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Is Verizon Delivering Covert Droid X Gingerbread Upgrade to Prevent Rooting?

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As we had reported earlier, a build of Android 2.3 Gingerbread had been leaked out on the Internet and is slowly being rolled out to customers over the air–Verizon denies that a software update is happening. Regardless of whether you’re attempting to do update your handset OTA or through the steps indicated through the leaked 4.5.588 build, here’s one big reason why you do not want to go this route for Gingerbread: it breaks rooting.

Currently, rooted users who update to the latest 4.5.588 build would lose their root capabilities, and according to Android Police, there’s no current way to get that back. The build introduces a whole new bootloader. If you’re curious about what having a new, locked bootloader means, you can visit Josh’s recent post on why he had chosen to go with a Thunderbolt over other Android phones on Verizon’s lineup.

There is conflicting information as to whether Verizon is rolling out the update. An official spokesperson told Computer World that the carrier is not rolling out the update: “We haven’t pushed a software update to the Droid X.”

That said, various users who are on the most current official build–not a third-party ROM like Cyanogen–are saying that they are getting the update. Those users are reporting that Verizon is being covert with this update–there is no notification of an update; the device will simply ask users to reboot and the installation is automatic:

It has been suggested that this update is only rolling out to users with the latest official build from Verizon (build 2.3.340), but if you’re currently rooted then ClockworkMod Recovery should block the update from happening. This is a “silent” update, meaning that there is no notification that the update is available to download, but instead it will download automatically and then you will be prompted to restart your phone so the update can take place.

The unfortunate part, as we had mentioned earlier, is that without the user knowing, once the update is completed, any hopes for recovering root access to the phone will be lost.

While Verizon has been positioning itself as being more open and transparent in recent years since having carried Android smartphones and making an aggressive push with the Droid brand, this covert move to install the update without user consent or notification seems to go against the image that the carrier is trying to create.

If you’re a Droid X owner, have you gotten the update? Was it delivered ‘covertly’ to you without your knowledge? Chime in!

27 Comments

27 Comments

  1. Gunther

    04/13/2011 at 2:30 pm

    I have a droid x, and have not received the update. My guess is that the leak, was sent to the soak group for testing. They may have received it silently for this reason. The one guy at DroidForums who claims it was silent, may also have gotten lucky, and gotten it despite not being in the soak group, so he may not have been familiar with the process. I think people are making too much of this “silent update, OMG, run for the hills!”

    • Gmvega

      04/20/2011 at 12:56 am

      I got the update on my Droid X two days ago, and it nis working fantastic, very fast and good management with battery

      System Version: 4.5.588.MB810. Verizon.en.US
      Android Version: 2.3.3
      Baseband version: BP_C_01.09.12P
      Kernel Version: 2.6.32.9.g0bae333
      qgd748@il93lnxdroid09 #1
      Buil number: 4..1_57DX5-18
      ERI version: 5
      PRL version: 52220

    • mike

      06/06/2011 at 4:19 am

      i unknowingly downloaded it today, then my rooting and wireless tether will not work….Thanks Verizon

  2. Edward Arriola

    04/13/2011 at 2:36 pm

    I agree with Gunther. I’m not familiar with soak groups or tests, but from what I’ve gathered, it seems that it’s accurate.

    As to the “silent update” I have no idea as to the competency of the original user who posted that, as it was only a single person who said that.

  3. Gregg

    04/13/2011 at 2:44 pm

    I’m running unrooted 2.3.340 and have not received a pushed upgrade.

  4. Mike W

    04/13/2011 at 3:03 pm

    Also running 2.3.340 unrooted and no update.

  5. John S.

    04/13/2011 at 3:19 pm

    Also running 2.3.340 unrooted and no update.

  6. Anonymous

    04/13/2011 at 3:34 pm

    soak group.. really. I know what you mean by the context, but i googled that term and nothing came up lol. Are you just trying to be trendy or what?

    • Dubbled92

      04/13/2011 at 6:03 pm

      That’s what Motorola calls their feedback network test groups. I’m signed up so sometimes I can be picked to test new software like I was with Froyo. But when they have the test build roll out over the air for SOAK groups sometimes outsiders can jump on board which pisses Moto off and I dont blame em. Defeats the purpose.

  7. Guest

    04/13/2011 at 3:44 pm

    I got an update but it just appeared to be an update to 2.3.340, I had never been able to get that update until I seemed to have gotten it today. Android version still says 2.2.1.

    • Gregg

      04/13/2011 at 4:43 pm

      That could be a sign that the push is coming, as Gingerbread updates on 2.3.340. Maybe they’re preupdating???

  8. anon e mouse

    04/13/2011 at 3:56 pm

    Please tell me the settings menu is NOT black text on white :(
    Horrible design choice. P.U.

  9. Supaj69

    04/13/2011 at 5:59 pm

    I have not rooted my DX because that voids your warranty. No sign of update GB2.3.

  10. Robert Martin

    04/13/2011 at 6:12 pm

    not rooted and updated yesterday through the leaked 4.5.588 and I absolutely love it. Wasn’t impressed with the Froyo update but this one excites me.

  11. Guest

    04/14/2011 at 2:33 am

    What’s in the update?

  12. Nick

    04/14/2011 at 11:33 pm

    I’ve been running the 4.5.573 Gingerbread build with root for a few weeks now… I updated using the already rooted leak from Team Black Hat…

  13. Armyone17

    04/19/2011 at 11:56 pm

    I am running 2.3.340 and no update but eagerly awaiting it.

  14. Brentonblake

    04/20/2011 at 3:50 pm

    runnung 2.3.340 and nothing yet

  15. Tommy

    04/25/2011 at 6:23 pm

    No update here, April 25. I have VZW 2.3.340, unrooted, and forced an update but nothing happened. I am looking forward to it since I have no plans to root this phone (although I can’t say that for others).

  16. Ibrooks123

    05/01/2011 at 4:03 am

    Its all crap. I downloaded 4.5.588 Gingerbread and it was actually ok! But since no roms have been made yet and I couldn’t customize it so I simply flashed back to Froyo.

    Of you don’t know what “flashing” is, don’t get ur panties in a bunch over this update, you’ll like it!

    If you’re a rooted user, know that the best Droid devs are already working on the bootloader for gingerbread and not only will have it rooted before the update comes out, but will probably have a few sweet roms and themes for us too!!

    So, everyone chill out. The Droid is still the best android out there and when the 4G X comes out, it’ll be unmatched!

  17. roebling

    05/07/2011 at 12:14 pm

    I upgraded to 4.5.588.MB810.Verizon.en.US a couple of weeks ago. And, no, I haven’t been able to unlock it. Yet…

  18. Odium25

    10/15/2011 at 7:04 am

    i unknowingly downloaded it a few weeks ago.  soon after my phone froze at startup and had to be reset to the factory settings.  i dont like it.  it seems slower . theres more lag. the text is ugly. the phone dialer is ugly. my old apps that i really like now dont work or are unavailable.  im just not happy. i wish i had been asked first so i could ensure everything was backed up and i could research what the new OS entailed.  Thumbs down. way down.

    • Odium25

      10/15/2011 at 7:06 am

      also it seems i cant maintain good connections and i dont know what it means when my colors change on the icon bar on top. blue 3g as opposed to white? what gives? plus the icon bar is uglier lol

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