How To Install Android Jelly Bean 4.1.1 On The Google Nexus S (Tutorial)

Posted July 20, 2012 at 8:21 pm by Charlie Pryor in Android

When the companies that have control over their devices don’t release updates to them fast enough for users’ delight, others need to invent slick little tools to let it happen in other ways. You’d think that Google phones would all immediately get the latest version of Android when it’s released, provided the devices are modern enough for the hardware to support it.

However this isn’t the case. I don’t know why, but some official Google devices aren’t getting Jelly Bean right away. Luckily, there is a simple way to do that right now! If you don’t like this process, you can optionally just wait a little bit longer until you see the Over-the-air update to your device. Either way, you can have it.

Step 1) Unlock bootloader, root and flash ClockworkMod Recovery on your Nexus S. You can FOLLOW THIS TUTORIAL to do that.

Step 2) Download Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean from our DOWNLOADS SECTION. Please be sure to pay attention to model numbers here, because we don’t want you installing this on an incompatible device. This build of Android is meant to be an update from Android 4.0.4 (Build: IMM76D). If you are not running Android 4.0.4 with this build number, your device isn’t ready for this update

Place this directly under /sdcard on your Nexus S’s internal storage. PLEASE NOTE: you shouldn’t use this unless you are not currently running Android 4.0.4 with the specific build number that’s been stated above! The number must match!

Step 3) Reboot into ClockWorkMod (CWM) Recovery. You can do this by turning off the Nexus S, then press and hold Volume Up + Power buttons.

Step 4) Perform a NANDroid backup. If you encounter errors, this will help you get back to the way things were later.

Step 5) Make your way to install zip from this directory:

sdcard > choose zip from sdcard > [.zip file].

This will flash Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean to your Nexus S.

Step 6) From ClockWorkMod’s main menu, click “reboot system now” and wait for the device to reboot.

With everything all done, you should have a device running the latest Android OS 4.1.1 Jelly Bean. Be happy, and have fun playing around with your new toy. :D

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Android, google, howto, Jelly Bean, Nexus

About the Author

Charlie Pryor

Charlie is a technology nut, and an admirer of quality innovation and design. He holds a Bachelors of Science in Film and Video Production from Grand Valley State University, and is a media consultant and filmmaker. He founded HotTips! back in January 2010, and believes in openness and acceptance in consumer tech.