Can't update from KitKat 4.4.4 even though I want to (I think)

[cybernutte]

I've kept my Nexus 7 (2013) on KitKat 4.4.4 because it's been working well and I've been nervous about all the problems people have reported with Lollipop. Reports seem to indicate that Marshmallow is pretty much OK, however, so I thought I'd upgrade to it. I was told that I had to start with 5.02 and then proceed from there, getting all the upgrades leading up to Marshmallow, so today I put back the check mark in the "notifications" box in Settings for Google Play Services. Soon after that, I got a notice about 5.02 being ready, so I agreed to download and install it. Downloading seemed to take forever. Finally I was told it was Downloaded and verified 389.2 MB, and there was a button to push to Restart & Install. I pushed that. After about 15 or so minutes, all I got was the same screen with the Restart & Install button. I pushed it again. Same story. I don't see any point in pressing it for the third time. I did check to see what OS the Nexus was using, and it's still 4.4.4. I powered off the device and powered it back on, but now I don't even have the screen with the Restart & Install button. I'm not sure what to do. My temptation is to stay with 4.4.4, even though I'd really prefer upgrading to 6.0. I'd welcome some help in deciding what to do and how to do it.
Thanks in advance.

 

[gone down south]

Do a factory reset, that'll give you a clean slate for the update to install itself on.

 

[cybernutte]

Thanks for your reply, but for me a factory reset would be like amputating my leg to cure a blister. I have absolutely no wish to wipe out everything on my tablet. Some things are backed up, sure, but I've got almost 2½ years of data, apps, etc. on there. The effort it would take to get everything back after a factory reset makes that something I would do only if I couldn't use my tablet as it is.

 

[gone down south]

That means you also have 2.5 years of cruft and crap in your system - resetting is a good idea for every major update, it cleans up a lot of stuff that the updater misses or overlooks, and you're doing about three major updates.

If you don't want to go a factory reset, at least clear the cache in recovery.

 

[cybernutte]

Thanks for the suggestion about clearing the cache in recovery. If you're talking about the cache partition, as it happens I did that about three weeks ago.

 

[beachfl1]

WugFresh' NRT... flash the whole factory image with the 'No Wipe' option. Lose no data or settings

 

[swebb]

WugFresh' NRT... flash the whole factory image with the 'No Wipe' option. Lose no data or settings ??????

I used Wug in the past without issues, but it's been a couple years. For those who've used it recently, does it allow you to flash the MM factory image from lollipop, without losing your data? It's usually stated that system updates should be installed to a wiped device. Just wondering if Wug works around this without issue.

 

[cab2]

Thanks for your reply, but for me a factory reset would be like amputating my leg to cure a blister. I have absolutely no wish to wipe out everything on my tablet. Some things are backed up, sure, but I've got almost 2½ years of data, apps, etc. on there. The effort it would take to get everything back after a factory reset makes that something I would do only if I couldn't use my tablet as it is.

Well said. I'm in the same situation at 4.4.4. Have you disabled any other services/notifications besides Google Play Services?

 

[cybernutte]

Thanks, cab2, for your message. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one wishing to move to Marshmallow without doing a factory reset. As far as I know, Google Play Services was the only relevant app whose notifications I disabled. Disabling that worked beautifully to stop the incessant messages about Lollipop being ready for download.

After reading your message, I went through my apps to see whether there were any other apps with notifications turned off. I found one: Google+. I don't recall turning off notifications, and I'm pretty sure that from time to time I've been notified that there was an update. Since I don't make much use of Google+ (like just about none), I haven't paid much attention to it, and I suspect that it's not related to the problem I'm having, but since there was no reason to have its notifications turned off, I put them back on.

 

[cybernutte]

WugFresh' NRT... flash the whole factory image with the 'No Wipe' option. Lose no data or settings

Thanks, beachfl1, for this suggestion. What you've suggested is quite appealing. However, I'm somewhat reluctant to root my tablet, since I'm not all that technically knowledgeable. If something went wrong, I wouldn't know how to diagnose or fix it.

 

[beachfl1]

..does it (NRT) allow you to flash the MM factory image from lollipop, without losing your data? .

Again, yes.

... I'm somewhat reluctant to root my tablet....

Using Wug's tool to flash the full stock image doesn't root your tablet (In fact, if you are rooted already, it would UN-root it). Rooting your device with the NRT is an optional and completely separate step, performed after you've flashed the image.

