Do I really need Clockworkmod recovery to update Android?

[jsmoke]

Trying to update phone to kitkat 4.4, I have the kitkat ROM however the guide says to install CWM recovery first, I have installed ROM manager and it turns out the CWM recovery doesn't support this phone.

But the phone has a default recovery console which allows to update from the SD card and wipe the phone etc, so shouldn't this be enough to update?

 

[jsmoke]

If you're using a custom ROM, then you need a custom recovery to flash the update zip file. This is not just CWM. What phone and ROM are you using?

Motorrola XT389, my phone was nicked so using this till get a better phone, on Android 2.3.

It's on stock Android ROM just now.

What do you mean 'This is not just CWM'?

Do you mean if the phone has a custom ROM like Cyangenmod, or do you mean if the version of kitkat is a custom version?

 

[jsmoke]

Yup, sorry was typing that on a phone, did mean you can usually use other custom recoveries.

Checking the phone I don't think it has an official KK update from Motorola, what guide are you following and where did you get the ROM?

The phone is unusable with the current Android version so may as well try.

This is the guide, ROM links are there, the ROM comes to about 1gb.

http://romkitkatupdate.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/upgradeupdate-motoluxe-xt389-to-44.html

I assume that installing a custom ROM updates the kernel also?

Also what about the firmware, I am not even sure the difference between the FM and the ROM, would I need to update this also?

 

[jsmoke]

Thanks anyway, after some research I think that was a bogus guide, will buy new phone next week.