Manually updating your GPe HTC One to KitKat is surprisingly easy
Android 4.4 KitKat is here for the Google Play edition HTC One, and as usual it's slowly rolling out to certain handsets via an over-the-air update. But as tends to be the case with some OTAs, not all devices are receiving the update right away. Fortunately there's a relatively easy way to manually load the update onto your device — we've got a step-by-step guide after the break, and the process is actually a bit easier than the usual method of "sideloading" updates. The entire process can be done on the device itself, without connecting it to a computer.
Check past the jump to get started.
A few prerequisites...
- You'll need a Google Play edition HTC One running 100 percent stock Android 4.3 firmware — build JWR66Y.H1 — check under Settings > About phone > Build number.
- This won't work on the HTC One with HTC Sense UI, so don't try it on that device.
- Make sure you have a reasonable amount of battery charge remaining — at least 50 percent.
- Although this is easier than the usual sideloading method it's still worth exercising some caution, and remember that you proceed at your own risk.
Ready to go? Here's what you need to do.
- From your phone, click the link below to download the over-the-air update package directly from Google.
- When it's done, shut down your phone and disconnect any cables.
- Hold your volume down and power keys until the bootloader starts up. (You should see colored text on a black screen.)
- Using the volume keys, navigate down to RECOVERY and press power.
- Wait until the icon has stopped spinning and you see the android with the red exclamation mark above it.
- First hold volume up, then (with volume up held down) press power to enter the main recovery menu.
- Navigate down to "apply from phone storage" and press power to select
- Navigate down to "0/", then "Download/", then select the file you downloaded in step 1 (the one starting "545beb")
- Let the updater do its thing — it may take a few minutes — then when you see the message "Neet (sic) to Reboot to flash firmware.zip", select "Reboot system now" from the menu and press the power button.
- Wait for the update to finalize and enjoy Android 4.4 KitKat on your Google Play edition HTC One!
Reader comments
How to manually update your Google Play edition HTC One to Android 4.4 KitKat
What if your phone isn't running on the 4.3 firmware — build JWR66Y.H1? My galaxy centura hasn't let me upgrade any of the software. Mine is running IMM76D.S738CWYAMJ1.
Pls help needed fast my HTC one has no blinkfeed or Zoe,software information display s 4.1.1 jelly bean ,I put it in recovery mode it displayed in Chinese language help needed to translate to English and upgrade at least to see blinkfeed
Hello there .. I am trying to update but will open the screen with a battery inside a triangle shape red ... what does it mean ... what to do?
I got to #9 then "set_metadata_recursive: some changes failed Installation abort". Now my phone only boot up to system recovery. Now what?
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I have a converted HTC One, from Sense 5 to GPe 4.3.
I tried to do the 4.4 update OTA, installation went on through TWRP but then at the reboot the phone got stuck on blue screen. Luckily I somehow managed to get back to 4.3 via TWRP.
How can I install 4.4 manually if my build is not JWR66Y.H1 ? (it's JWR66V.H10, and I'm pretty sure that was a stock build)
I'm in the same boat as you mate. You had any luck yet ?
Nothing yet, I'll go on looking for a fix today and post here if I find anything.
I'm on converted Sense 5 to GPe 4.3 too. I got the blue screen every time I tried to update.
I forced the OTA by clearing the Google Services Framework -> reboot -> OTA is there at system update -> update -> blue bootscreen.
Restored back with TWRP.
I'm on JWR66Y.H1 with
TRWP 2.6.3.0
S-ON
bigxie 4.3 M7 GPe Stock ROM
I have no patience... :D
Why isn't there a official ROM for the GPe?
Sometimes it told me I had no SuperSU after update but installing that failed. I tried updating, then install SuperSU in TWRP -> still blue screen.
Maybe the Google Services Framework is causing the issue. I'm pretty new to Android (3 months)
Same for me.
I have tried several things, wiped th e phone, installed back to original ROM, TWRP and CWM , sideloaded, ROM manager, OTA downloads, etc.
