Bought used nexus 6p and It isnt getting updates

[Ronnie Sandifer]

So always bought moto x line for pretty quick updates but my moto x pure edition seems to have been forgotten by lenovo so I bought a Nexus 6p [always wanted to try nexus anyway} from craigs list. Well phone works great but ive noticed its last security patch was dec 5 2016 {its currently Feb 20 2017} and its on android 7.0. So shouldnt it be on android 7.1 and a lot newer security patch? in developer options the "allow bootloader to be unlocked isnt on. So any suggestions. Dont really wanna always side load. Never done that but Ive read once you do you never receive OTA updates anymore. If there is no other option ill do that if someone could kindly point me in the right direction. Dont really wanna brick my phone though lol. Any help would be appreciated. /s/Ronnie

 

[Aquila]

Easiest way to get current without a lot of hassle is to go here: https://www.google.com/android/beta to the Android Beta. Enroll your device, that will force an OTA to your device to move it to the beta - then if you don't want to be in the beta, at the same site, you can unenroll (after you are active on the OTA) and it'll send another OTA to take you to the most recent stable version. I recommend using WiFi unless you have unlimited data, because they're huge updates.

 

[Blurr26]

I bought a used 6P a few months back. I'm currently on 7.1.1 and Feb. 5th security patch...

 

[Ronnie Sandifer]

Aquila thanks for the suggestion unfortunately already tried that. Enrolled about a week ago and keep checking manually for update but just keep getting "your system is up to date"

 

[Aquila]

What build number are you on and what type of SIM is in it (like which carrier)?

 

[Ronnie Sandifer]

Build number NBD91V and currently using a AT&T go phone sim. I have a google fi sim coming in a few day. Thought Id give fi a try just out of curiosity. Is there something previous owner could have done to mess updates up?

 

[Aquila]

Build number NBD91V and currently using a AT&T go phone sim. I have a google fi sim coming in a few day. Thought Id give fi a try just out of curiosity. Is there something previous owner could have done to mess updates up?

Not too likely; if they'd messed with the recovery files it might fail to install, but that wouldn't normally stop it from downloading. I'm pretty sure it's because that build is a Verizon build and the only way to go up and away from it via OTA is to have a Verizon SIM in there. Your best bet would be to flash a factory image or factory OTA file, whichever you're more comfortable with.

 

[Ronnie Sandifer]

ok since ive never done that which is best factory image or OTA file....and which is safest?

 

[xocomaox]

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

You can edit the flashall.bat and remove the -w option in it to keep it from wiping data. This is optional.

 

[Ronnie Sandifer]

Could I just take a friend or family members verizon sim, stick it in phone and check for update?

 

[Aquila]

ok since ive never done that which is best factory image or OTA file....and which is safest?

The OTA doesn't require unlocking the bootloader and everything you do via the OTA file can be overridden by flashing a factory image. The OTA is basically going to download the whole thing and install it as a ROM update on your device, which means it is going to try to leave your apps, data and settings intact and just upgrade the firmware. The factory image is like a new clean slate. For this, OTA should be fine if you use the full OTA images from the Android Developer's site here: https://developers.google.com/android/ota

High level process:

On your phone: you turn developer settings on by tapping the build number 7-100 times until it says you're a developer, turn on adb inside dev settings, go to security settings, enable oem unlock (which you won't be doing, but do this JUST IN CASE we have to go the factory image route)
On your PC:download the image from that site above, download the SDK so that you have adb tools on a PC, put the files in a place that makes sense, directions are on the site above ^^

plug the phone into the PC, go to the notification that says connected and charging or whatever, change that to FTP or file transfer, then you can type fastboot reboot recovery to get into recovery, then hold the volume up key and hit the power key (reverse that if it doesn't work) and you'll get a menu, use the volume down key to navigate to apply update via adb sideload or something that looks like that, hit power to select it. Then on your PC you can type adb sideload insertfilenamehere.zip and it'll do some stuff, when it's done, you hit power to reboot and you're done.

If that all sounds rediculous, we can help you find some guides and if it can wait a few days I could probably find time to help walk you through it on Skype or something similar. Thursday evening would be my earliest though.

 

[Aquila]

Could I just take a friend or family members verizon sim, stick it in phone and check for update?

That would work, but could get you in the same boat later. But if that's going to be an option again in the future, way less complicated than all the BS I just listed above.

 

[Ronnie Sandifer]

Aquila thank you so much for your time. I just decided to go run to my inlaws and grab one of there verizon sims and update everthing. BUT dont feel you wasted your time with all that info above because ive been a little interested in trying flashing just for ****s n gigs and all that was very helpful and good explanation. BTW how did you know this was a verizon nexus? When I bought it I couldnt find any signs on box or anywhere to make me think it was verizon. Ive always bought moto xs from motorola unlocked to avoid carrier phones but I just figured all nexus devices would get updates straight from google.....I was wrong. im assuming you figured out it was verizon by the v at the end of the build number. Strange thing is now after the update the build number is NUF26K ...the v is gone. Anyway thank a lot.

 

[Aquila]

Aquila thank you so much for your time. I just decided to go run to my inlaws and grab one of there verizon sims and update everthing. BUT dont feel you wasted your time with all that info above because ive been a little interested in trying flashing just for ****s n gigs and all that was very helpful and good explanation. BTW how did you know this was a verizon nexus? When I bought it I couldnt find any signs on box or anywhere to make me think it was verizon. Ive always bought moto xs from motorola unlocked to avoid carrier phones but I just figured all nexus devices would get updates straight from google.....I was wrong. im assuming you figured out it was verizon by the v at the end of the build number. Strange thing is now after the update the build number is NUF26K ...the v is gone. Anyway thank a lot.

It isn't a Verizon Nexus, there is no such thing as a Verizon 6P. What happened is there have been 2 or 3 times on the 6P where there was a separate build for devices that housed a Verizon SIM. You were on one of those builds.

 

[Ronnie Sandifer]

Just an update for anyone who may read and have similar problem. So after I put in my mother in laws sim card and updated the phone all the sudden I was able to get the beta 7.1.2 version. I was signed up on beta program the whole time but never received any updates from them. Once I got off that first build, it seems like updates are going to come as they should. So if your having the same issue just because you have to use someone else's sim to update doesnt mean you will always have to do that.

 

[dty06]

Easiest way to get current without a lot of hassle is to go here: https://www.google.com/android/beta to the Android Beta. Enroll your device, that will force an OTA to your device to move it to the beta - then if you don't want to be in the beta, at the same site, you can unenroll (after you are active on the OTA) and it'll send another OTA to take you to the most recent stable version. I recommend using WiFi unless you have unlimited data, because they're huge updates.

Just to clarify, in order to revert back to "regular" updates after enrolling in the beta, you'll need to do a full reset or otherwise manually sideload an OTA. I've enrolled in the beta twice and both times I stopped receiving new updates after un-enrolling and had to sideload a new OTA to start getting updates again.

 

[Ronnie Sandifer]

I had tried that b4. Didnt work. Once I got one update with a verizon sim it would allow me to get beta program updates.

 

[jontalk]

I've been hunting for a 6P myself and am curious about reliability and performance on the device. I'm still rocking a 4 year old Samsung GS3 which while no speed demon, as well as running the outdated 4.2.2 version of Android has been bulletproof for the most part. I'm seeing some pretty good deals on clean 6P's on Ebay from reputable sellers and it seems to be the best bang for the buck right now along with having access to current Android versions too. Thanks