[GUIDE] Step by Step ROOT Nexus S via ClockworkMod Recovery image (i9023 and i9020A)

kursk · Mar 25, 2011

Hi all,

i've recently bought a Nexus S which is a non-US/UK (GT-i9020) version having a SC-LCD screen (GT-i9023).
Which is not, sadly, the only difference...

MOD EDIT: This tutorial also applies to AT&T/Rogers/Telus variants of the Nexus S with SAMOLED screen (i9020A)

This tutorial is based on AllGamer's [GUIDE] Step by Step ROOT Nexus S via ClockworkMod Recovery image (i9020 only).

Part 1 - Drivers

1 - Download Android SDK
2 - Unzip & launch "SDK Manager.exe"
3 - Cancel the first popup & go to "Available packages" > "Third party Add-ons" > "Google Inc."
4 - Select "Google USB Driver package" & click "Install Selected"
5 - Once you're finished go to your SDK installation "extras\google\usb_driver" dir
6 - (MOD EDIT: Ignore this step for i9020A models) Open "android_winusb.inf" and add the following lines to both "[Google.NTx86]" and "[Google.NTamd64]" sections :

;
;Google Nexus S GT-i9023
%SingleAdbInterface% = USB_Install, USB\VID_18D1&PID_4E20

as described here [SOLVED] Google Android USB drivers - Nexus S SCLCD GT-i9023 not recognized
7 - Turn Off your SNS
8 - Make sure the SNS is connected to the PC via the USB cable
9 - Boot the SNS into the Bootloader Interface, by holding Volume UP & Power button

It reads LOCK STATE - LOCKED
Open Device Manager (or run devmgmt.msc) make sure you don't see this problem (windows failed to identify the SNS and install the correct drivers)

10 - Do a right click and select Update Driver Software
11 - Select Brose my computer for driver software
12 - Point it to your Android SDK installation "extras\google\usb_driver" dir
13 - Make sure to CLICK "Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer"
14 - Then from the list 3 choices select Android Bootloader Interface
15 - If it's installed properly it should show up like this (reboot is not required)

NOTE: if you encounter problems like question marks, unknown drivers, or exclamation marks eve after you have installed the drivers, download and try the USBDeview 32/64 to remove and uninstall all the junk USB devices from your computer/registry

Part 2 - Unlock

1 - Open a command prompt go to run & type "CMD" & hit enter
2 - Switch to the directory where you unzipped the Android SDK & go to "tools"
3 - Type "fastboot oem unlock" & hit enter

Then you will get this

fastboot oem unlock
...

Selecting YES will wipe EVERYTHING from the SNS, so make sure you have backed up everything you needed to safe before you continue.

4 - Use the Volume up/down keys to select and Power key to apply

you should see something like this after it's done

... OKAY [435.433s]
finished. total time: 435.433s

Now back on this screen you should read

LOCK STATE - UNLOCKED

Part 3 - Recovery

1 - Download the ClockworkMod recovery image (for i9020A models, use this i9023 recovery image too!) 3024v3-i9023.img from [MOD][RECOVERY]Clockwork 3.0.2.4 New wipe & confirm menus!! i9023 & i9020 versions
2 - Save it to the Android SDK "tools" dir
3 - Open a command prompt go to run & type "CMD" & hit enter
4 - Switch to the directory where you unzipped the Android SDK & go to "tools"
5 - Then type "fastboot flash recovery 3024v3-i9023.img" & hit enter

You should get something like this, if not your image is corrupted, download it again

sending 'recovery' (3980 KB)... OKAY [ 0.621s]
writing 'recovery'... OKAY [ 0.511s]
finished. total time: 1.132s

6 - Then back on the SNS select Power Off (Reboot also works)

Part 4 - Root

1 - Power ON the SNS
2 - Download su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip from [APP] Superuser 2.3.6.1 - Now on the Market [2010-09-05]
3 - Save it to the Android SDK "platform-tools" dir
4 - Open a command prompt go to run & type "CMD" & hit enter
5 - Switch to the directory where you unzipped the Android SDK & go to "platform-tools"
6 - Type "adb push su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip /sdcard/su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip" & hit enter
7 - Boot the SNS into the Bootloader Interface, by holding Volume UP & Power button
8 - Select "Recovery
9 - Then it should boot into this screen, if not then repeat the steps to download the image
10 - Select "Install ZIP from sdcard" (power button to apply)
11 - Select "Choose ZIP from sdcard" (power button to apply)
12 - Select su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip (power button to apply)
13 - Select "Yes - su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip"

Should says

Install from sdcard complete

15 - select go back
16 - select reboot

You're now free to install the ROM you want.

