[How To] Unlock Bootloader & Root Galaxy Nexus

[lazarus2297]

One thing that helped me, and was going back and updating the samsung drivers again without pdanet, and it worked after. I posted my issues and how I fixed them a few pages before, if that helps. It's kind of hard remembering all the different things I've done now...

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let me make sure i know what you mean?

so you install samsung drivers>> then install pdanet>> then you update(install again?) samsung drivers>>then power off phone and reboot in bootloader mode?
i will look for your post as well..

 

[1ceFiend]

In the device manager where it shows samsung, and I updated it. I didn't pay any attention to those popups either. I can't guarantee the order I did things in, I just kept trying til it worked :/ But I was trying to update when I was in bootloader, and that was one of my problems.

Funny how things can work perfectly for some people, and then some of us have to screw with it for hours for it to work.

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[SG181]

Sounds like you're unlocked, but not rooted. Same thing happened to me. I had superuser app installed after superboot but didn't actually have superuser permissions.

Power down your phone and boot back into recovery. Connect to your computer via USB and double click the super boot file in the root folder on your C drive. Repeat this until you gain superuser permissions.

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Thanks a lot, this solved my issue. I got stuck on the Google screen for about 10 mins after I tried this, but I did the adb reboot bootloader command and I was able to get the prompts for Superuser to pop up correctly. Is there any way I can check to ensure Busybox installed correctly? When I used to tap the icon in the app drawer it would launch a green window asking if I wanted to install it (but when I tried it would tell me that it did not have superuser permission). Now that I have Superuser functioning, it does not do anything when I tap the Busybox icon. After about a minute it the window popped up saying Busybox had stopped working.

**EDIT**I rebooted and successfully launched the installer. Looks like I'm all set, thanks for all the help!

 

[lazarus2297]

ok so after pulling out what hair I have left.... i finally got it working... I don't know why but for some reason my computer would NEVER see my phone as anything other than samsung mobile USB CDC composite device samsung mobile USB modem while in bootloader mode. So i reverted back to my old adb method.. my computer would install samsung adb device so I still have an adb folder on my computer so i went into command prompt and changed to my adb directory. I then did the adb devices command to make sure my computer was seeing my phone and it was so i typed adb reboot bootloader and walla i get the fastboot screen with the android icon with the open belly compartment.. then i changed my directory in CMD back to the "root" folder i downloaded and continue with the unlocking and rooting process

the one thing I take away from this is a new found respect for having an SSD in my laptop because rebooting my PC only takes like 25 seconds... now I know why I paid $$ for that thing..:biggrin:

 

[scrub571]

Many thanks. had trouble with waiting for device. uninstalled samsung driver then reinstalled. worked after that. I went ahead and got the pro busy box to give back to the dev community. Thank you for your time and write up.

 

[bmr7c]

just can't get it

Ok....so I've been at this for hours and haven't gotten anywhere. First off i get the drivers installed all except the one that says galaxy. That one fails. Second i can't find Android 1 in the devices under control panel. This is so frustrating. I'm a noob with the Samsung coming from a Droid X. Seems like this will never happen.

 

[lazarus2297]

Ok....so I've been at this for hours and haven't gotten anywhere. First off i get the drivers installed all except the one that says galaxy. That one fails. Second i can't find Android 1 in the devices under control panel. This is so frustrating. I'm a noob with the Samsung coming from a Droid X. Seems like this will never happen.

have you ever used adb?

also when you boot the phone into bootloader mode try doing vol+ and vol- while pressing the power button this will enable fastboot bootloader on the phone and maybe get your computer to recognize it better..

 

[suliman]

i see nothing that says android 1.0 in device manager. i have reinstalled pdanet several times and followed steps carefully. only mistake i made was not hitting yes the first time to override usb drivers when installing pdanet. but i uninstalled it and reinstalled it then clicked yes and selected samsung. only thing i see is samsung android phone in the device manager. im connected and on the bootloader screen on my phone. is this normal. should i continue past step 12? help?

 

[bmr7c]

have you ever used adb?

also when you boot the phone into bootloader mode try doing vol+ and vol- while pressing the power button this will enable fastboot bootloader on the phone and maybe get your computer to recognize it better..

No...never used adb. But trying to learn I guess. Lol

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[lazarus2297]

No...never used adb. But trying to learn I guess. Lol

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well try the vol+ and vol- and power at the same time when you feel it pulse vibrate let all the buttons go and see if that lets your computer see the device and gets past the "waiting for device" when trying to unlock.

 

[goosedeath]

Does anybody have any knowledge to share in regards to using "terminal" on a Mac? I've never used it before, and would like to at least think I'm somewhat prepared before I go and put my Galactic Unicorn under the electronic knife. Links w/ step by step instructions for "terminal" dummies would be excellent. I am searching outside this forum, but some first hand experience would help me feel better about this.
Thanks!

 

[suliman]

well try the vol+ and vol- and power at the same time when you feel it pulse vibrate let all the buttons go and see if that lets your computer see the device and gets past the "waiting for device" when trying to unlock.

i did this and am in the bootloader menu yet i dont see android 1.0 anywhere in device manager. stuck at step 12

 

[bmr7c]

I'll try that then

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[suliman]

went ahead with the steps anyway. apparently step 12 is not necessary. everything worked with no phone problems.

 

[goosedeath]

Ok, add me to the list of Galactic Unicorn owners/users who are unlocked and rooted!