 

[cybernutte]

Using Wug's tool to flash the full stock image doesn't root your tablet (In fact, if you are rooted already, it would UN-root it). Rooting your device with the NRT is an optional and completely separate step, performed after you've flashed the image.

Hmmm...Interesting. I think I've got to learn more about Wug's tool.
Thanks very much.

 

[cab2]

Thanks, cab2, for your message. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one wishing to move to Marshmallow without doing a factory reset. As far as I know, Google Play Services was the only relevant app whose notifications I disabled. Disabling that worked beautifully to stop the incessant messages about Lollipop being ready for download.

After reading your message, I went through my apps to see whether there were any other apps with notifications turned off. I found one: Google+. I don't recall turning off notifications, and I'm pretty sure that from time to time I've been notified that there was an update. Since I don't make much use of Google+ (like just about none), I haven't paid much attention to it, and I suspect that it's not related to the problem I'm having, but since there was no reason to have its notifications turned off, I put them back on.

Notifications are just that. I had asked you if by chance you disabled or uninstalled any apps or services that the OS may rely on in order to install the update. It sounds like the update is already downloaded in your machine but for some reason the OS is not installing it. You may look at the error logs to see where the problem is, but I agree that's too technical and you shouldn't have to do that

You can also install 6.0 manually. If you know what you're doing it's very easy, if not you risk pooching your tablet. You simply connect the N7 via USB to a PC and run a couple of commands. Here's the command prompt output when I installed a previous version. You'd simply have to install the OS partition only so as to not overwrite your personal stuff. Additionally you may also delete the OTA downloaded OS so that it doesn't waste space.

$ sudo ./flash-all.sh 
sending 'bootloader' (3911 KB)...
OKAY [  0.132s]
writing 'bootloader'...
OKAY [  1.409s]
finished. total time: 1.540s
rebooting into bootloader...
OKAY [  0.006s]
finished. total time: 0.006s
archive does not contain 'boot.sig'
archive does not contain 'recovery.sig'
archive does not contain 'system.sig'
--------------------------------------------
Bootloader Version...: FLO-04.02
Baseband Version.....: none
Serial Number........: 09d760f6
--------------------------------------------
checking product...
OKAY [  0.003s]
checking version-bootloader...
OKAY [  0.004s]
sending 'boot' (7018 KB)...
OKAY [  0.226s]
writing 'boot'...
OKAY [  0.403s]
sending 'recovery' (7564 KB)...
OKAY [  0.243s]
writing 'recovery'...
OKAY [  0.288s]
erasing 'system'...
OKAY [  1.434s]
sending 'system' (717936 KB)...
OKAY [ 22.496s]
writing 'system'...
OKAY [ 31.612s]
erasing 'userdata'...
OKAY [ 22.845s]
formatting 'userdata' partition...
Creating filesystem with parameters:
    Size: 28856791040
    Block size: 4096
    Blocks per group: 32768
    Inodes per group: 8192
    Inode size: 256
    Journal blocks: 32768
    Label: 
    Blocks: 7045115
    Block groups: 215
    Reserved block group size: 1024
Created filesystem with 11/1761280 inodes and 154578/7045115 blocks
sending 'userdata' (139085 KB)...
writing 'userdata'...
OKAY [ 10.554s]
erasing 'cache'...
OKAY [  0.473s]
formatting 'cache' partition...
Creating filesystem with parameters:
    Size: 587202560
    Block size: 4096
    Blocks per group: 32768
    Inodes per group: 7168
    Inode size: 256
    Journal blocks: 2240
    Label: 
    Blocks: 143360
    Block groups: 5
    Reserved block group size: 39
Created filesystem with 11/35840 inodes and 4616/143360 blocks
sending 'cache' (10984 KB)...
writing 'cache'...
OKAY [  0.871s]
rebooting...

finished. total time: 91.470s

 

[cybernutte]

Thanks very much, cab2, for your very interesting reply. I'm not sure that I can do what you suggest. When you did it, you were apparently moving from KitKat to Lollipop, the next in the series. That apparently is not a problem (normally ), but leapfrogging over Lollipop to move from KitKat to Marshmallow may create problems. I'm not sure. I will proceed very cautiously and see what I can find out before I do anything, but your message may turn out to be very helpful. Thanks!

 

[cybernutte]

Notifications are just that. I had asked you if by chance you disabled or uninstalled any apps or services that the OS may rely on in order to install the update. It sounds like the update is already downloaded in your machine but for some reason the OS is not installing it. You may look at the error logs to see where the problem is, but I agree that's too technical and you shouldn't have to do that

No, I don't think I disabled or uninstalled any apps or services that the OS may need in order to install the update. I have two questions:
1) What is the filename of the update that may have been downloaded but not installed? I'd like to look for it to see if in fact it was downloaded.
2) Where would I find the error logs?

