SDcard backup:

adb pull /sdcard/ /sdcard/

(This will pull all of your sdcard contents to an "sdcard" folder in your C:\ directory)

Applications and their data:
Take note, that you'll need to be using CyanogenMod's method for setting up ADB to do this. The ADB AIO application installs an older SDK without this functionality. First, get your drivers installed (detailed in post one). Once you get ADB installed (post one), navigate to the C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools folder on your computer. Hold shift and right click. Select "Open Command Window Here."

Input this while your phone is turned on and USB Debugging is Enabled in Settings>Developer Settings>USB Debugging.

Type this:

adb backup -apk -noshared -all -nosystem

(Hit Enter)

Your phone will ask for a password. Input one and remember it.
Once the process completes: continue with unlocking and rooting your phone.

Restoration:
Upon unlocking and rooting your phone: open up ADB again.
Enter this code:

adb restore backup.ab

(Hit Enter)
Input the password you saved to this file earlier, and wait for the restore to complete.

To restore your SDcard backup, first move the "sdcard" folder that was made in the backup process to your platform-tools folder.
Then run:

adb push sdcard /sdcard/

Considering going with the Nexus when sprint releases their version next week. Will this guide work for Sprint to obtain root, or is it crazy that im even asking that (Being that the phone isnt even released yet)?

Originally Posted by jayjam99

Considering going with the Nexus when sprint releases their version next week. Will this guide work for Sprint to obtain root, or is it crazy that im even asking that (Being that the phone isnt even released yet)?

I'm sure it will...
Other than potentially needing a new CWM.img file...which you'll be able to find at http://download.clockworkmod.com/recoveries/ if it does indeed require a new one.

Either way, I'll update upon the phone's release.

WOW! Thank you for such a fast response.

Hi Jubakuba, really helpful guide! Thanks a lot!

I got my galaxy nexus a few weeks ago and it was a yakjuxw so I did exactly as this thread says.

Today, I followed your instructions from the "Obtaining Root Access and Custom Recovery" and everything went fine. Then I flashed latest franco kernel.

I went ahead and install several root apps like rom manager, adfree, battery calibration. But Superuser shows no apps on the list and none of the apps worked (ie. I tried "flash clockworkmod recovery" on rom manager and it froze after it finished downloading).

So I downloaded Root Check Basic to see if my nexus is properly rooted and it says that it's not.

Do you have any idea what went wrong?

Originally Posted by topkop

Hi Jubakuba, really helpful guide! Thanks a lot!

I got my galaxy nexus a few weeks ago and it was a yakjuxw so I did exactly as this thread says.

Today, I followed your instructions from the "Obtaining Root Access and Custom Recovery" and everything went fine. Then I flashed latest franco kernel.

I went ahead and install several root apps like rom manager, adfree, battery calibration. But Superuser shows no apps on the list and none of the apps worked (ie. I tried "flash clockworkmod recovery" on rom manager and it froze after it finished downloading).

So I downloaded Root Check Basic to see if my nexus is properly rooted and it says that it's not.

Do you have any idea what went wrong?

Unfortunately...no.
Did it throw any errors while flashing su.zip or pushing cwm?

Edit:
Try flashing this, maybe?
http://www.box.com/s/jvcf196j7x8f8vrc9cyt

Originally Posted by Jubakuba

Unfortunately...no.
Did it throw any errors while flashing su.zip or pushing cwm?

Edit:
Try flashing this, maybe?
http://www.box.com/s/jvcf196j7x8f8vrc9cyt

Wow, it works - you're the best!
What's the difference between the two though?

Originally Posted by topkop

Wow, it works - you're the best!
What's the difference between the two though?

I hadn't realized that the SU binaries changed...even on CDMA 4.0.4.
I'll have to do some research before I update OP.

Edit:
Updated OP with a .zip that should work for CDMA/GSM of any version again.

This post is really nice. Me being a super noob I can actually understand it. I have a couple of questions and pardon me if they sound stupid but....super nood. My Nexus should be arriving in the mail today it was suggested I unlock bootloader first in case I want to root later. These directions seem pretty simple to follow. Where do I download the drivers to? When you say it will erase all apps...does that include stock apps? I plan to unlock it as soon as I get it out of the box, do I really need to back anything up? Any other advice for a rookie that hasn't been mentioned here is greatly appreciated.

Originally Posted by babaduchi

This post is really nice. Me being a super noob I can actually understand it. I have a couple of questions and pardon me if they sound stupid but....super nood. My Nexus should be arriving in the mail today it was suggested I unlock bootloader first in case I want to root later. These directions seem pretty simple to follow. Where do I download the drivers to? When you say it will erase all apps...does that include stock apps? I plan to unlock it as soon as I get it out of the box, do I really need to back anything up? Any other advice for a rookie that hasn't been mentioned here is greatly appreciated.

Drivers come as an .exe file. You can simply install them...
If the samsung drivers are giving your troubles: a lot of users install PDANet instead (or as well, whatever you'd like). This automatically sets your drivers up.

No stock apps will be erased. This process just forces you to do a factory reset. And as far as backups go...
No, not really.
But I WOULD recommend making a Nandroid (post 2 has details) just in case you want to return back to stock-rooted. You can transfer this to your PC and delete it from your phone if you'd like. Just kinda' handy to have lyin' around.