Have fun, take care !
Credits goes to AllGamer & afilopou

DoomFragger · Mar 25, 2011

I was heading through this toturial and many others present in the SNS forum. There seems to be some confusion regarding rooting && flash custom roms.

Being rooted does not imply that we can flash new roms. For that we need custom recovery. In several phones, we could only had a custom recovery if the phone was rooted. In SNS, we just need an unlocked bootloader and a compatible recovery. No root is needed IMHO.

Also, in this guide, as in several others, there isn't said anywhere that the custom recovery will be reverted by the system as soon it finishes booting the stock rom. I think it should be clear that we need to remove/rename the script that does that.

Still... Thanks.

trickle_on · Mar 25, 2011

Brilliant. Thanks!

AllGamer · Mar 25, 2011

this is a very nice, but i'll suggest including the modifications instructions in this topic as well, instead of just linking it to the other topic

kursk · Mar 25, 2011

DoomFragger said:
I was heading through this toturial and many others present in the SNS forum. There seems to be some confusion regarding rooting && flash custom roms.

Being rooted does not imply that we can flash new roms. For that we need custom recovery. In several phones, we could only had a custom recovery if the phone was rooted. In SNS, we just need an unlocked bootloader and a compatible recovery. No root is needed IMHO.

This tutorial is based on AllGamer's one concerning the GT-i9020.
Im very new to Android customisation, i've just followed some toturials i've found trying to make them works, so it may be inconsistent.

As far as i know, i got some problem using the RomManager application that was asking for superuser rights in order to install new rom. This application placed a superuser-xxx-signed.zip at the root of the sdcard, but install on my SNS SCLCD never worked.

Consider using the manual way, not the RomManager application, will be more straiforward.

May be all these steps are not mandatory, but in the end you'll be able to be able to nistall new rom.
Consider it as a global package for customisation.

DoomFragger said:
Also, in this guide, as in several others, there isn't said anywhere that the custom recovery will be reverted by the system as soon it finishes booting the stock rom. I think it should be clear that we need to remove/rename the script that does that.

Still... Thanks.

Never noticed that. ClockworkMod recovery has ever stayed in place, even after rebooting the stock rom many times.

Cheers !

kursk · Mar 25, 2011

AllGamer said:
this is a very nice, but i'll suggest including the modifications instructions in this topic as well, instead of just linking it to the other topic

By the way AllGamer, i apologize for the non-agreed use of your tutorial, i was all in the thing at that time, just thinking about to end up with my cyanogen rom.

It works now, thanks to you. MIUI this evening

ugrubni · Mar 26, 2011

hi

i also have the 9023 and tried your guide. but im am stuck at #14 because it dont find the android bootloader interface entry, there are just three adb interface driver in this list. i also cleared the driver registry with usbdeview before.

adb driver is installed and i tried to unlock the bootloader but fastboot dont recognice the phone.

and i tried it on 2 different pcs, one with win xp and one with win7, same problem on both systems

ugrubni

DoomFragger · Mar 26, 2011

When I unlock my bootloader, I've downloaded the "Google USB Driver package" and the "Galaxy Tab by Samsung Electronics".

I haven't edited any .inf file. Those were the instructions I followed from this article.

ugrubni · Mar 26, 2011

ok, finally i have bootloader interface installed with edited .inf installed on win7.

i tried to unlock with fastboot but it just does nothing. my nexus says

usb control init
usb control init end
standard_set_configuration

anyone an idea?

ugrubni

smoothfreeze · Mar 27, 2011

Before I root my Nexus S, i got some questions to ask.

Can I "unroot" my nexus s to stock if I do this?
What kind of roms are there available other than CM7 mod?

pratishk · Mar 27, 2011

Hi all,

Followed advice above, had to reinstall SDK as did not have an adpfile. SDK all fine now, but am stuck on fastboot not recognising the phone - stays on waiting for device, did a search on xda but brought up other phones and nothing that could helped me...

updated: adb devices works fine, it sees the phone with adb, but just not with fastboot?

another update:

tried usbdeview to uninstall drivers
re-installed them again, no such luck.. annoyingly adb sees the nexus but fastboot does not..

would appreciate any more ideas?

ugrubni · Mar 28, 2011

i finally got it work

fastboot also dont recognized my phone

what i did is:

go to android-sdk/platform-tools folder and copy adbwinapi.dll and adbwinusbapi.dll to /tools folder where fastboot also is located and it worked.

cheerz, ugrubni

afilopou · Mar 28, 2011

kursk said:
This tutorial is based on AllGamer's one concerning the GT-i9020.
Im very new to Android customisation, i've just followed some toturials i've found trying to make them works, so it may be inconsistent.

