What does it mean updated over the air. How to update Xiaomi firmware via OTA update. Using the Recovery Menu to install firmware updates

Articles and Lifehacks

Periodic updates have long become an integral attribute of any operating system. Adding new functions, patching security holes, supporting new hardware components - not a single modern computer can do without this.

But mobile devices based on it have their own specifics.

A few years ago, the system was updated mainly by connecting it to a PC. It is clear that such a solution does not correspond to modern realities, so updates called OTA were introduced.

What it is

The abbreviation OTA comes from the English “Firmware Over The Air”, literally meaning “proprietary software over the air”.

That is, in fact, it is a system for distributing updates from the developer to user devices through any Internet access channel supported by this gadget.

This could be Wi-Fi, 3G, LTE, theoretically even GPRS, if such a fantasy occurs to someone.

She performs a number of functions:

Timely informing the user about available updates.
Ensuring that the necessary data is downloaded to the device.
Checking the possibility of installing a patch on a given OS version and smartphone or tablet model.
Carrying out the installation process, and if necessary, maintaining the ability to rollback.

To carry them out, the archive in which the data is transferred has an appropriate format, containing, in addition to the system files themselves, a certain amount of service information, which will be used during installation.

What does all this mean for the user?

The developers made sure that the number of necessary actions was kept to a minimum. Therefore, the procedure is not too different from what is usual, for example, when installing software updates for Windows.

In the settings menu of any gadget there is always an item “About phone” or “About tablet”. In addition to a variety of useful (or not so useful) information, there is a “System Update” section, where you can find a button to check for patches.

If they are available, it will be enough to click “Update” - the system will do everything else itself.

When over-the-air updates are not possible

When performing certain actions on your device, the user must understand that this may cause OTA updates to become unavailable.

Otherwise, he will be unpleasantly surprised. The fact is that when installing patches, the integrity of system files, the authenticity of the OS version, and the presence/absence of some “holes” in the security of the device are checked.

OTA updates will not be installed if:

A custom or developer version of the firmware is installed.
The device has been rooted - superuser rights have been obtained.
The bootloader has been unlocked.
Any system files installed by the OS have been changed.

There are methods to get around these restrictions, but for most of us they represent a set of obscure, idiosyncratic actions that make us want to close the page as quickly as possible.

Is it worth installing them?

Horror myths roaming the Internet unanimously assure: this can be dangerous, the gadget may not boot at all after installing the update! It's better not to take risks!

In practice, everything is not at all so gloomy. Yes, no one is immune from problems during updates, even the wonderful iOS operating system.

But even more or less serious consequences are exceptional, and not installing patches is as “reasonable” and “prudent” as refusing to fly just because planes, you see, sometimes crash. More problems can result from unclosed “holes”.

It should also be remembered that one-time total installation of updates by manufacturers is quite rare. Initially, after testing is completed, the patch is applied to a small number of users chosen at random - about 1%.

If no complaints are received, a message about the availability of the update is sent to another 25%, then to 50%, and finally to all owners of devices of the corresponding models.

Yes, there is a chance that you will end up in the “lucky” 1% who received a faulty archive, but in any case, the manufacturer will fix the identified problem as soon as possible.

Finally

It is not only possible, but also necessary to update the system, and therefore, if there is a corresponding message, you should devote a little time to this issue.

You should definitely make sure you have a stable Internet connection, because archives can be quite heavy.

And for those who for some reason lost the opportunity to install an OTA update, we can only wish that they knew what they were doing and what consequences this could lead to.

Each new version of Android brings both internal and external changes. This could be a simple redesign of the menu interface or completely new energy saving algorithms. Minor updates can close holes in the protection of user data or simply fix minor bugs.

Every OS update is an improvement, a step forward, new features and better optimization.

There are no useless updates. Even if you did not notice the difference before and after the firmware, changes in the code may well save you from the recently appeared malicious threat. Regardless of the scale of the update, you definitely shouldn’t ignore it.

Why is the Android update not coming?

Even after the official launch of the latest version of the system for your device, the desired update may be delayed. This is due to the fact that the distribution of updates over the air (Over The Air - OTA) is carried out systematically, gradually covering more and more regions of the world. In order not to wait until the new firmware becomes available on your smartphone, you can resort to updating manually.

How to check for an OTA update

If your smartphone or tablet can receive updates over the air, then you can check for the latest firmware through the systems. Typically, the option needed for this is hidden in the “System”, “About device” or “About phone” section. Its name is also quite logical - “System Update” or “Software Update”.

By clicking on the check button, you will find out whether it is possible to download the update right now.

How else to update Android on a smartphone

Not all smartphones officially sold in Russia support over-the-air updates. In such cases, downloading and installing new firmware can be done in other ways, which are also suitable for those who simply cannot wait for the OTA update to arrive.

Meizu

gearopen.com

Meizu allows you to independently download the latest OS for the selected smartphone directly from the company’s official website. You can download the necessary files directly to your smartphone via mobile phone or using a PC and then copying the firmware file. In any case, the update archive will need to be moved to the root folder of the device memory.

The downloaded archive can be opened through the built-in explorer. The system itself will offer to use these files to update the device. Meizu usually recommends installing updates with full memory.

