[Q] How to update Original Rooted 4.0.3 Incredible 4g - Verizon HTC Droid Incredible 4G LTE

I have an Incredible 4g on Verizon that I acquired during the first week of release. I was fortunate enough to get it unlocked during the time when HTC allowed it from their site. I unlocked the phone, installed TWRP, and rooted my device (I'm not entirely sure how I did this).
It's been over a year now, and my phone is kind of sluggish. How can I go about updating this phone to the latest software? I'd settle for the latest OTA from Verizon, as long as I can keep it rooted.
I'm also willing to flash one of the other kernels, but I dont really have any experience flashing CM or Viper.
So what's the best way to go about doing this? How do you update an already rooted phone? Ideally I'd like to keep all apps/data during the update. Any information or links for how to update appreciated!
My phones details:
Android 4.0.3
HTC Sense 4.0
Software: 1.43.605.3.710RD
HTC SDK API: 4.11

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it probably won't even install unless you return to stock recovery.
another poster already confirmed losing root after installing the update.
imo - the update is not worth it anyway. they other thread lists the changes... nothing significant.
if your phone is sluggish either find out what is causing it (app, etc), tweak performance using your root, or wipe it and start clean. i would not give up an unlocked, rooted device for this update.

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j13smiley said:
it probably won't even install unless you return to stock recovery.
another poster already confirmed losing root after installing the update.
imo - the update is not worth it anyway. they other thread lists the changes... nothing significant.
if your phone is sluggish either find out what is causing it (app, etc), tweak performance using your root, or wipe it and start clean. i would not give up an unlocked, rooted device for this update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is this just for stock updates, or for Viper/VM mods as well? I'm willing to step up to 4.3 or 4.4 with one of these custom ROMs, assuming I can keep root.
Is this a complicated process to install one of these custom ROMs (anything special since my phone is so "old")?
Will I have to wipe and install from scratch as well?

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You can always clear your cache and davek cache to help improve speeds.

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zackiv31 said:
Is this just for stock updates, or for Viper/VM mods as well? I'm willing to step up to 4.3 or 4.4 with one of these custom ROMs, assuming I can keep root.
Is this a complicated process to install one of these custom ROMs (anything special since my phone is so "old")?
Will I have to wipe and install from scratch as well?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Installing a fresh/new ROM is very easy, and it will indeed require reinstalling apps. However, Look at getting Titanium Backup Root - I highly recommend the Pro version - you can back up all of your apps and data. Once performing a full TiB backup to your external SD card, you can wipe and install a fresh ROM, then restore any/all apps and data backed up with TiB. The app will pick up right where you backed it up, settings and all. You may need to re-set up a few apps (such as email settings).
If you like sense, I recommend ViperLTE. It's very close to stock Sense, but offers several great tweaks you can choose to use (or not). Installing it is easy if you have TWRP recovery installed. If you don't have TRWP installed, look at mdmower's thread for that recovery. I also highly recommend performing a full Nandroid backup to your external SD card before doing anything.

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j13smiley said:
it probably won't even install unless you return to stock recovery.
another poster already confirmed losing root after installing the update.
imo - the update is not worth it anyway. they other thread lists the changes... nothing significant.
if your phone is sluggish either find out what is causing it (app, etc), tweak performance using your root, or wipe it and start clean. i would not give up an unlocked, rooted device for this update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very true... I, too, lost root after OTA update. I've tried every method I could find to attempt to unlock bootloader now with update... even tried wipe and flash of stock RUU 2.17.605.2: unable to go back to older version due to updated bootloader (wouldn't let me load it).
It'd be nice if HTCdev simply updated for a .bin that'll work... I tried flashing unlock_code.bin from previous experiences... but wouldn't work either. Any rumors of a new method to unlock the new bootloader?