[HOWTO] Root Your Stock Galaxy Nexus

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davioxx

Senior Member
Jun 12, 2009
139
26
mexico
This post is now deprecated there are new ways of rooting more easily here is the link to one of those

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1392310


just kept for reference
link no longer works as it is a very old boot img, if you wanna go this way use latest superboot

Rooting your Galaxy Nexus

Download this file contains necessary files and also lastest samsung drivers in case you dont have them, probably you need android sdk drivers for fastboot

Download

credit to @peteralfonso for the insecure boot.img which allows this to remount system and this way install su binary and Superuser.apk




This are the instructions for Galaxy Nexus

they require basic knowledge of fastboot adb and using command prompt/terminal

works same way on linux and windows


Be sure to have fastboot and adb ready and working




extract somewhere and you will get 4 files su, Superuser.apk , boot.img and drivers

turn off the phone

Boot into bootloader mode (Vol UP+ Vol Down + Power) then execute this command, be sure to have fastboot and boot.img on same folder or be ready to type a long path pointing to your boot.img

REMINDER: by doing fastboot oem unlock you will completely wipe your device so be sure to backup anything important

execute this command
Code:
fastboot oem unlock 
fastboot boot boot.img
edit: thanks chirality forgot the oem unlock :D


the device will reboot and start in unsafe mode where you can enable adb as root usually on production devices this is not posible


Be sure to enable adb debugging on menu

back to command prompt

Code:
adb root

adb remount

adb push su /system/bin

adb push Superuser.apk /system/app

adb shell chmod 06755 /system/bin/su
adb shell chmod 06755 /system/app/Superuser.apk

adb reboot
and you are done and youve got your Galaxy Nexus rooted

This process does not involve flashing another boot.img, it just boots once with it and after that returns to original boot.img


As usual
YOU ARE PERFORMING THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK! I AM NOT RESPOSIBLE FOR ANY BRICKS OR PROBLEMS!

Which wont happen we are just pushing 2 files to our phone :D

edit2: sorry for the bad paths of adb was too late and didnt notice my error :p
 
Last edited:

Shodney

Senior Member
Jul 16, 2010
193
24
Leeds
Thanks for the post - apparently people are having problems with the Superboot method, so I'll give this a go when mine arrives today.

I guess this comes with all the usual "at your own risk" and "will void your warranty" warnings?

(sorry if that's a stupid question - this is my first Nexus, so I'm not sure where I stand on rooting, unlocking bootloaders, and the warranty etc.)
 

chriscole

Member
Jan 3, 2005
29
10
Great - worked without issue for me and I can now use the Entree VPN client for connecting into work. (the HD screen is great for remote desktop work)

Minor typo in the permissions lines though - should read:

adb shell chmod 06755 /system/bin/su
adb shell chmod 06755 /system/app/Superuser.apk

Thanks very much,

Chris.
 
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el3ctrik

Senior Member
Aug 2, 2011
104
41
Manchester
Thanks for this davioxx for putting together the guide, chriscole for the fixes and @peteralfonso for the insecure boot.img.

I'm now succesfully rooted. :)

It seems Root Explorer needs an update for the GN though. Only opens in the bottom left corner of the screen for me, and is comprised of static.
 

seakins

Senior Member
Sep 15, 2010
104
11
Kent
Sorry for the newbee question, been quite a while since rooting my nexus one...

Do i need to enable adb debugging on phone menu before executing the fastboot oem unlock code and then enable it again after it reboots and starts in safe mode?
 

spences10

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2010
731
50
London
w00t!

Thank you :)

You may want to change the path names on the chmod part, I blindly followed the instructions and the files were in diffrent places from where I pushed them to

But thanks \o/

I haz root!
 

majikdragoon

Senior Member
Jan 16, 2010
56
3
Manchester, UK
Not 100% sure what's going on here. I haven't rooted since I got the Nexus One.

When my phone is on and connected, command prompt shows my phone as an attached device. But when I boot into bootloader, it isn't attached anymore and command prompt just tells me that the commands are unrecognized? How come?
 

spences10

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2010
731
50
London
Not 100% sure what's going on here. I haven't rooted since I got the Nexus One.

When my phone is on and connected, command prompt shows my phone as an attached device. But when I boot into bootloader, it isn't attached anymore and command prompt just tells me that the commands are unrecognized? How come?

Are you doing it via adb or fastboot?
 

majikdragoon

Senior Member
Jan 16, 2010
56
3
Manchester, UK
Not sure. I restarted the phone into bootloader and tried to follow the instructions :confused:

Hahaha... I was trying to sideload N64oid as it's been removed from the market. I ended up using Android Centrals Sideloader instead.
 

davioxx

Senior Member
Jun 12, 2009
139
26
mexico
Not sure. I restarted the phone into bootloader and tried to follow the instructions :confused:

Hahaha... I was trying to sideload N64oid as it's been removed from the market. I ended up using Android Centrals Sideloader instead.