As far as i know, i got some problem using the RomManager application that was asking for superuser rights in order to install new rom. This application placed a superuser-xxx-signed.zip at the root of the sdcard, but install on my SNS SCLCD never worked.

Consider using the manual way, not the RomManager application, will be more straiforward.

May be all these steps are not mandatory, but in the end you'll be able to be able to nistall new rom.
Consider it as a global package for customisation.

Never noticed that. ClockworkMod recovery has ever stayed in place, even after rebooting the stock rom many times.

Cheers !

That's right.The script which removes Cwm recovery after reboot does not exist in i9023(slcd)

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk

Colombus · Mar 29, 2011

hi Guys
sorry about the noob question,
but actually I have a problem installing JDK,
Android SDK always give me back "JDK SE development Kit (JDK) not found."

But I did install several times...,
SDK still not recognise it.
what should I do?

thx
Cheers

afilopou · Mar 30, 2011

Colombus said:
hi Guys
sorry about the noob question,
but actually I have a problem installing JDK,
Android SDK always give me back "JDK SE development Kit (JDK) not found."

But I did install several times...,
SDK still not recognise it.
what should I do?

thx
Cheers

Did you try to install eclipse and start sdk from eclipse?

http://www.eclipse.org/downloads/ (download this one Eclipse IDE for Java Developers)

and then read this one
http://developer.android.com/sdk/eclipse-adt.html#installing

Had as well problems, but now i am using eclipse in order to start sdk

Colombus · Mar 30, 2011

thx now it's working, all good, with it, and able to setting up
cheers

pratishk · Mar 30, 2011

thanks ugrubni,

worked like a charm...

now have zeroxs on my nexus sorted!

Fmbl · Mar 31, 2011

Hey guys,
Im stuck at part 2 "Unlock", when i run cmd and type fastboot oem unlock i get an error saying fastboot is not recognized as an in or external command, program or batchfile.

I then uninstalled all usb junk with USBDeview 32/64, i didnt quite know what to uninstall, so i just uninstalled everything, maybe a bit to rigorous?

Im in no way a tech wonder and this is the very first phone i tried to root, so if you would be as detailed as possible i would really apreciate that!
hope you guys can help me out?

afilopou · Apr 1, 2011

Fmbl said:
Hey guys,
Im stuck at part 2 "Unlock", when i run cmd and type fastboot oem unlock i get an error saying fastboot is not recognized as an in or external command, program or batchfile.

I then uninstalled all usb junk with USBDeview 32/64, i didnt quite know what to uninstall, so i just uninstalled everything, maybe a bit to rigorous?

Im in no way a tech wonder and this is the very first phone i tried to root, so if you would be as detailed as possible i would really apreciate that!
hope you guys can help me out?

Ok lets try to solve it.

First things first, uninstall everything related to sdk and do the part 1 from scratch.Then go to androidsdk/tools folder and check if you have a file named "fastboot".If yes (normally yes because after updating android sdk manager the "fastboot" file must be there.Also make sure you downloaded the google usb driver) then go to androidsdk/platform-tools and find the two files AdbWinApi.dll and AdbWinUsbApi.dll .Copy-paste them to androidsdk/tools .Restart your pc and try the second part.

Hope to help

Fmbl · Apr 1, 2011

afilopou said:
Ok lets try to solve it.

First things first, uninstall everything related to sdk and do the part 1 from scratch.Then go to androidsdk/tools folder and check if you have a file named "fastboot".If yes (normally yes because after updating android sdk manager the "fastboot" file must be there.Also make sure you downloaded the google usb driver) then go to androidsdk/platform-tools and find the two files AdbWinApi.dll and AdbWinUsbApi.dll .Copy-paste them to androidsdk/tools .Restart your pc and try the second part.

Hope to help

Thnx for your reply,
I followd everything you said, but fastboot is still not recognized, the above error message still aplies!
I do however dont get step 2 of part 2, maybe noobish but how do i get to that directory in CMD?
hmmm what to try next?