How to Update my Nexus 7 (2013) from KitKat 4.4.4 to Lollipop 5.1.1?

[cybernutte]

After reading lots of horror stories about people's unhappy experiences with early versions of Lollipop, I kept my unrooted Nexus 7 (2013) on KitKat 4.4.4. However, the messages on this forum now seem quite positive about Lollipop 5.1.1. I'm therefore tempted to move to the most recent version. However, when I clicked on System Update in Settings, I was told that 5.0.2 was ready to be installed. I don't want 5.0.2. Do I have to install that, and then install 5.1, and then install 5.1.1, or is there a way to go straight to 5.1.1? I don't want to root the tablet. Also, I've got two years of stuff on my tablet, and I don't want to do a total reset. I'd welcome some advice about how/whether to move to 5.1.1.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Ntchwaidumela]

After reading lots of horror stories about people's unhappy experiences with early versions of Lollipop, I kept my unrooted Nexus 7 (2013) on KitKat 4.4.4. However, the messages on this forum now seem quite positive about Lollipop 5.1.1. I'm therefore tempted to move to the most recent version. However, when I clicked on System Update in Settings, I was told that 5.0.2 was ready to be installed. I don't want 5.0.2. Do I have to install that, and then install 5.1, and then install 5.1.1, or is there a way to go straight to 5.1.1? I don't want to root the tablet. Also, I've got two years of stuff on my tablet, and I don't want to do a total reset. I'd welcome some advice about how/whether to move to 5.1.1.
Thanks in advance.

Yes, you have to update incrementally. First, update to 5.0.2, as it tells you. That will get the updates going and will take you into 5.1.1. Always backup before updates, as a precaution. You should be fine. You won't have to do a reset.

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

 

[cybernutte]

Thanks very much, Ntchwaidumela, for your quick and helpful response.

 

[Ntchwaidumela]

Thanks very much, Ntchwaidumela, for your quick and helpful response.

cybernutte, did everything work for you? Are you up-to-date now?

 

[cybernutte]

cybernutte, did everything work for you? Are you up-to-date now?

To be honest, I'm having some second thoughts. I was poking around the forums after I sent my message to you, and I came across a bunch of people who found that after they updated to Lollipop, their space was cut from 16GB to 8GB, or from 32 to 16. Most finally solved the problem by doing a factory reset. That's NOT something I want to do. I realize that not everyone has had this problem, and some people have had no problems whatsoever with Lollipop, but I depend on my Nexus 7 a lot, and I don't really know enough to deal with problems if I encounter them. So I'm back to sitting on the fence. Fortunately or unfortunately, KitKat works very well for me, and Lollipop offers nothing I can think of that I really want or need, except possibly a patch against the StageFright problem. I'm closer to upgrading than I ever was before, but I guess I'm not there yet.

 

[Ntchwaidumela]

To be honest, I'm having some second thoughts. I was poking around the forums after I sent my message to you, and I came across a bunch of people who found that after they updated to Lollipop, their space was cut from 16GB to 8GB, or from 32 to 16. Most finally solved the problem by doing a factory reset. That's NOT something I want to do. I realize that not everyone has had this problem, and some people have had no problems whatsoever with Lollipop, but I depend on my Nexus 7 a lot, and I don't really know enough to deal with problems if I encounter them. So I'm back to sitting on the fence. Fortunately or unfortunately, KitKat works very well for me, and Lollipop offers nothing I can think of that I really want or need, except possibly a patch against the StageFright problem. I'm closer to upgrading than I ever was before, but I guess I'm not there yet.

I didn't lose much internal memory after the Lollipop updates. I'm not trying to talk you into the update, since KitKat seems to work well for you. But I haven't had any problems with Lollipop. I never had the need to do a factory reset, so I don't know why these other folks are losing that much memory. I've never seen a system update that would cut internal memory in half, on its own. One thing you should do is clear cache partition after updating. Maybe that's where they have the problem.

 

[cab2]

Even if Lollipop worked better than Kitkat, I still don't like the new GUI, bright-white background hurts my eyes.

Android is a great OS but Google's implementation makes it a spy-box IMO. I only use it for Skype, GPS navigation, PhonePower VOIP phone app and camera, I don't trust it for personal stuff. When I have time I may replace the Google OS with Ubuntu Touch.

So I've disabled the system update prompts and staying with Kitkat 4.4.4 for now.

 

[sbudaj]

I finally received my Over the Air upgrade to 5.1.1 yesterday and decided to install it. Works about the same as 4.4.4. A few GUI changes and a few new animations, but basically the same. Really, I don't understand all the fuss about new versions of the Android operating system. They are all essentially the same.