Nexus 7 2012: Flashing a Wi-Fi Factory Image Over Mobile Device?

[abran770]

This may sound like a ridiculous question:

I have a Nexus 7 (2012) Mobile, but I don't have a SIM card or use any of the mobile features at all -- just Wi-Fi. Can I use the Wi-Fi factory image to update my tablet to 5.0 (since I don't need the Mobile features anyway) or are the systems too different?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Rukbat]

You'd have to see the source code to answer that - and it's probably considered a trade secret. But, since the system is in a separate partition, you wouldn't gain anything but wasted storage by doing it. Just turn on Airplane mode (to turn off all the radios), then turn Wifi on. (If you're the type who's comfortable with repartitioning an Android device, you could try backing up your current ROM, repartitioning storage so the system partition has only enough space for the Wifi ROM and flashing it. If it bricks the device, JTAG it and put the backed up ROM back. [If you have to ask how to do any of the above, please don't - it would take a few weeks on a test bench to teach you.])