Asus

When manually updating Asus smartphones, you will also have to download the firmware file and upload it to the root directory of the smartphone’s memory. The firmware itself is downloaded from a special section of the company’s website, where you need to specify the exact model in the search bar.

After clicking on the link for your model, all you have to do is open the support item and select “BIOS and software” in the list of drivers and utilities. This section displays all the firmware available for your gadget. Now you need to download the archive and transfer it to your device. After the reboot, a notification will appear in the system curtain about the opportunity to update using this archive.

Samsung

9to5google.com

Samsung smartphones can be easily updated over the air, but if there is such a need, you can also do this through the proprietary Smart Switch program for PC. When you connect your smartphone to your computer, it will allow you to check for the latest firmware for your model and download it. To update, simply follow the onscreen instructions.

Xiaomi

System update

Connect your smartphone to your PC via USB and log into MiFlash. Next, using the Browse button, you need to specify the folder that contains the unzipped file of the downloaded firmware for Fastboot mode. If the smartphone is recognized by MiFlash, all you have to do is press the Flash button to update.

Huawei

theverge.com

Most Huawei smartphones can be updated over the air without any problems, but if you are lucky enough to own a model with questionable firmware, you will have to resort to using the HiSuite utility. It was created to create backups, manage data on a mobile device and update firmware. The program itself will find the latest OS version for the Huawei smartphone connected to the PC.

Sony

Sony gadgets can also be updated through the proprietary utility Xperia Companion. It also serves for data transfer and software recovery. You just need to connect your smartphone to your PC and follow the instructions of the program. It is first recommended to check for the latest firmware and upcoming updates using the IMEI number on a special page on the Sony website.

What is important to know

In most cases, to install the update, your smartphone battery must be more than half charged, and in some cases at least 80%. The size of the update files can reach several gigabytes, so it is recommended to download using a fast Wi-Fi connection. On many smartphones, the system update settings have an option that prohibits downloading the latest firmware over a mobile network.

Also, before each update, do not forget to make and synchronize important files with .

Any operating system for desktop and mobile devices periodically needs updates. This is due to the fact that some viruses are being improved, new ones are being written, and after the release of a stable platform, developers are trying to modify it to reduce resource consumption, add useful things, functionality, etc. Therefore, such packages are needed for reliable protection.

In the Android OS, these are OTA updates: they are responsible for upgrading the operating system and system applications. However, their installation can only be done wirelessly, that is, without connecting the device to a computer or laptop. This is evidenced by the decoding of the abbreviation (Firmware Over The Air), which literally translates as “software over the air.” Some users call these updates firmware, but this is not entirely true: OTA updates can only be installed on a clean mobile platform that does not contain any tweaks or self-made changes to the program code, that is, they will not be installed in any way if the user intervenes directly in the OS source Android.

Such packets are transmitted using a Wi-Fi wireless network or mobile Internet. Since such updates are always quite large, experts recommend a stable connection for downloading them, because if the connection to the global network is interrupted, the download will be repeated from scratch.

What do OTA updates for Android include?

This package (archive) always includes:

1. Three folders: META-INF (files necessary to complete the update procedure are placed here), Patch (includes those files that make small amendments to the OS, for example, when developers discover a bug), System (this directory the largest, and it includes files that directly modify the operation of the OS, add new functions, etc.).

2. System files designed to check whether the “native” OS is installed, whether this upgrade is suitable for a specific phone model and all the provided tools from Google.

3. Special files that check for existing updates, so not everything from this OTA package will necessarily be installed.

4. Instructions that help determine the group of files that need to be deleted and which ones must be left for stable operation.

5. Patches, which include everything that may relate to updating the software of all components: processor, memory, modem, etc. (on desktop computers this type can be called a driver update package).

6. Instructions that determine whether the device has sufficient rights to perform updates.

Is it worth installing OTA Android updates?

This action is extremely necessary for each user. With the help of such a package, OS vulnerabilities during virus attacks are eliminated, new tools and functionality are added, and bugs, if any, are removed.

Users should not be afraid that the device will not work correctly and slow down after the update. Absolutely all OTA packages are initially tested by a circle of user testers who are specially hired by large companies for testing, then the product is offered for installation to ordinary users in limited quantities, and so on in increasing numbers. Ultimately, all users can install these updates. If any serious bugs or problems are detected at a certain stage, Firmware OTA is not distributed further, and all those who are already using them are given the opportunity to fix all the problems or release a new upgrade that will return the OS to an earlier version of the platform. Even if a person doesn’t like something about the operation of the gadget after these steps, you can always rollback and return to the previous version of the operating system.

When are OTA updates not available?

Sometimes users cannot obtain these archives for several reasons, including the following:

a tweak version of the OS is installed on the mobile device (modified manually by the user himself or by other specialists who sewed it into the gadget);
Root rights are set;
The bootloader has been unlocked.

Otherwise, these packages can be installed on the mobile platform without any problems.

Very often you can come across such a situation as updating Android over the air, but not everyone prefers OTA updates due to the fact that it is very expensive for mobile traffic and is not very safe, since failures may occur during the update (dead battery, update was not downloaded successfully) .

If you do not want to receive these updates, then you need to disable them. You can learn how to do this from this article. You will be offered several methods to choose from by which you can easily disable or re-enable over-the-air updates if you have Root rights and if you do not have them.