no more system update menu

kro

Hi, I own a pixel 6a. I remember a few weeks ago I had trouble to update the system.

Now a weird thing is the update menu disappeared :
Parameters -> System doesn't show anything related to updates (Languages, Gestures, Date, Backup, Multple users, Reset options only).
A search in settings shows System updates but taping it just leads to the System menu.

Should I sideload the official OTA update ?
It doesn't risk to remove all my settings ? For I have over issues with the device : some apps won't load, such as DataBackup, and GrapheneOS native backup functionality always conclude with an error.

de0u

kro Now a weird thing is the update menu disappeared :
Parameters -> System doesn't show anything related to updates (Languages, Gestures, Date, Backup, Multple users, Reset options only).
A search in settings shows System updates but taping it just leads to the System menu.

This is consistent with the System Updater app having been disabled. Can you check?

Settings, Apps.
See all ___ apps.
In the "⋮" menu at the top, choose "Show system".
Scroll down a lot to "System Updater".
If there is an "Enable" button, press it. Then I think you may need to reboot.

GrapheneOS

kro This menu is only available on the Owner user and goes away if the app is disabled rather than crashing. It could be changed to be grayed out instead and say the app is disabled but it would be one more Settings change to maintain. It probably makes more sense to provide a toggle for fully automatic updates and turn off the option to disable the app, similar to what we did for Apps. We're concerned people will disable it and stop thinking about it so any new system for this needs to discourage it which we don't currently do for Apps.

ErnestThornhill

Are you viewing this on your Owner profile?

kro

de0u Thanks a lot, that's what was causing the issue !

I cant remember having disabled the app. I might have though, or it might be due to the android battery optimization (that automatically disabled unused app) ? I doubt it however, more likely my bad...

de0u

kro I cant remember having disabled the app. I might have though, or it might be due to the android battery optimization (that automatically disabled unused app) ?

Honestly I suspect it was manual intervention, because the updater runs often and is a system app, so I would be surprised if the unused-app mechanism would shut it down. I guess a misfire might somehow be possible if the device had been completely powered off for weeks in a row?

Regardless, please check that other system apps and built-in apps haven't been disabled! Everything that ships with the OS should be left as-is unless you have carefully read the relevant source code. Disabling anything that came with the OS can lead to mysterious problems weeks or months later.