I’ve used LineageOS with microG on my Oneplus 6 for years — so happily, in fact, that I haven’t bothered with major updates since version 17 (Android 10). Oops!

Now I’ve been flashing updates to an older phone, and I might as well continue getting my daily driver up to date. I’m going to dirty flash my way up to the current version (21). But I’m rusty as all heck, and the upgrade instructions seem to have changed since last:

  1. Back in '21 I recall being recommended to disable screenlock (fingerprint/PIN/pattern, etc) before upgrading. Is that still a thing?
  2. With a/b slot devices it used to be necessary to flash ROMs twice or use a copy-partitions or simiilar zip file. The instructions make no mention of it, is that rolled into the upgrade package now?
  3. Finally, is it safe to just upgrade directly from LOS/mG v18 to v21? Because neither LOS main or the mG branch seem to archive older versions but I’d hate to miss some system update or other.

All help is appreciated!

Edited for clarity: Please don’t offer suggestions on “better” phones or OSes — my question regards the above only. Thanks in advance 👍

  • boredsquirrel@slrpnk.netEnglish
    21·
    4 months ago
    1. No idea but why not do that?
    2. Updates are done OTA but may only contain diffs using the base OS. So they may be broken if you dont flash both slots. Absolutely flash both slots.
    3. You should wipe that phone clean, then it doesnt matter and just flash 21 directly.

    Also, note that outdated phones will mostly still run an outdated and insecure kernel, and have not updatable, vulnerable firmware.

    Idk Android is likely somewhat secure, but I wouldnt want to daily drive something different from a (used) Google Pixel with GrapheneOS anymore. I get updates like 4 times a month!

    • HandlesOPEnglish
      2·
      4 months ago

      Thanks for the advice, will definitely follow your first point. As for the rest I think I’ll wait for a response from somebody with experience with the actual ROM and/or device.

      Updates are done OTA

      Not between major versions on LOS.

      I wouldnt want to daily drive something different from a (used) Google Pixel with GrapheneOS

      Not the ROM or device I was asking about but thanks again 🤷 I’m trying to squeeze as much life out of the phone I already have, not splurge money I don’t have on another. That said, I’m coming to terms with the fact that my next phone, one day, will likely be a Pixel.

      • boredsquirrel@slrpnk.netEnglish
        11·
        4 months ago

        Not between major versions on LOS.

        Doesnt matter. Android does updates by downloading the diff between the current version and the next. This goes into the other slot. If in the other slot you have some extremely outdated version this will likely break so absolutely flash both.

        LineageOS has some advantages like way better stock AOSP apps. GrapheneOS still has the horrendous versions Google published before abandoning them, from various different Android versions.

        • HandlesOPEnglish
          1·
          4 months ago

          I see, that makes sense now. I’ve been snooping around the LineageOS website in the last couple of hours, and in their v21 announcement they write:

          Our Updater app should now install A/B updates much faster (thank Google!)

          — so maybe dual slot installation is part of the package now?

          • boredsquirrel@slrpnk.netEnglish
            11·
            4 months ago

            I dont think that release message has anything to do with that

            I dont know how Android does updates. The current system slot is read-only. It may be that the first system update reads from that slot and writes it to the other partition, then downloads the diffs, apply them here, then reboot.

            But it may be that the signing keys have changed etc. In general, Android 10 to 14 is a huge step and this can likely cause breakages. Just please flash both slots.

            From that point of the OS updatr on I have no idea what is GrapheneOS and what is AOSP.

            On GrapheneOS you do a reboot, on an early boot screen your apps are updated too, I think they are in part precompiled and this is then done for the new base OS.

            Then after the reboot, there are still optimizations going on in the background, if you press a button all these apps are killed to be reloaded with the new dependencies.

            • HandlesOPEnglish
              21·
              4 months ago

              Please, enough with GrapheneOS. I’m not interested. This insistent return to an OS I haven’t asked about is off topic and irrelevant. You do you, but this is way off the mark from my question.

              ETA: by now you’ve stated that “Android does updates by downloading the diff” etc, but also that you “dont know how Android does updates”. I dunno, maybe don’t pretend to offer help if you can’t keep your story straight. Next caller, please.

              • boredsquirrel@slrpnk.netEnglish
                11·
                4 months ago

                I just told you how GrapheneOS, which is basically AOSP, does updates.

                Maybe ask in an actual LineageOS support forum :)

    • HandlesOPEnglish
      21·
      4 months ago

      Short but sweet! I’ll try and dig into the docs for confirmation and details.