[Acer Iconia A500] Anode:
Adding a tutorial for Android 3.1 manual updates

Adding a tutorial for Android 3.1 manual updates .

Also included is howto get the Acer file name to download to a PC

from the user site if the listed URL's in numerous posts fail, or if some

one wants it directly from the Acer site.

How to Upgrade the Acer A500 OS: (System update to Android 3.1)

ERROR Message:

"The system update is invalid and will be canceled." It then automatically

pops up a window saying system update window to update to 4.010.11 (356.69MB).

Acer Tablet A500 16GB/WiFi

Android: 3.0.1

Kernal: 2.6.36.3

Build: Acer_A500_1.141.07_COM_GEN1 (US Distribution)

After 6+ (failed) attempts to update the US from Android 3.0,1 to 3.1

trying all permutations of reset, (soft, hard, signing in, not-signing into

Google at boot-up, etc) and having spent 2+GB of bandwidth (each download

taking an over-night period of time) I decided to finally try out the following

(with success) :

I will starting listing the reset approach, in case it works for someone,

and to keep it simple:

Step-1:

start with a clean system ( no rooting "super user access," no

custom ROM updates,etc. Just the default factory preloaded stuff with

couple of dozen apps downloaded from the market: Then try the following:

[ most of the knowledge gained by reading numerous posts, and credit to

the original posters. I finally made my on plan described below]

0. Backup your data (pics, vidio, data,...). Put the charger on always.

1. Power off the tablet.

2. Power on the tablet.

3. Select Apps, Settings, Applications, Manage Applications, All, and then select systemupdater.

4. In the systemupdater window, click Clear data.

5. In the Delete dialog box, click OK.

1. From the Apps menu, tap on Settings, and then tab Privacy.

2. Tap on Factory Data Reset, and then tab Reset Tablet.

3. Tap Erase Everything to format your tablet back to factory default configuration.

Power-off, power-on, dont sign into Google, as this may trigger an auto-recovery.

Do a system update. and hope it works.

If the above does not work, goto step #2.

Step-2: Grab the update.zip and flash it manually into the ACER !

Extracted from a prior post:

-Download 4.010.11

-Decrypt 4.010.11

-Extract update.zip from decrypted 4.010.11

-Place extracted update.zip onto root of sdcard

-Power down A500

-Hold volume+power and let it run

0. Follow the steps outlined above to clean your system (factory reset).

1. Prepare the system:

a. Download the modified Gingerbreak apk (XDA forum) to your PC, and then transfer it

to the A500 (say download directory) using the USB cable and PC file explorer.

b. Download & install ES File Explorer from the Market on the A500

c. Download Acer Recovery from the Market on the A500

d. Download & Install Terminal Emulator (vt100) from the Market on the A500

e. Download & install Acer unzip decrypter (xda forum).

2. Using the ES File Explorer , navigate to the gingerbreak file, and double click it

to install. (you need to follow the procedure of locking in portrait mode as instructed

by the poster on XDA forum, else it fails to install. This results in "root" being

enabled.

Extracted from the original post:

1. make sure usb debugging is turned on and unknown sources is selected

2. have a micro sd card inserted and turn the tablet on portrait and lock it with the switch to fix it in portrait

3. download and execute the attached apk. (i had to download from my comp and transfer to the tablet for it to work)

4. once the apk is installed run the root procedure within the app which was installed

5. wait and you will receive full root access

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1055354

3. Start a system update on the A500, and let the download start.

4. Start the Terminal Emulator (vt100), and type su . Then cd to the /cache area.

locate the file name of whats being downloaded. In my case: Acer_A500_1.141.07_4.010.11_COM_GEN1_1311224632952_461992b1

5. Then on the PC create a full http path and do a download of the URL contructed

using the file name in your cache directory. Example:

http://cdn.acer.futuredial.com/Acer_A500_1.141.07_4.010.11_COM_GEN1_1311224632952_461992b1.zip

Acer may change this file name, so my link my work for you, or else you may follow the

procedure to construct the link for manual download to a PC.

6. Run Acer Recovery, and create a backup of your original firmware, and then prepare to

install the new update.zip. (Acer Recovery Installer already has "ClockworkMod Recovery rev1.3.4 by thor2002ro"

and is able to install a new update, including a specific restore for the current build that mached mine.

select "ClockworkMod Recovery rev1.3.4 by thor2002ro"

click "Install Recovery Image"

click "Yes" when asked to backup the current image!!!

Reboot into CW recovery from the app or with VOL- & POWER

Create a full backup: "backup and restore" -> "Full Backup"

If your backup is a fresh stock-only (no previous custom roms flashed) one, please share it. It's located on your micro

SD in clockworkmod/backup/[current date] <= This is the CWM folder we need!

During the backup it said it could not recognize or open the external sd, card but that did not matter.

7. Prepare the update:

Use an SD card (it does not have to be blank )

Get the .zip file from Acer's cdn site (mentioned earlier) or if you are luck some one may have posted

it on the Megaupload site .

Install the Acer decrypter (xda forum), and unzip the decrypted file, and extract update.zip

From the PC use a card writer and put the update.zip into the root (top most folder ) or the

external sd card.

Place the sd card into your acer.

The next time the A500 boots, you will get the clockwormod boot up prompt,

Select you want to update from update.zip from the sd card. Use the volume button

to step through the selections, and the power switch to select.

It will then update the system

on success, its asks for what next. And select reboot.

Your system will boot into the new OS.

after the update:

Android version: 3.1

Kernal 2.6.36.3

Build: Acer_A500_4.010.11_COM_GEN2.

Run the system update again, this time it says there is a 14MB system update available.

It runs through flawlessly, and updates the system to:

Andriod 3.1

Kernal: 2.6.36.3

Build: Acer_A500_4.010.13_COM_GEN2

One can now continue with life.

Some good links:

a. Rooting: (super user "su" access) / gingerbreak apk

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1055354

b. OS update

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1175136&page=2

c.

Other: links to read

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1096956&page=13

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1153809&page=37

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1159443&page=3

rooting:

http://xdaforums.com/archive/index.php/t-1158218.html

recovery:

http://xdaforums.com/archive/index.php/t-1136072.html

OFFICIAL DOWNLOAD zip file directly from acer:

http://cdn.acer.futuredial.com/Acer_A500_1.141.07_4.010.11_COM_GEN1_1311224632952_461992b1.zip

The above link may change. I saw a link on the xda post that matched the OS I wanted,

but the Acer site sade permission denied. By following the procedure to get the

file name I mentioned, you can get around that.

I hope the above is useful, and hope you save some time trying to figure out

what to do !

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