How to Root Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread on Nexus S? [Complete Step-by-Step Guide]

Here is a simple step-by-step guide to root Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread) on Samsung Nexus S. If you still haven't received Android 2.3.3 OTA update, you can use this tutorial to update your Nexus S to Android 2.3.3 manually. Please note that the process below might wipe all of your data on your phone as well on external storage, so do backup all of your date before using the guide below.

Step to Install ADB and Fastboot on Windows 7/Vista/XP:

1. Download Android 2.3.3 SDK installer for Windows from here (Direct Link)
2. Download and install Java SE Development Kit for Windows from here
3. Install Android 2.3.3 SDK on Windows using the default preferences.
4. When the SDK installation completes, open SDK Manager from the Start menu and choose Available packages from the side-panel. Under the Packages available for download panel, choose the following:

Google USB Driver Package, revision 4

Galaxy TAB by Samsung Electronics., Android API 8, revision 1



5. Click on Install Selected button to download and install the selected packages.
6. Once installed, you will find the tools and platform-tools directory at the following location:

If you have 64-bit Windows:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\android-sdk


If you have 32-bit Windows:

C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk

7. To set the Path variable in Windows, go to RUN and type sysdm.cpl. Hit OK to open System Properties Window.



8. Now navigate to Advanced (Tab) > Environment Variables (Button) > System variables (Section) > Path (Variable) > Edit (Button) > Variable value. When the Edit System Variable window pops up, type in the following values at the end of the Variable value text-field:

If 64-bit Windows:

;C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools;C:\Program Files (x86)\Android\android-sdk\tools


If 32-bit Windows:

;C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk\platform-tools;C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk\tools

9. To test that you have set the correct Path variables, open Command Prompt, type adb or fastboot and press the enter key.

Steps to Root Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread on Nexus S:

1. Connect your Nexus S to the computer via USB cable.
2. Navigate to Menu > Settings > Applications > Development and select USB debugging from the menu.
3. Open Command Prompt on Windows (Terminal on Mac) and type the following command to confirm if your device is connected via USB cable or not.

fastboot devices

4. If fastboot is showing your device as connected, use the following command to unlock the bootloader of your Nexus S.

fastboot oem unlock

5. Download ClockworkMod Recovory image for Nexus S from here (Direct Link)
6. Place the ClockworkMod Recovory image file (.IMG) in android-sdk > tools directory and use the following command at Command Prompt:

*Make sure to navigate to C: > Program Files > Android > android-sdk > tools directory before executing the commands below:

fastboot boot recovery-clockwork-3.0.0.5-crespo.img

7. Hit the Return key and wait for recovery to boot. Once you are in Recovery, use the VOLUME UP & DOWN keys to highlight a selection and press the Power button to select it.
8. Choose mounts and storage option and then choose mount USB storage option. As soon as you will choose mount USB storage, Windows will detect your phone as a USB storage.
9. Download Superuser zip file (su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip) for Nexus S from here and copy it to the root directory of the internal storage of your Nexus S.
10. Once copied, choose unmount USB storage on your phone and then choose mount /system option.
11. Choose +++++Go Back+++++ option.
12. Choose install zip from sdcard and then select choose zip from sdcard option.
13. Choose su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip and click YES to root your phone.

At this stage, you have successfully rooted your Nexus S on Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread but your phone will continue to replace ClockworkMod Recovery on reboot. To prevent your phone from doing so, follow the steps below:

1. Reboot your Nexus S
2. Download and install Root Explorer app from Android Market
3. Open Root Explorer and navigate to etc directory
4. Tap on the gray box that says Mount R/W
5. Tap and hold on the file install-recovery.sh and rename this file to install-recovery.sh.old
6. Once renamed, download and install the app called ROM Manager from Android Market
7. Once installed, open ROM Manager app and choose Flash ClockworkMod Recovery option.