[HOW TO] Root the VZW Galaxy Nexus 4G LTE, Flash a Custom Recovery and Make a Backup

[Garemlin]

All credit goes to DroidLife for the fantastic write-up.

Rooting and flashing a custom recovery:

*Unlock your bootloader first. [Instructions]

1. Download ClockworkMod Recovery for the G-Nex. [Download]
2. Place that file in your SDK/Tools folder (same place as your adb.exe).
3. Download the superuser file aka the root file. [Download]
4. Place that file in your SDK/Tools folder.
5. Open a command prompt from within your Tools folder and type the following:

adb push su.zip /sdcard/

6. Then reboot into the bootloader:

adb reboot bootloader

7. When the boot menu loads, flash the new recovery image:

fastboot flash recovery recovery-clockwork-5.5.0.4-toro.img

8. When that finishes, use the volume keys to highlight “Recovery mode,” press power to select it.
9. From recovery, scroll to “Install zip from sdcard.”
10. Then “choose zip from sdcard.”
11. Choose the “su.zip” file and install it.
12. When that finishes, back out of recovery and reboot the system.
13. Enjoy being rooted.

Afterwards, you will want to install ROM Manager from the market and have it re-flash recovery for you.

***In order for CWM to stick and avoid having to flash it every time, you need to Install Root Explorer or ES File Explorer (free) from the market and delete or rename the file "recovery-from-boot.p" found in /system *Mount as R/W first* See this link for help


Make your first backup:

1. Now that you are rooted and have a custom recovery, it’s time to make your first clean backup.
2. In ROM Manager, flash Clockwork recovery again (it’s the first option up top).
3. Then tap the option to reboot into recovery just below that.
4. Once in recovery, scroll down to “backup and restore.”
5. Choose “backup” and let your phone create a backup.
6. When finished, back out of recovery and reboot the system.

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[Mujibar]

Very nice! Thanks G!!

[dpblusea]

Thanks G, wish I would have had this last night, would have been a little easier, I had to do things a little differently, but I got it.

[wicked]

Thanks for putting this together G!

[wicked]

Thanks G, wish I would have had this last night, would have been a little easier, I had to do things a little differently, but I got it.

Which method did you use? I used the one posted at DF here yesterday. Took about 10 mins.

[nfrees114]

Thanks for the Guide!!!! now i just need to decide how long i want to hold off before i actually root this thing......

[Mujibar]

Why hold off? Just do it!! LOL.

[nfrees114]

Why hold off? Just do it!! LOL.

Haha i know it..... but everyone is talking about "i'm gonna stay stock for a while, check things out" so i think everyone talked me into it..... But i did unlock so that's done... and I'm about to go to ADW EX rather than TW launcher but again, just waiting and testing for a while... I'm sure another day or two like this and i'll be ready...

[Mujibar]

This phone doesn't have TW.

Tapatalk'd

[maddog0331]

Nice write up....Came across some hip cups but up an running rooted now...Doing a stock back up as I write this up....