Manually Install Android 2.2 on your Google Nexus One
For Android enthusiasts, being able to run Android 2.2 on the Google Nexus One is a must. Those who received review units of the Google Nexus One back in January already received the 2.2 update, but the majority of Nexus One owners still did not receive the OTA update.
Someone managed to find the update file located on Google servers, but it was shortly thereafter removed by Google because they did not want their own update file being leaked on a massive scale to the public. However, many users who already downloaded the zip file on Google servers set up mirror files to distribute the file to the public. By performing a simple Google search, I’m sure you can find one of many zip files containing the necessary update. Just be careful about which sites you download from because the file may look legit but might actually be spyware/malware. Even though Google does not condone downloading the file and installing it yourself, Google will not void any warranties on phones that are running Android 2.2.
Below are ten simple steps reported by Helium that should work to run Android 2.2 on your phone.
1. Locate a link from an entity you feel comfortable with .
2. Rename the file to update.zip
3. If you are using Windows and do not have “Show file extensions” active in file explorer, you will not see the .zip extension. Rename the file “update” (No quotes used).
4. Copy the file update.zip onto the root of the microSD card – not into a folder
5. While your nexus One is off, hold down the trackball and then press the power button
6. When your phone boots, three Android robots on skateboards will appear. Select “Bootloader.”
7. At your next prompt, select “Recovery”
8. Your phone will reboot, and a picture of an Android robot with an exclamation point inside of a triangle will appear.
9. Press the power button and the volume up button simultaneously. It may take a couple tries to get this right.
10. Using the trackball, choose “Apply sdcard:update.zip” and the program will take over.
Now, if the zip file you downloaded is greater than 44MB in size, or less than 41MB in size, chances are it is not legit. In addition, your phone must have a build number of ERE27, if it is anything other than that code, the manual installation will not work. At Android-Apps.com, we advise you to proceed with caution. The real Google Android 2.2 OTA update should be sent out to all Nexus One phones soon enough.
