HOW TO: Root Android 4.0 ICS on Nexus S

Android 4.0 SDK port for the Nexus S got another release today, and developers have managed to iron out most of the bugs and almost, everything works now. Only a few minor issues that you should ignore as this is not even built from an official source code.

However, if you are one of those who have tried playing around with the Android 4.0 ICS ROM on your Nexus S and are now using it for your daily-basis ROM for testing out bugs, I’m sure you would love to have root access on your phone.

How to Root Android 4.0 ICS on Nexus S for Full System Access

We have put together a detailed step-by-step instructions guide on how to root Android 4.0 on Nexus S. If you are used to installing custom ROMs and rooting your Nexus S, then this should not be any different for you. Please make note of the following points and move on to the instruction steps.

Disclaimer: Try this on your own risk. I’m not responsible if you mess up with your Nexus S.

Just To Remember:

• This root method is only for Nexus S (GT-I9020T) and I am NOT sure if it will work with the other variants of the Nexus S.
• My phone has Android 4.0 ICS SDK port installed (instructions here) which was NOT rooted and I had CyanogenMod recovery on my phone from before. Please make sure you have this recovery!
• Make a nandroid backup of your previous phone set up before proceeding so you can revert back to it from recovery if anything goes wrong.

Complete Step-By-Step Instructions:

Step 1 - Download su-3.0-efgh-signed.zip on your PC.

Step 2 - Connect and mount your Nexus S USB memory on your computer using the USB cable.

Step 3 - Now copy/paste the su-3.0-efgh-signed.zip file to your SD card. Make sure the file is in the SD card root.

Step 4 - Then turn off your phone.

Step 5 - Now to get in the bootloader mode. Turn on the phone while pressing and holding the volume up and power buttons.

Step 6 - Follow the navigation instructions on the screen. Select BOOTLOADER and then go to RECOVERY.

Step 7 - Assuming you have ClockworkMod recovery, scroll down to “flash zip from SD card” and press the power button to select it.

Step 8 - Press the power button again and select “choose zip from sdcard”.

Step 9 -Now using your volume keys, navigate (scroll down) to su-3.0-efgh-signed.zip and select it using the power button. Confirm the installation n the next screen and the installation procedure should start now.

Step 10 - After the installation completes, go to “+++++Go Back” and reboot the phone by selecting “reboot system now” from the recovery menu. The phone will boot now and it might take about 5 minutes to boot on your first time. So, please wait.

That’s it! Your Nexus S should now have full file access (root access) and you can use all the root apps. Look for the Superuser app in your apps list.

Have fun playing with it! If you have any issues, please fire them up in the comments below!

Also take a look at the following links if you liked this post:

• How to Install Android 4.0 ICS port on Nexus S
• How to Install Android 4.0 SDK and Use it on Computer
• Android 4.0 ICS Screenshots for Tablets
• Android 4.0 ICS Screenshots for Phones