[International / GSM] [HOW TO] Root the GSM/HSPA+ Samsung Galaxy Nexus

[John Markley]

I never would have thought that zipped files would have been inside other zipped files. I got through most of them, but appear to be stuck on fastboot reboot-bootloader.

When I finished the previous command, fastboot -w update image-mysid-icl53f.zip, the phone restarted and showed the set up screen. I then put in fastboot reboot bootloader, it said waiting for device, and the screen went dark. Nothing has happened since. If I hit the power button, the first welcome screen is there. (interestingly, the power button worked that time.)

So... I never got to run fastboot reboot-bootloader or fastboot oem lock.
I assume I need to do these to finish the process, but it hasn't moved from waiting for device.

Well, I haven't run this process (no need to blessedly, happily GNex rooted), and I think you should wait for advice from Yeahha or other more experienced than I, but it looks to me as if either you somehow rebooted the device after flashing the new image, or there may be an error/omission in the instructions, which read

fastboot -w update image-mysid-icl53f.zip
fastboot reboot-bootloader
fastboot oem lock

the fastboot -w command erases the user data and cache and the "update image-mysid-icl53f.zip" part reflashes the device with the stock image. The fact that after you did fastboot -w update image-mysid-icl53f.zip it restarted to the startup screen suggests it now has left bootloader (fastboot) mode and is fully booted as a virgin GNex so to speak. In that case of course the next command, fastboot reboot-bootloader, will not work because the device is not in bootloader mode. What I would do now (but wait for others to confirm) would be to power off the device, open a new command line and navigate again to your Gnex folder, turn the device on in bootloader mode (hold both vol up and vol down buttons in at same time and press power button), and it should boot into bootloader. Then do

fastboot devices

to be sure you are connected, and if so do

fastboot oem lock

and you should be done.

 

[kokiangel]

I totally agree with all who say that nj02vette's way is the best. I really struggled to figure this out with all the different people who were doing their best to help me. Too many choices and too many different and conflicting directions. These instructions were simple and to the point. Got it done in no time and am now happliy playing with my unlocked and rooted Nexus. Thank you nj02vette!

 

[fran1r]

I totally agree with all who say that nj02vette's way is the best. I really struggled to figure this out with all the different people who were doing their best to help me. Too many choices and too many different and conflicting directions. These instructions were simple and to the point. Got it done in no time and am now happliy playing with my unlocked and rooted Nexus. Thank you nj02vette!

Yeah. It was nice being rooted for 4 hours. If only my power button worked properly.

 

[Yeahha]

Well, I haven't run this process (no need to blessedly, happily GNex rooted), and I think you should wait for advice from Yeahha or other more experienced than I, but it looks to me as if either you somehow rebooted the device after flashing the new image, or there may be an error/omission in the instructions, which read

fastboot -w update image-mysid-icl53f.zip
fastboot reboot-bootloader
fastboot oem lock

the fastboot -w command erases the user data and cache and the "update image-mysid-icl53f.zip" part reflashes the device with the stock image. The fact that after you did fastboot -w update image-mysid-icl53f.zip it restarted to the startup screen suggests it now has left bootloader (fastboot) mode and is fully booted as a virgin GNex so to speak. In that case of course the next command, fastboot reboot-bootloader, will not work because the device is not in bootloader mode. What I would do now (but wait for others to confirm) would be to power off the device, open a new command line and navigate again to your Gnex folder, turn the device on in bootloader mode (hold both vol up and vol down buttons in at same time and press power button), and it should boot into bootloader. Then do

fastboot devices

to be sure you are connected, and if so do

fastboot oem lock

and you should be done.

I would try this. No need to wait for me.

 

[fran1r]

Well, good news and maybe good news. That worked and now I am unrooted and locked. The maybe good news is that my power button seems to be working properly again. So I'll stay unrooted for the time being and make sure the hardware works OK. I was almost wishing it was the hardware, cause I really wanted to have the phone rooted. I'll leave it alone for a few days and maybe get the nerve to try it again.

