Tablet Nook HD+, what version android?

[catsknit]

My daughter and I have HD+ tablets, both unrooted. hers recently has begun saying that certain apps cannot be installed (things she already had but Google tried to update). It frequently pops up saying Google Play itself is not installed but it does open.
I looked at the OS version in settings and it says 2.2. Is this actual android number, ie, Froyo? or is it Nook's version number? It says no updates are available.

So far my tablet has not shown the same problem but I can't see anything she's done differently than I have.

If I have to root I will; I've done my HD so I know how, but she didn't really want it rooted.

[livramax]

2.2 is the version number of the BN OS (aka "ROM") which itself is based on Android v4.0.3 which is quite dated (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Android_version_history). Now that the HD/HD+ have been discontinued it's unlikely that BN will release further updates to their OSs.

Android apps or app updates that are developed for recent versions of Android OS more often than not would not be backward compatible with older Android OS versions.

It's worth noting that "Rooting" the stock ROM does not update its base Android OS version to a newer one. The only way to get a newer Android version for the HD/HD+ is to use 3rd-party custom ROMs such as CyanogenMod -- current CM11 builds are based on Android v4.4.4.

Occasionally I have run into some apps on Google Playstore that would refuse to install/update on my HD+ which is running CM11 -- but the very same apps or app updates from an alternate source (such as 1MobileMarket) would install/update just fine.

[catsknit]

But I will need root to install a 3rd party ROM, right?

[livramax]

Originally Posted by catsknit

But I will need root to install a 3rd party ROM, right?

Rooting adds/modifies some of the OS system files to enable/unlock the "Super-User" privilege which allow the user to change device settings and to install apps that are otherwise precluded by the manufacturer and/or service-provider. Depending on the particular device's stock ROM, a rooting tool typically also add a handful of "Getting-Started" apps that are absent in the stock ROM, such as Google Playstore, EMail, etc.

All custom ROMs, which completely replaces a device's stock ROM, come with the "Super-User" privilege enabled/unlocked; a Gapps package (e.g., http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Google_Apps) which typically gets flashed right after flashing a custom ROM provides the set of essential Getting-Started apps.

As such there is no need to root a stock ROM if you plan to replace it with a custom ROM.

If you want to keep the stock ROM for any reason but also want to be able install and run any latest and greatest Android app then you should leave the stock ROM intact and simply run a custom ROM like CM11 on an external SD card.

[catsknit]

Thanks, having followed the step by step directions on rooting my own HD when I first got it (before BN allowed the Play store) I know just enough to get myself in trouble but was unclear on installing custom ROM without rooting. I'll see what she wants to do with it.

[livramax]

I'd suggest that you try running CM11 on an external SD card first to see if you/she like the custom ROM enough before you decide to flash it into the HD+ internal memory to replace the stock ROM.

The instruction on how to create a SD-based CM10.x image can be found at http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...#post36421852; the latest set of files corresponding to CM11 can be found at http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2600572 (see the links labeled cm-11-20141129-UNOFFICIAL-ovation-sdcard.zip & initial sdcard image for ovation), plus you'd need a Gapps zip file from http://wiki.cyanogenmod.org/w/Google_Apps.

Instructions for flashing CM into HD+ internal memory can be found at http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2317500 and http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2679899.

If your HD+ is one of those units that do not seem to be able to boot into an SD card, see http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=2288688.