Oreo Update downloaded but NOT installed. How to Delete?

[Android Central Question]

Apparently the Oreo Update downloaded, but I have not installed it.
It of course keeps asking to update.

How do I stop it asking and how do I delete the file?

I'm not and experienced Android user. So rooting and flashing, etc.....???
I can find the files, plug it into a PC and look around, but don't know what I'm looking for or if it's possible.

Thanks,
K

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Which phone?

 

[Canary-usa]

I have exactly the same issue on an LGv20. The software downloaded the update files (Oreo) but I haven't installed them and despite turning off automatic updates and despite turning off notifications in the Software Update's details, I still get the nagging notification each time I reboot the phone reminding me to install the update. Not to mention the fact that my internal storage usage increased 4% following this download.

I want to delete these files and it shouldn't be difficult if we could know where to find them and presumably unhide them. Software updates are not always to the advantage of every user, nor are they always to the advantage of each application working within that environment. As the old saying goes, "Why fix what ain't broken?" and so long as I have everything working just peachy, there is NO reason to disrupt the status quo.

It would appear that this forum is rarely frequented as there seems to be no discussion regarding this matter. Unfortunate.

 

[belodion]

It would appear that this forum is rarely frequented as there seems to be no discussion regarding this matter.

Welcome.

Do you mean this thread in the AAQ forum, or are you referring to the LG V20 forum?

In this thread, @B. Diddy has still received no response to the question he asked of the OP two weeks ago, so it’s difficult to get a discussion going. Such things have however been discussed elsewhere.
Regarding your unwanted software download: Is your V20 a carrier phone?

 

[Canary-usa]

I have an LGv20 H990DS Dual SIM unlocked phone, not tied to any carrier. I have downloaded the Oreo update files but I have not installed them. Still currently using Android 7 Nougat. I would be happy if anybody anywhere could tell me where I could locate these downloaded files on my phone so that I could delete them. And no, these files are not found in the Downloads folder. It appears to be a bit more complicated then that.

 

[Canary-usa]

Is root access required in order to access these downloaded system files?

 

[belodion]

Try Settings, Apps, Show System, Software Update, and clear its data.

...No, so far as I know, no root is ever required for that.

 

[Canary-usa]

Yes, I've done that several times. Additionally, I've Force Stopped "Software Updates" and "Updater" but each time I reboot the phone, Software Updates has turned itself on and the notification appears to install Oreo. I cannot seem to avoid this. If I could locate and see the update file(s), I could delete them, but as I've not been able to find them, I suspect a root is required. I just wish somebody could tell me.

 

[belodion]

In that case you may well need to root the phone.
I'm not sure where downloaded update files are saved, but I've always tended to assume it's the system cache partition, which is not accessible to the user on LG devices.
I can if you wish move this to the V20 forum for help from others there.

...You say in an earlier post that there's no reason to update if all is working well, but desirable security updates come with the package, even if the other aspects of the new OS version don't interest you.

 

[Canary-usa]

With regards to system updates, my main concern isn't security. My main concern is the loss of functionality and misbehavior of certain apps that invariably follows as a result. When apps misbehave, you can just zap them and side load a previous version. But when the OS misbehaves or initiates compatibility issues with certain apps, it's impossible to revert back to a previous version without destroying everything in the process. Users are complaining about all sorts of issues with Oreo which include speaker issues and fingerprint security issues. I may succumb, but not today. Thank you for your interest. I do believe you're right, that the file(s) I am looking for are buried deep beyond beyond the visible eye - even though I have developer's mode enabled. I wish the OP had come back with an update.

 

[B. Diddy]

I always thought system update files were downloaded to the system cache partition, so that wiping the cache partition would delete any downloaded but not-yet-installed system update files. Regardless of whether this is true, it wouldn't help you on an LG phone anyway, since LG doesn't let the user wipe the cache partition (for reasons I've never been clear on). So in order to delete the downloaded system update file, you'd have to root the phone (as already suggested by belodion). Completely disabling the system updater would also require rooting.

 

[Canary-usa]

Yes, I supposed this would be the answer.
I can "Force Stop" Software Updates which removes the nagging notification but it doesn't remain stopped and has to be done each time I reboot the phone. Even if I can't delete the downloaded file(s), it would be nice to permanently shut off this "reminder" but there seems no option to do this. Thank you both for clarifying what I suspected would be the case. I appreciate it.

