Root Nexus S 2.3.6 – the perfect way

Tested device: GRK39F I9023
Android vers: 2.3.6

UPDATE 2012-04-05

I just received OTA 4.0.4 update notification from my rooted nexus s

DISCLAIMER

Rooting a device requires RESETTING the phone. This will erase ALL EXISTING DATA on your phone’s memory, SD card and usb storage!

Rooting also can brick your phone and void your warranty!

Make sure you backup everything before continue, you are warned.

Any downloads here is get from some android forum, I am not sure it is virus free.

Take your own risk. I’m not responsible for any loss following any steps below.

The steps here DO NOT FLASH CUSTOM RECOVERY, so it should not avoid google’s OTA update.

UNLOCK BOOTLOADER

1. Download adb4.zip and extract adb folder to c:\
2. Download and extract Nexus_S_Drivers_x86_%26_x64.zip to any folder
3. Download and copy su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip to the root of the phone’s sd card
4. Setting / Application settings / Development

   Click USB debugging

5. Switch off the phone. Keep pressing the volume up button without releasing it, at the same time switch on the phone.
6. Use volume button and navigate to the ‘Reboot Bootloader’ option, then press the power button once.
7. Now connect the usb cable to the phone and the PC
8. When installing the driver to PC, select the folder where you extracted the Nexus_S_Drivers_x86_%26_x64.rar, install the driver to your PC.
9. double click the c:\adb\install-unlock.bat
10. Select ‘Yes’ on your phone then press the power button once.
11. After reboot, then select ‘Reboot’ and press the power button once again.

BACKUP NAND

Before rooting the phone, it is better to backup the nand first.

1. Disconnect the usb cable
2. Setting / Application settings / Development

   Click USB debugging

3. Switch off the phone. Keep pressing the volume up button without releasing it, at the same time switch on the phone.
4. Use volume button and navigate to the ‘Reboot Bootloader’ option, then press the power button once.
5. Now connect the usb cable to the phone and the PC
6. Double click the ‘c:\adb\install-fastboot-windows.bat’.
7. Select ‘Backup and restore’, then select ‘Backup’
8. After Backup, select ‘Reboot System Now’
9. Connect the phone to PC using usb cable. Backup the sdcard:/clockworkmod/backup folder to your PC.

ROOT THE PHONE

1. Disconnect the usb cable
2. Setting / Application settings / Development

   Click USB debugging

3. Switch off the phone. Keep pressing the volume up button without releasing it, at the same time switch on the phone.
4. Use volume button and navigate to the ‘Reboot Bootloader’ option, then press the power button once.
5. Now connect the usb cable to the phone and the PC
6. Double click the ‘c:\adb\install-fastboot-windows.bat’.
7. Select ‘Install zip from sdcard’
8. Select ‘Choose zip from sdcard’
9. Select the ‘su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip’ from the sdcard
10. After installed the su package, select ‘Reboot System Now’

Reference

Mobile01 – I9023 ROOT教學