Can confirm OTA works for rooted users

[JeffDenver]

Just got the 4.4.3 OTA, and it installed normally. I am rooted and unlocked but stock.

 

[skitzer9]

Are you on Sprint? Because I got the notification to update on my Nexus 5 on Sprint and I'm rooted but in stock. Did anything got messed up by doing the update rooted?

Sent from my Nexus 5 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[bjrosen]

Didn't work for me. I'm stock but I have Xposed Framework on the system. The OTA showed up but it wouldn't install. I gave up and installed the factory image directly.

 

[JeffDenver]

I'm on T-Mobile.

If you have modified your stock apps or system files it might not work. For example switching kernels or using that app that changes the navigation icons. It might also not work if you have disabled any of the stock apps. I have been told it will still work even if you have a modified recovery, although mine is stock.

But I was rooted and unlocked and got the OTA, and it installed like normal. It did unroot me though.

 

[JeffDenver]

According to this page if you have a custom recovery, 4.4.3 will overwrite it with the stock one. Not sure if this is true when using the OTA though.
Cult of Android - How to root Nexus 5 running Android 4.4.3 KitKat

 

[jj14x]

Didn't work for me. I'm stock but I have Xposed Framework on the system. The OTA showed up but it would install. I gave up and installed the factory image directly.

For future reference, (assuming XPosed was the only system modification you did) all you needed to do was to open XPosed framework app, go to settings in that app, and click the uninstall button (that would restore the system file that was modified by XPosed installation. Do not uninstall XPosed app itself). Then, you could download the OTA zip file to your phone, and flash it in your custom recovery.
This would eliminate the need for flashing the entire factory image.

 

[jj14x]

It might also not work if you have disabled any of the stock apps.

Disabling the stock apps shouldn't cause any issues. Uninstalling any of the stock apps however will cause issues.

 

[JeffDenver]

Ok, so to re-root, I ended up installing TWRP recovery, which was actually pretty easy. Instructions on this page:
Cult of Android - How to root Nexus 5 running Android 4.4.3 KitKat

TWRP seems to be the new go-to standard for custom recoveries nowadays, and it is pretty awesome. Intuitive and fully-touch-based UI. But...it would not root me like the instructions said it would. I got to the end of the page where suppodely you "reboot to system" and TWRP will ask you if you want to root...but mine did not.

So I just booted normally and installed the Superuser app from the play store - https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...etails?id=eu.chainfire.supersu&token=_4scCMhq - Running it, it informed me I was not rooted and offered to root me on auto-pilot using TWRP. And it worked great. The phone rebooted into recovery, rand a script, and rebooted again. Whole process took about 40 seconds.