Again, many thanks.

 

[cab2]

Thanks very much, cab2, for your very interesting reply. I'm not sure that I can do what you suggest. When you did it, you were apparently moving from KitKat to Lollipop, the next in the series. That apparently is not a problem (normally ), but leapfrogging over Lollipop to move from KitKat to Marshmallow may create problems. I'm not sure. I will proceed very cautiously and see what I can find out before I do anything, but your message may turn out to be very helpful. Thanks!

Actually I went from an older version of kitkat to 4.4.4 or 4.4.2. I had also briefly experimented with Ubuntu Touch, which does support N7.

So we're in the same boat, I have 4.4.4 with notifications disabled, have never installed 5.xx but might be interested in going to 6.0 without going through 5.xx first, and without losing 2 years of personal data & settings.

 

[cab2]

No, I don't think I disabled or uninstalled any apps or services that the OS may need in order to install the update. I have two questions:
1) What is the filename of the update that may have been downloaded but not installed? I'd like to look for it to see if in fact it was downloaded.
2) Where would I find the error logs?

Again, many thanks.

I'm not good at remembering trivia, it's a ~40MB file in the system area, there aren't many files that big in Android. You can find it using ES File Explorer. System logs are plain text files, they may not mean much unless you're a developer.

I suggest you enable notifications and give it some time. It may update eventually.

Let us know what happens, I too am curious to know how one can go from 4 to 6 non-destructively.

 

[cybernutte]

I'm not good at remembering trivia, it's a ~40MB file in the system area, there aren't many files that big in Android. You can find it using ES File Explorer. System logs are plain text files, they may not mean much unless you're a developer.

I suggest you enable notifications and give it some time. It may update eventually.

Let us know what happens, I too am curious to know how one can go from 4 to 6 non-destructively.

Sorry, but I haven't been able to find the file. I use ES File Explorer, and I looked in both "system" and "sys," but all I found were still more folders, and opening those led to still more folders.

I enabled notifications when I first tried to get the update process started, and I've left it enabled, but I haven't seen any further attempt to inform me that an update was available.

 

[cybernutte]

Well, as far as I can tell, the 5.02 update was downloaded onto my Nexus7. When I went into Settings/About and selected System Update, I got the screen I described in my first message. It said that the update had been "downloaded and verified 389.2MB" and it showed me a button that said "Restart and Install." I decided to temporarily get rid of the password I use on the tablet and also increase the "sleep" to "after 30 minutes of inactivity," just in case either the password or the sleep setting was interfering with installing the update. I then clicked the Restart and Install button. I was told that a reboot would occur in 9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 seconds and then Rebooting now. But nothing happened. After about 20 minutes, I gave up and clicked on Cancel Install. I have no idea why the tablet doesn't seem to reboot when it says "rebooting now."
I took a quick look at the WugFresh website, but I didn't find any indication that I could use it to jump from KitKat 4.4.4 to Marshmallow without first installing all the Lollipop updates. So it looks as if I'm going to have to stay with 4.4.4. Sigh.

 

[cab2]

Well, as far as I can tell, the 5.02 update was downloaded onto my Nexus7. When I went into Settings/About and selected System Update, I got the screen I described in my first message. It said that the update had been "downloaded and verified 389.2MB" and it showed me a button that said "Restart and Install." I decided to temporarily get rid of the password I use on the tablet and also increase the "sleep" to "after 30 minutes of inactivity," just in case either the password or the sleep setting was interfering with installing the update. I then clicked the Restart and Install button. I was told that a reboot would occur in 9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 seconds and then Rebooting now. But nothing happened. After about 20 minutes, I gave up and clicked on Cancel Install. I have no idea why the tablet doesn't seem to reboot when it says "rebooting now."
I took a quick look at the WugFresh website, but I didn't find any indication that I could use it to jump from KitKat 4.4.4 to Marshmallow without first installing all the Lollipop updates. So it looks as if I'm going to have to stay with 4.4.4. Sigh.

Thank you for reporting your experience. You could delete the 389.2MB download , but you need root access to do so. I too am reluctant to go 4-->5-->6 for fear of messing up the tablet, or end up 1/2 GB of useless downloads.

4.4.4 works just fine and I doubt you'd notice any difference. Stay in touch.