Hi probably you dont have the bootloader driver installed, that has to be done manually at least for my win 64 machine, check this thread about that
Set Up ADB, fastboot and drivers Nexus S it is practically the same for your Galaxy Nexus :D
 

Babydollll

Senior Member
Why couldn't you just....
Fastboot OEM unlock
Fastboot flash recovery
Flash su zip in recovery
(obviously, I'm omitting some steps here like after Fastboot flashing recovery, booting into recovery...ect)
Unless there isn't a custom recovery available yet...
That's how I rooted BOTH the N1 and NS....

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using xda premium until I can get the Galaxy Nexus on T-Mobile
 

davioxx

Senior Member
Jun 12, 2009
139
26
mexico
there isnt a custom recovery yet and stock recovery needs signed recoveries
actually not hard you take 3 mins in all process :)

Why couldn't you just....
Fastboot OEM unlock
Fastboot flash recovery
Flash su zip in recovery
(obviously, I'm omitting some steps here like after Fastboot flashing recovery, booting into recovery...ect)
Unless there isn't a custom recovery available yet...
That's how I rooted BOTH the N1 and NS....

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using xda premium until I can get the Galaxy Nexus on T-Mobile
 

coleburns

Senior Member
Dec 22, 2010
380
32
London
Drivers

Does anyone know where else to get the drivers from? installed the ones attached but when i go into device manager, i am seeing android.1 and when type "fastboot devices" nothing comes up
 
Last edited:

el3ctrik

Senior Member
Aug 2, 2011
104
41
Manchester
Does anyone know where else to get the drivers from? installed the ones attached but when i go into device manager, i am seeing android.1 and when type "fastboot devices" nothing comes up

How I got fastboot working was to install pdanet, one of the steps is to install all the drivers. It doesn't matter if it fails after that step, I didn't want pdanet anyways

The ones attached seem to only be for adb mode.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium
 

coleburns

Senior Member
Dec 22, 2010
380
32
London
How I got fastboot working was to install pdanet, one of the steps is to install all the drivers. It doesn't matter if it fails after that step, I didn't want pdanet anyways

The ones attached seem to only be for adb mode.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda premium


thanks for that, managed to get it working with pdanet.
however when i try to run the adb commands, i get the adbt cannot run as root in production builds

how did you get rooted?

thanks
 

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  • 14
    This post is now deprecated there are new ways of rooting more easily here is the link to one of those

    http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1392310


    just kept for reference
    link no longer works as it is a very old boot img, if you wanna go this way use latest superboot

    Rooting your Galaxy Nexus

    Download this file contains necessary files and also lastest samsung drivers in case you dont have them, probably you need android sdk drivers for fastboot

    Download

    credit to @peteralfonso for the insecure boot.img which allows this to remount system and this way install su binary and Superuser.apk




    This are the instructions for Galaxy Nexus

    they require basic knowledge of fastboot adb and using command prompt/terminal

    works same way on linux and windows


    Be sure to have fastboot and adb ready and working




    extract somewhere and you will get 4 files su, Superuser.apk , boot.img and drivers

    turn off the phone

    Boot into bootloader mode (Vol UP+ Vol Down + Power) then execute this command, be sure to have fastboot and boot.img on same folder or be ready to type a long path pointing to your boot.img

    REMINDER: by doing fastboot oem unlock you will completely wipe your device so be sure to backup anything important

    execute this command
    Code:
    fastboot oem unlock 
    fastboot boot boot.img
    edit: thanks chirality forgot the oem unlock :D


    the device will reboot and start in unsafe mode where you can enable adb as root usually on production devices this is not posible


    Be sure to enable adb debugging on menu

    back to command prompt

    Code:
    adb root
    
    adb remount
    
    adb push su /system/bin
    
    adb push Superuser.apk /system/app
    
    adb shell chmod 06755 /system/bin/su
    adb shell chmod 06755 /system/app/Superuser.apk
    
    adb reboot
    and you are done and youve got your Galaxy Nexus rooted

    This process does not involve flashing another boot.img, it just boots once with it and after that returns to original boot.img


    As usual
    YOU ARE PERFORMING THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK! I AM NOT RESPOSIBLE FOR ANY BRICKS OR PROBLEMS!

    Which wont happen we are just pushing 2 files to our phone :D

    edit2: sorry for the bad paths of adb was too late and didnt notice my error :p
    1
    Don't you have to do "fastboot oem unlock" first before being able to boot off the insecure image? I thought they fixed that with the Nexus S already.
    1
    Great - worked without issue for me and I can now use the Entree VPN client for connecting into work. (the HD screen is great for remote desktop work)

    Minor typo in the permissions lines though - should read:

    adb shell chmod 06755 /system/bin/su
    adb shell chmod 06755 /system/app/Superuser.apk

    Thanks very much,

    Chris.
    1
    thanks for that, managed to get it working with pdanet.
    however when i try to run the adb commands, i get the adbt cannot run as root in production builds

    how did you get rooted?

    thanks
    That's when you need to use the "fastboot boot boot.img" command to boot using a modified boot image that does allow adb to run as root. After that, you won't get that message anymore, well until you reboot.
    1
    hi coleburns in order to run those adb commands you have to first use the command
    fastboot boot boot.img
    then you will be able to root and remount

    after that you can do
    adb root
    adb remount
    etc


    thanks for that, managed to get it working with pdanet.
    however when i try to run the adb commands, i get the adbt cannot run as root in production builds

    how did you get rooted?

    thanks