Thank you so much to Yeahha and John Markley for all your help and patience. Every time I do this, I learn more and more. I'll never understand it, but it scares me less. (Not always a good thing.)

 

[John Markley]

Well, good news and maybe good news. That worked and now I am unrooted and locked. The maybe good news is that my power button seems to be working properly again. So I'll stay unrooted for the time being and make sure the hardware works OK. I was almost wishing it was the hardware, cause I really wanted to have the phone rooted. I'll leave it alone for a few days and maybe get the nerve to try it again.

Thank you so much to Yeahha and John Markley for all your help and patience. Every time I do this, I learn more and more. I'll never understand it, but it scares me less. (Not always a good thing.)

great!

 

[teddyearp]

I am curious about the unroot and lock instructions/files. P3Droid said that when you boot into bootloader/fastboot mode there is a counter. Does this reset the counter?

I thought for Sammy's using odin and the correct file was akin to using RSD Lite and the correct .sbf file for the Motorola A855.

 

[brandonhutch]

Thanks, FedEx screwed up my shipment so my phone won't be here until Monday.

OT:

Spoiler

I'm in the same boat. I got free overnight shipping and somehow missed them coming to my door. I was in my office which is, literally, 7 feet from the front door. Never heard a thing. Went to check outside on a gut feeling, well ... they were here because they left a note in the door!

I've had several instances, one just two days ago, with FedEx barely making an attempt at delivery. I heard a knock, got directly up and walked roughly 15 total feet downstairs, looked out the eyehole and the dude was walking away! I had to open the door and yell at the guy to come back.

I know they're in a hurry for the holidays but damn!

 

[Drfeetseconds]

So the bugs I'm seeing people run into (something about no charge when off, etc) has anyone else hit things like that just form root? I thought it was related to CWM and not root itself.

I think I might just root only and wait on CWM, any issues doing that? (Root will stick right?)

 

[halon]

NEED HELP!!!!!


I'm in ClockworkMod Recovey. The zip file is no where to be found.

Can I just unplug phone and start my phone back up and find out what I'm doing wrong before I try again. Or. Do I have to pick one of the otions...reboot,install zip,wipe data,wipe cache,backup,mounts,advanced?

I made it as far as step 11. Zip file is NOT installed.


I just wiped date and then rebooted. I'm doing something wrong with the superuser download?

When I download the superuser do I unzip and put it in my tools folder or just put it in unziped?

 

[iowabowtech]

NEED HELP!!!!!


I'm in ClockworkMod Recovey. The zip file is no where to be found.

Can I just unplug phone and start my phone back up and find out what I'm doing wrong before I try again. Or. Do I have to pick one of the otions...reboot,install zip,wipe data,wipe cache,backup,mounts,advanced?

I made it as far as step 11. Zip file is NOT installed.


I just wiped date and then rebooted. I'm doing something wrong with the superuser download?

When I download the superuser do I unzip and put it in my tools folder or just put it in unziped?

You leave it zipped. Push it to the"sd card" which in our case just puts it on internal mem. Once in cwm recovery...install zip from sd card, choose zip from sd card. Then you should see the su.zip. Choose it and flash.

 

[iowabowtech]

Guys, in lieu of using adb push, the other option is to just place any zips on the phone by hooking up phone to pc, then go to your pc drives and look for galaxy nexus. Click on it and it should bring up a list of folders, probably some app folders if you've loaded any yet. You can place any zips on the root of this directory so in other words, drag and drop them into an open area below all the folders. Might not be a bad idea to have usb debugging enabled at the time. Might not really need it but I leave mine always enabled.

 

[jr0065]

Is it necessary to unlock to bootloader in order to be able to gain root access on the Nexus?
Just curios since it seems like that is the case in the steps I read above, but I've always rooted before without having to do so.

 

[Yeahha]

Yes you must unlock the bootloader to root. The most difficult part for most people is setting up ADB, the rest is pretty easy

 

[jr0065]

Yes you must unlock the bootloader to root. The most difficult part for most people is setting up ADB, the rest is pretty easy

Wow, Thanks. I haven't used ADB since I rooted my Droid X when it first came out.