All error and/ or end with an error 7, then the blue screen.
after "verifying current system" I have always errors like "'/system/app/CalendarGoogle.apk' has unexpected contents. Installation aborted"
I have tried to clear the cache of all apps, but that didn't work and reinstall too...
can anybody help me? :'(
I have a converted HTC one from Sense 5 I did the update as instructed up top, it worked fine but it did have to try it a few times before it worked! Anyone know how can get the hotword search? Good luck all.
Has anybody successfully forced the 4.4 update on an honest-to-god HTC One Google Play Edition? Judging by the error messages, I would think not. I've given it a go a few different times with the same mount SD card errors. Sigh.
Same errors here. "Check CID Failed" and "invalid operation" followed by reboot.
Bought mine from Play store and haven't made any changes to it. I think the only people having success seem to be those who have converted their carrier branded HTC's to GPE on their own... :(
+1 (unrooted from Play Store)
what about root on the new 4.4 kitkat update?
Thanks Alex for the download link and install instructions. Worked really well.
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I tried this, after verifying everything (current Android version, etc.). Got the Mount SDCard Failed... message five times, then there was an option to "Apply from phone storage." I did that, navigated to the file. It uncompressed, seemed to start installing, then when it got to the point where it was updating symlinks there was an error. Now my phone is in a reboot loop. I can get back to the screen with the dead Android guy with the exclamation mark over him, and from there to the Android System Recovery menu, but nowhere else. I thought maybe trying "wipe data/factory reset" might help... but alas, it did nothing.
Any advice on how to un-brick my phone? :)
Dude. Put it on fastboot mode and then flash your previous recovery (CWM/TWRP) and restore your previous backup... You do have one right?
Yeah that happened to me and i had to fastboot flash the RUU to get operational. I allowed the over the air update to 4.3 and then i tried this patch again. Exact same problem. This doesnt work for me either. I'm guessing because we are pre-rooted
Are you running a custom recovery like TWRP or CWM? If so that's why it's failing. Stock recovery only for the OTA.
Im on %100 stock HTC One GPe and I keep getting Check cid failed then it reboots.
What's your CID? Run "fastboot getvar all" from the commandline to see.
Same here, I also get Mount SDCard failed...
Can someone please help cause this method is not working. Tried like 5 times.
I had the same problem. I have the proper build of JB 4.3 but it fails when the system tries to mound SD storage so I cannot access SD card or phone storage. Therefore I'm unable to flash the update.
I'll wait until someone makes a flashable zip file like they did on 4.3
That's what it's supposed to do. You don't have an SD card.
After you see that error hit Vol+ and Power, hold both down for two seconds, release and the recovery menu will come up a few seconds later
Worked perfectly for me! Thanks for the download link and instructions.
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just keep trying it if it does not work. it took me a few tries but that i was able to choose the file and it is updating as we speak.
Something like this works with the Nexus 4 and other Nexus devices as well right?
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I got the above mentioned errors as well but It worked when I went forward with the update.
the first time I Ran the update it failed so I used an earlier ruu zip file I and then tried this again and it worked.
What do you mean you just went forward with the update? And where can we get a earlier file?
I get Mount SDCard failed as well, five different times. And when I tap "install from phone storage" I get invalid operation" and then my phone reboots.
I have the same problem
Why when I select apply from phone it gives me invalid operation and reboots my phone??
Same here, I also get Mount SDCard failed...
Same here. And I get "invalid operation" after that.
Surprisingly easy... Thank You
Holding volume up and power at the android with the exclamation point just reboots my phone, no matter how I do it
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You're probably holding power down for too long. You want to press power once (as you normally would to unlock your phone) with volume up held down.
yup, exactly what I was doing wrong. Worked like a charm, thank you.
As I enter the recovery I get "Mount SDCard failed 1 times" then it repeats (with 2, 3, etc.) 5 times... When I select to apply from phone storage it says it can't and the directory doesn't exist... Then the phone reboots...
Strange. You might want to try the adb sideload method instead.
Well in the recovery I don't see "apply from adb" but I do see "apply from cache"... Upon pressing it I get the same error/reboot as when I press apply from storage...
Same here. 5 times then i select "from phone storage" and then it reboots...
You have to make sure the USB cable is unplugged or it will cause that error
Do you have device encryption enabled by any chance ? I have a feeling this method does not work when the device is encrypted.