How to update Google Nexus S to Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS)

Author: Louis Miller
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6m 35s Lenght
237 Rating

This video shows how to update a T-Mobile (Samsung) Google Nexus S from Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread to Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich using the official Google Android release. You don't have to root your phone (I didn't), but a user reports that the update will also work for rooted phones. The entire process took about 30 minutes. I sped up the slow parts of the video (downloading and updating), but you can see the relative speed in the upper left-hand part of the video. I have the T-mobile (i9020T) Nexus S. This update doesn't work on all Nexus S models. I have made a list of results for different models later in this description. If it works for your phone, leave a comment with the country and carrier (mobile phone service provider, and I'll update the list. I'd also like to know of any apps that don't work. The apps I have tested so far seem to work. WARNING: If you plan to use your phone in the Middle East, the WiFi may be disabled. When the phone detects a SIM card from Qatar (and some other countries), it incorrectly configures the WiFi hardware. Google has logged this as issue 23262. Android 4.0.4 has been released, but I don't know whether it fixes this problem. This update works on: Austrian Nexus S (which carrier?) Belgian Nexus S (which carrier?) Canadian "Mobilicity" Nexus S Canadian "Wind" Nexus S Danish Nexus S (which carrier?) Finnish Nexus S (which carrier?) German Nexus S (purchased on amazon.de) Indian I9023 Nexus S (which carrier?) Indonesian Nexus S (which carrier?) Malaysian Nexus S (which carrier?) Swedish Nexus S (which carrier?) UK "Orange" Nexus S UK "Vodafone" Nexus S USA "T-mobile" Nexus S Phones with or without "root" access, but you may lose "root" after the update. This update FAILS on: Canadian "Bell Mobile" Nexus S Canadian "Fido" Nexus S Canadian "Koodo" Nexus S Canadian "Rogers" Nexus S Canadian "Telus" Nexus S Dutch (Netherlands) Nexus S (It "bricked" the phone. Don't try it!) Greek Nexus S (which carrier? Maybe wasn't on 2.3.6 before update) Qatar (it disables the WiFi connection) USA "AT&T" Nexus S USA "Sprint" Nexus S 4G Any tablets Any phone that is not a Google Nexus S Any phone that is not currently running Android 2.3.6 Phones using a SIM card from the Middle East can lose their WiFi capability. NOTE: You have to be currently running Android 2.3.6 for this update to work. Update to Android 2.3.6 before proceeding. Some people have noted performance problems with some games, and I have noticed that the battery seems to drain faster. I don't know how to revert to an earlier firmware. INSTRUCTIONS: I didn't have any problems, but it's always a good idea to backup your files and apps regularly, especially before a system update. I use Astro File Manager for backups. Make sure your phone is completely charged before starting. Download the firmware file to your PC or Mac: http://android.clients.google.com/packages/ota/google_crespo/VQ8PQk_V.zip Rename the file as "update.zip" Connect your Nexus S to the PC or Mac with a micro-USB cable. Pull down the notification bar on the phone. Tap "USB connected" Tap "Turn on USB storage" Tap "OK" Wait for it to connect. Paste the "update.zip" firmware file into the root directory of your phone. (The root directory is the topmost directory. It's "\" on Windows and "/" on Mac or Linux.) Tap "Turn off USB storage" on the phone. Disconnect the USB cable. Power off your phone (Press and hold the power button, tap "Power off", tap "OK".) Power on your phone while pressing and holding the "volume up" button. Use volume up and volume down to move to "RECOVERY". Press the power button to accept. When you see the yield sign with the exclamation point inside, press the volume up and power buttons simultaneously. Use volume up and volume down to move to "apply update from /sdcard". Press the power button to accept. Use volume up and volume down to select the "update.zip" file. Press the power button to start the update. Then it will highlight "reboot system now". Press the power button to accept. Wait for the phone to reboot and automatically update your applications. Enjoy your "new" phone running Ice Cream Sandwich. Now that you are running ICS, you can try out Google Chrome Beta. It's available for free download from the Play Store (formerly Android Market). Chrome doesn't support Adobe Flash, but it is much better than the standard Android browser. NEW 4.0.4 OTA UPDATE VIDEO: I have a new video that shows my phone being updated to 4.0.4, but it's an automatic installation: "Google Nexus S OTA (Over-The-Air) update to Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich". Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6psvQ2yZYIU

Comments

was your device rooted or not?
please let me know if it will.
will it also work for t mobile concord v768?
i have nexus 4 and my update 5.0.1 new update lollipop
really good, thanks a lot....!
me sirvioo
Pointless comment
Caution pointless
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Told you
I have a samsung google nexus s it should work on it right?
hi ! i have a nexus s and he won t start ! i press the power button,,,turn on....he show me google logo and then won t start the menu....only that X with 4 colors ....can u help me PLS!
Hola! al instalar el archivo me aparece despues de verifying update package... E:failed to verify whole file signature y E: signature verification failed, Installation aborted. Porque me falla el archivo? sera que este sistema ya no funciona?
Je suis désolé, mais je ne comprends pas la question. "Il fait quoi si vous supprimez [quoi ?] apres son [quoi ?]" If you are asking about the firmware file, then yes, you can delete it after everything has installed (and is working). Vous pouvez supprimez le fichier firmware après son installation.
The firmware file in this video will not work on your phone. Today, each firmware is written for specific phone hardware and will not install properly on your phone. I don't have the Galaxy 2 mini, so I can't help you. Keep googling...
hello. it does what if you delete after his?
samsung galaxy 2 mini will it work???
The SONY ERICSSON SK17I won't work with the firmware in this video. Android firmware is very specific to the exact hardware in your phone. Hopefully, this will change in the future, so that the firmware detects the hardware (as Windows, OS X and Linux do). Android is based on Linux, so this should happen sometime. Unfortunately, it's not the case today. Keep googling...
The SONY ERICSSON SK17I won't work with the firmware in this video. Android firmware is very specific to the exact hardware in your phone. Hopefully, this will change in the future, so that the firmware detects the hardware (as Windows, OS X and Linux do). Android is based on Linux, so this should happen sometime. Unfortunately, it's not the case today. Keep googling...
SONY ERICSSON SK17I ? Can I run it?
I think this update won't work. When you are in settings -> about phone, it should say 2.3.6. Also, after updating to 4.0.3, I had some automatic OTA updates to get me to 4.1.2. Google has said there will be no further updates. I looked at the view statistics, and there are currently 2151 views from Australia out of 82298 total views. Nobody has commented whether or not it works for your country / carrier. I would ask the seller to update before buying. Any Australians have an answer?
ok thank you
When you copy the firmware to the phone, it has to stay as a "update.zip" file. If the phone sees that the files are already unzipped, it won't install the update. Your Nexus S checks the zip file for compatibility before applying the update. Maybe your Nexus S is not one of the compatible versions. Google should make this easier, but it's not. If possible, try to get your mobile phone provider to do the update for you. This way, you don't risk "bricking" (killing) your phone. Good luck.