 

[Yeahha]

Yeah, I've always not liked ADB but once it is set up unlocking and rooting are pretty easy compared to other phones I have rooted or helped people root.

 

[ska.t73]

Thank you for this thread Scary... I've rooted 3 phones now (started with the OG Droid) and this was almost as easy as the Droid (the Droid was the easiest ever since it was one zip file)... However being the day after release I would say this is a pretty smooth process.

I used the script version and it was literally just running the script and bam... The unlocking of the bootloader was painless (except for the wiping part). Let me tell you I rooted my Thunderbolt about a week after getting it, and it was a pain in the butt...

Anyway awesome job Scary, the instructions are spot on and well written... It is everything I've come to expect from my favorite Android site...

 

[Radhal]

OK I finally was able to launch the "install-superboot-windows" from the cmd prompt. I am at the bootloader screen, my phone is unlocked, at the bottom of the screen it reads " FASTboot STATUS - download: 00467800". Nothing appears to have happened after ~10 minutes. Do I need to select "Start" (I was concerned this would just start the phone normally and I didn't want to lose this screen). The other options are "Restart bootloader", "Recovery Mode", and "Power Off".
What should I do next.....?
thanks

 

[Yeahha]

I believe you just need to double click on the superboot.bat file to run it.

Does the command prompt say anything after you sent that?

 

[CheeseJam]

I am having problems installing the drivers you recommended. When I uninstall the current Nexus drivers, the Nexus just disappears from the "other devices" section, so I can't manually install the given drivers. I am on Windows 7 64bit, what am I doing wrong? Thanks!

 

[Yeahha]

I am having problems installing the drivers you recommended. When I uninstall the current Nexus drivers, the Nexus just disappears from the "other devices" section, so I can't manually install the given drivers. I am on Windows 7 64bit, what am I doing wrong? Thanks!

Did you install the drivers from samsung's site? You should be able to just run the download to install the drivers.

I am also on Windows 7 64bit. When you connect the nexus it will do a windows update (or soemthing just let it do so) then you have to go to the device manager and select a different driver manually if you receive an error in the command prompt when trying to run the unlock command.

 

[fran1r]

After rooting and unrooting due to power button/lightflow issue, I am going to re-root following njo2vette's method.

Downloaded everything, ready to start, but I have a question. Since I already installed the device drivers yesterday, does that step get skipped? I'm assuming it does because the phone does not show up in device manager like it did yesterday. If anyone could confirm this for me, I'd appreciate it.

 

[Yeahha]

After rooting and unrooting due to power button/lightflow issue, I am going to re-root following njo2vette's method.

Downloaded everything, ready to start, but I have a question. Since I already installed the device drivers yesterday, does that step get skipped? I'm assuming it does because the phone does not show up in device manager like it did yesterday. If anyone could confirm this for me, I'd appreciate it.

Yeah you shouldn't need to reinstall drivers unless you decided to uninstall them after unrooting for some reason.

Thanks for helping me learn how to unroot, it will likely become a useful peice of knowledge It's always difficult being the first.

 

[BIGPHILWA]

Worked perfectly for me...first time! Thanks so much for this article, Alien! I will send you a pm with a couple useful bits of info to update your first post with.

 

[scary alien]

Worked perfectly for me...first time! Thanks so much for this article, Alien! I will send you a pm with a couple useful bits of info to update your first post with.

Thanks! I spent a ton of time last night revising it. I appreciate any comments and help .

Thanks also to the other great folks who have been helping and contributing to everyone's knowledge...that's what makes AF great!

Right now, I'm going to flash my phone back to stock (to test and document that process), then re-test the Superboot process (the boot hung on me and I had to battery-pull; I helped Steven do his phone last night and he didn't, so I want to recreate that); then I'm going to re-flash to stock again and test installing root via ClockworkMod.

It takes time to document and to get the formatting right...ugh! but you all are worth it .

Cheers!