 

[Mooncatt]

I have the Verizon V20 and currently blocking the Oreo update. On it, I can boot onto recovery and clear the system cache, but unfortunately it'll just download the update again and start nagging me. I just gave up and have just resorted to force closing the system update app when I reboot my phone to make the notification go away. I don't reboot it often, so it's a small price for my purposes.

You may want to consider this app. It's mainly for use to disable bloatware, but I haven't tried it (mostly because it's a paid app and I don't think I'd get much benefit for the money) to know if it would work on a system app like the one that controls updates.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pdmdm.dmplay

 

[Canary-usa]

I can boot onto recovery and clear the system cache, but unfortunately it'll just download the update again and start nagging me . . . .

Thanks! Theoretically, if you have auto-updates turned OFF in the Google Play app, the phone should not auto-update even system updates, right? I managed to evade automatic system updates for 2 years this way and only manually updated when I decided to. Unfortunately, I thought I was only getting a security update when in fact it was time for OREO and as soon as I realized what it was downloading, there was no stopping it. It seemed to want to resume each time the phone breathed.

I wonder if when you boot into recovery mode and clear system cache, do you have auto-updates turned OFF? Because if you do, I'm wondering if the "cleared" system cache did indeed actually contain the unwanted downloaded OREO file(s) or might those files be cached elsewhere and the phone is picking them up from somewhere else. Because I would think that with auto-updates turned off, it shouldn't be seeking to download anew. If you haven't tried it with auto-updates turned off, I'd be very interested to know what happens if you do.

 

[Mooncatt]

Thanks! Theoretically, if you have auto-updates turned OFF in the Google Play app, the phone should not auto-update even system updates, right?

This is incorrect. That setting in Google Play only applies to individual apps in the Play store that you have installed. It does not have anything to do with the OS updates. I'm not sure if yours would be the same, but on the Verizon version, that option is in the developer options.



But that may still not do what you want. On the Verizon version, it'll download the update whenever it wants, just not install it right away. Different versions of the same phone like this can have minor differences like this, so someone else with your version of the phone would have to chime in to verify anything like that.

When it comes to clearing the system cache, there is no definitive proof that the update files are deleted as well. All I can say is when I did that, the update would download itself again. If the files are not deleted, then I have about 4 or 5 copies floating around inside my phone right now. Lol

 

[Mooncatt]

Forgot to upload the screenshot showing the auto-system update option.

 

[Canary-usa]

If the files are not deleted, then I have about 4 or 5 copies floating around inside my phone right now. Lol

Well, could possibly get a clue about that by monitoring the increase in internal storage used. Yeah, I didn't think the Google Play store would hold back system updates as well, but somehow I had the system updates set to manual because I never got them unless I selected to "Check for software updates and update your phone" located in the Update Center under About-phone.

I am curious to try your method just to see what result I would get.. not sure if I'm brave enough, though.

 

[Canary-usa]

Oh Wow! I had developer options enabled but hadn't enabled the Demo mode. I just noticed "Aggressive Wi-Fi to Cellular handover. If I enable this, I might experience fewer dropped calls when walking away from Wi-Fi.

 

[B. Diddy]

That's interesting about the V20 being able to wipe the cache partition. I was pretty sure many other LG phones don't let you, unless you have a custom recovery installed, based on experiences here and searches on the web. I seem to recall a thread a while ago where it was mentioned that certain carrier LG variants let you boot into Recovery, but that might be a brain fart.

 

[Mooncatt]

That's interesting about the V20 being able to wipe the cache partition. I was pretty sure many other LG phones don't let you, unless you have a custom recovery installed, based on experiences here and searches on the web. I seem to recall a thread a while ago where it was mentioned that certain carrier LG variants let you boot into Recovery, but that might be a brain fart.

No, you're right. It was initially thought all V20 variants didn't allow you to boot into recovery. I figured out a somewhat convoluted way to get there on the Verizon version, which didn't work on the others. I seem to remember some variants getting updates that allowed access to recovery, but it's been a while since I saw any discussions on the subject, so I could be wrong.