How to root the Nexus One

Use at your own risk


ADB access is needed, heres how to set that up

http://theunlockr.com/2009/10/06/how-to-set-up-adb-usb-drivers-for-android-devices/


Once you unlock your bootloader your warranty is void. you can NOT re-lock your bootloader. You can NOT
un-root


Step 1:

boot your phone into fastboot, power off and then hold down your trackball while holding power

The fastboot screen has Androids on skateboards

Open a command prompt and navigate to your Android SDK tools folder

Type ‘fastboot devices‘ to make sure your phone is recognized

Type ‘fastboot oem unlock‘ to unlock the bootloader

Use volume keys to navigate to yes and press the power button to confirm.

Step 2: Flashing your recovery image

The recovery image will allow us to flash custom zip packages.

download Amon_RA’s recovery image for the Nexus One here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=611829

Copy the file to your Android SDK tools folder

Open a command prompt and navigate to your Android SDK tools folder

Type ‘fastboot flash recovery recovery-RA-nexus-v1.5.3.img‘ (filename will change as recovery image is updated)

Step 3: Flashing your new rom

Now that the new recovery image is installed, it is time to reboot into recovery mode and flash a custom zip package. Since your phone was just wiped, you have to enable usb debugging again so ADB and fastboot commands will work

Go to Settings > Application settings > Development > USB debugging (enable)

download Cyanogen’s rom (or any other custom .zip file you want to flash, but i recomend cyanogens.) here

 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=623496

dont forget to download the Google addon (cyans rom does not include Googles apps such as gmail, maps, youtube, market, ext.) here

http://www.mediafire.com/?jmmzywtlnjd

Copy the .zip file to the root directory of your SD card (cant be in any folders)

To boot into recovery power down and hold the trackball and power button down you will be in that white screen with the skateboards again

 go to bootloader and press the power button

 scroll down to recovery with the volume down button. (The recovery screen says “Android system recovery” with green text on black background)

Use the trackball to navigate to "Wipe factory data reset"

when thats done use the trackball to navigate to “Flash zip from sdcard” and then select the zip file you wish to flash

Press the trackball to begin the flash when prompted

once thats done go to "Flash zip from sdcard" again and flash the Google addon

When the flash is complete, navigate to reboot and press the trackball to reboot.

and your done! enjoy your rooted Nexus One.


Sources:
http://androidandme.com/2010/01/hacks/video-how-to-unlock-and-root-a-nexus-one/
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=623496

The N1 is my third android headset and I have not rooted any of them yet.  If I rooted the N1 would I get the future Google updated OTA?

Whats are the benefits to rooting the N1?

If you root you will jot get any types of otas. But cyan gets the updates out before Google does.

I would root my androids because I would make themes for my phones and customize it completely. Also I would not have any restrictions. If I'm not mistaken you can get the louder volume hack, and you can get the nexus torch app that will let you turn your led on as a flash light.

I have not rooted my phone (yet) because I can not relock the bootloader. If could I would be rooted right now lol.

Stickied

Stickied

Thanks.

Anyone know how to UN root?

you can NOT un-root. thats the only downside to rooting.

Thanks silva worked perfectly. +1

Great! what rom are you going for?

how do you go back to the stock 2.1 rom, I have it saved on a memory card, but have no clue how to reinstall it, I bought the phone off ebay already rooted with sense UI, which i find very unstable and wonky sometimes, anyone can help me?

how do you go back to the stock 2.1 rom, I have it saved on a memory card, but have no clue how to reinstall it, I bought the phone off ebay already rooted with sense UI, which i find very unstable and wonky sometimes, anyone can help me?

Sorry but you can not ur-root the nexus one as of yet. if you want try a cyanogen rom. its very fast and cyan is known for his stable roms. it also looks just like stock, but since you still have root you can run themes and have all of the nice features of root.

here is the rom,

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=623496

if you need help flashing it just ask me and i will walk you through it.

so what your saying is, once you root your phone, you can't go back to the original settings?  what about when updates happen, like Android 2.2, will I be able to get that update, keep in mind I did not root the phone, nor do I have any clue on how to do so

yes you will get the update but it will not be an OTA. you will have to flash it manually. but you will get it before anyone else in the world with a nexus.

Well, the rom its running right now is very unstable, I really thought I would be able to go back to the stock android, it freezes, does not register touch sometimes, screen gets wonky, really annoying sometimes

yeah your running an old version of desire then. modaco has updated it a lot since then.

if you want to flash the cyan rom just ask me.

Well, the rom its running right now is very unstable, I really thought I would be able to go back to the stock android, it freezes, does not register touch sometimes, screen gets wonky, really annoying sometimes

Not to be mean, but this is what happens when someone who has no idea about rooting gets a rooted phone. You are probably running one of the old alpha Modaco Sense UI roms, which were very unstable. Try installing a Cyanogen rom i believe 5.0.6 is the latest. If you have any questions feel free to ask me.

yeah i suggest cyanogens new 5.0.6 rom. thats what i was using until i wanted my old theme back lol. like mitsu8 and i said you are running a very old version of Modacos Desire rom. You can also install a new desire rom but if you dont know much about rooting cyan is the best way to go.

Isnt there something called a stock rom? I thought that would basically take you back to the general Android appearance (even though you phone would still be rooted)

That's basically what cyanogen is.

Well, the rom its running right now is very unstable, I really thought I would be able to go back to the stock android, it freezes, does not register touch sometimes, screen gets wonky, really annoying sometimes

That is one of the downsides to rooting the Nexus, you can't unroot. Unlike the other rooted phones.