Upgrade your Nexus 7 with Android 4.1.2 without losing root
Follow the instructions and tips to keep your root access intact during the installation of the Android 4.1.2 update on your phone or tablet
Google is rolling a software update that would up your Android Jelly Bean version to Android 4.1.2. Now the update is available over-the-air for the Google Nexus 7 tablets and some other devices including the Galaxy Nexus smartphone. According to Liliputing, the update would enable to view the Home Screen in landscape mode and includes enhanced performance and stability.
However, it should be noted that during the upgrade users will lose root access or any custom recovery that they might have installed. So if you really want to prevent that continue reading.
As gathered from Liliputing, there’s an app for keeping the root access intact.
How to protect the root access
In case you have a rooted phone or tablet, all you need to do is install and run an app called the OTA RunKeeper before upgrading the OS. The app is available as a free download from the Google Play Store.
Next you follow the instructions listed below:
- Run the app and you should see a pop-up asking to grant root permissions. Tap the yes button.
- After that tap the big button in the center that says “Protected Root.”
- Then check the box that says “Protected su copy available.”
After you have followed the steps, go ahead and install the Android 4.1.2 update. The update kills your privileges while overwriting the ClockworkMod or TWRP recovery with the stock recovery, but as long as the root is protected you can restore the root access with just a single tap.
Restore your root
Once the reboot and install option is chosen, it takes about 5 to 10 minutes for the device to install and reboot into Android 4.1.2. After that you won’t have root access anymore, until you run the OTA RootKeeper app. Only this time select the option to “Restore Root.”
All done and your root access would be restored allowing you to use apps that require root permissions and such.
However, one should note that the instructions don’t work for custom ROMs such as the CyanogenMod 10.
Sudipto
