops up with a menu asking if I would like to install an untrusted zip (I'm assuming Google does something weird to the signature or something). But when I click to proceed, it just aborts after trying to flash.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to have the stock recovery installed to install the ota update.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium

KyraOfFire said:
CWM doesn't do a every good job with Nexus 4 yet. And OTA usually fails if you have custom recovery.
It is best to ADB sideload the OTA. To keep root, you can use the OTA root keeper app from playstore (free), or just reroot the phone afterward.
Both ways should be easy and painless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright, how would I sideload it with adb? And I'll try the OTA RootKeeper. Thanks for your reply.
nbeebe24 said:
You need to have the stock recovery installed to install the ota update.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How can I get the stock recovery back? Is there an IMG somewhere that I can fastboot flash?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk²

kcls said:
Alright, how would I sideload it with adb?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reboot to recovery. You should be able to find adb side load option.
Then proceed to your command prompt (computer) and use the command
adb sideload filepath/filename.zip
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reboot system and you're good to go. (remember to wipe cache/dalvik)

KyraOfFire said:
Reboot to recovery. You should be able to find adb side load option.
Then proceed to your command prompt (computer) and use the command
Reboot system and you're good to go. (remember to wipe cache/dalvik)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Alright, thanks. Sorry for all the questions, but where on the system is the ota stored?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk²

Assuming you haven't made any other modifications and you have a custom recovery installed you can just flash the ota like any other rom. Download it from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1971169. Put it in your internal storage and flash.

El Daddy said:
Assuming you haven't made any other modifications and you have a custom recovery installed you can just flash the ota like any other rom. Download it from here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1971169. Put it in your internal storage and flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, I'll do that tonight. Thanks so much everyone!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk²

KyraOfFire said:
CWM doesn't do a every good job with Nexus 4 yet. And OTA usually fails if you have custom recovery.
It is best to ADB sideload the OTA. To keep root, you can use the OTA root keeper app from playstore (free), or just reroot the phone afterward.
Both ways should be easy and painless.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sorry to threadjack, but if i sideload an OTA, will my settings and files be wiped? I am on stock rom.

A doubt
I have a custom recovery (CWM) and have not installed any custom ROM, running Stock 4.2.1
If Google decides to push update 4.2.2 then will it work without me having to do anything. As in will it be a simple painless process ?

rahulkadukar said:
A doubt
I have a custom recovery (CWM) and have not installed any custom ROM, running Stock 4.2.1
If Google decides to push update 4.2.2 then will it work without me having to do anything. As in will it be a simple painless process ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you may just lose recovery. other than than i do not think anything else will happen

Will custom recovery prevent ota updates?

First let me apologise if this is in the wrong section. I could not decide if this was the best place for it or q a&a. As the title sais. If i flash twrp will it prevent me from receiving ota updates from Google. I have an HTC sensation XE and if i flash a custom recovery i know from past experience that it prevents ota updates. This nexus 7 however is my first "Google" device you could call it and as such i do not know that.
Can any one inform me on this issue. Also if it will an ota cause loss of root on this nexus like it did on my smartphone or will it stay? If it is gone i suppose it will simply be a matter of using chainfires root tool again when it gets updated for it.
Thanks in advance.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

Q&A would be the best place for the post, but I can offer some insight. Any time you flash a custom rom you will forfeit the option of an ota update from your carrier or Google. This doesn't affect your play store apps as they will update when needed. The information that gets sent to your carrier identifies it as being non-official software so only a few custom ROMs that are well maintained will point the ota updates to its own servers. If you wish to receive official ota updates you should perform a nandroid backup of your stock rom to have a restore point for when a new release comes out. Aside from that, you would have to flash everything back to stock (probably stock recovery too) in order to be seen by the carrier as an eligible device.
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Who said anything about flashing a custom rom. I know i didn't. Sorry but that reply is no insight at all. I asked if flashing twrp a custom recovery would prevent ota updates like on my phone. Nothing else. I did not say one word about custom recovery.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

Ch3vr0n said:
Who said anything about flashing a custom rom. I know i didn't. Sorry but that reply is no insight at all. I asked if flashing twrp a custom recovery would prevent ota updates like on my phone. Nothing else. I did not say one word about custom recovery.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
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If you install a custom recovery like twrp, you wouldn't be able to install an OTA from Google. You need stock recovery for OTAs.

now that's more of an answer i was hoping to get, can some other users confirm this? I suppose i'll lose root aswell but i imagine that would simply be a case of waiting for an updated root tool then. Say i do flash a recovery, does google have a page where you can manually download the update files to flash? But that would probably cause a lose of root as well but the custom recovery would remain intact, correct?

Ch3vr0n said:
now that's more of an answer i was hoping to get, can some other users confirm this? I suppose i'll lose root aswell but i imagine that would simply be a case of waiting for an updated root tool then. Say i do flash a recovery, does google have a page where you can manually download the update files to flash? But that would probably cause a lose of root as well but the custom recovery would remain intact, correct?
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This has already been brought up many times e.g.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2404833

I thought as much. I'll stick with stock recovery then until i need a custom recovery for some specific reason. For now root access is enough. And if an ota comes out and i lose recovery well I'll just wait for chainfire to update his root tool

i received the jss15j -> jsl36c update on my razorg with twrp recovery installed.
after the update stock recovery was back.
you can boot every recovery or kernel image without flashing it using fastboot:
fastboot boot nameofrecovery.img

I think you can have your cake and eat it too.
Instead of "fastboot flash recovery recovery.img" to flash the custom recovery, you can "fastboot boot recovery.img".
Every time you want the custom recovery, use fastboot boot command on the pc. This way you can make nandroid backups and flash superSU to root. But, you will not be replacing the stock recovery.
I did this on my HTC phone, when I wanted to remain stock, rooted, yet able to receive OTA updates.

HowardZ said:
I think you can have your cake and eat it too.
Instead of "fastboot flash recovery recovery.img" to flash the custom recovery, you can "fastboot boot recovery.img".
Every time you want the custom recovery, use fastboot boot command on the pc. This way you can make nandroid backups and flash superSU to root. But, you will not be replacing the stock recovery.
I did this on my HTC phone, when I wanted to remain stock, rooted, yet able to receive OTA updates.
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Good to know.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

I've taken OTAs using custom recoveries before on any number of devices. If you're not careful you can lose your recovery and have to reflash again, but sometimes you don't even lose that.

Well, there might be complications installing an OTA with custom recovery if it comes with a newer bootloader version/radio. Sometimes it works, but there were also reported problems.

Well i just had an ota update to jss15r and lost root as kinda expected. Now ill just have to find out if rerunning the root tool will be enough. Since it is already OEM unlocked i suppose i can simply modify that bat file and remove that line and run it again?