NOTE: Look at the new post above if your phone is *at* 2.3.3 and you want to go up to 2.3.4
If you just want the LATEST update: grab the FULL 2.3.3 image (f182cf141e6a.signed-soju-ota-102588.f182cf14.zip)
I decided to contribute back, mention a few vital steps, and provide a few important files now that I solved this — in order for someone to go from 2.3(.0) to 2.3.3
This assumes that you have not rooted your phone. If you have, you need to un-root it and go back to either 2.3.0, 2.3.1, or 2.3.2,
First of all, if you use the built-in “update” method, the updates need to be consecutive. For this, they are very small.
Let’s assume you just bought your Google Nexus S. It came with 2.3 (or 2.3.0 in reality). The first step is to apply the 2.3.1 update. I’ve called this:
update1.zip (md5: a35798d84104c7cb1d26d7946ce843fc)
The general instructions are:
0.) Put the file into the /sdcard directory.
1.) Turn off your phone
2.) Hold Power and Volume-Up until you see the recovery menu (lots of colors and 4 options).
3.) Use the Volume-Down key to scroll down and select “Recovery” by pushing the Power key.
4.) Wait for the triangle with the exclamation point. Push the Power key and while holding it, tap the Volume-Up key.
5.) Now you can use the the Volume keys to go to “apply update from /sdcard” and then the Power key to select it.
6.) Select the appropriate ZIP file, and then use the Power key to apply it.
7.) When everything is done, go to the Reboot option with the Volume keys and then use the Power Key to select it.
Now, that said, after you apply the first update, you go from 2.3.0 to 2.3.1. Now, apply the 2.3.2 update. I’ve called this:
update2.zip (md5: 714e1e1126f1a222c10ffce6c83dc6ad)
Same as before. After you go through the steps and reboot, you will be at 2.3.2. Here is where things get interesting. It seems that you need another update. Its for people who get the “Status 7” error.
This is mostly due to a firmware (those who have: GRH78C or GRH78). Here you will need to apply the LAST UPDATE, the same way you applied update1 and update2:
For GRH78C (md5: 3923f98754f756a83b3ecc44e42a2902)
or
Only for GRH78 (md5: 919d7f2c9e06bb03a2ff74081028bf0a)
At last, reboot, and you are on 2.3.3
Please note that *ALL* of these files have been taken from google and are official. For that exact reason, I have provided the md5 checksums, so that you can verify them before you use them.
Hope this helps.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND FILES (If above did not work — very rare):
Some people (very very rare) might still get an error. This is if you have a different radio version. Check: “Settings -> About Phone -> Baseband Version”. You should have either something that ends in “XXKB1” or something that ends in “XXKB3”. Here are the two radios. Apply this the same way as the items above. You might need this BEFORE the GRH78C (or GRH78) updates.
XXKB1-GRI40-radio-nexuss-unsigned.zip (md5: 4805c255f10eef8b1bd54aa2d27bc30e)
or
XXKB3-GRI54-radio-nexuss-unsigned.zip (md5: 4e9c9cf4d6470be800e00f8508b9c175)
LAST RESORT (if nothing above worked — extremely rare):
If nothing worked, try the FULL 2.3.3 OS.
f182cf141e6a.signed-soju-ota-102588.f182cf14.zip (md5: 3e8908941043951da5a34bb2043dd1a0)
Hello.. I bought a Nexus S last week from a stock clearance and I have a problem installing update to Android ICS 4.0.4, it gives me error : E: Error in /cache/0dDgDain.zip (status 7) Installation aborted. The phone is unrooted, it cames like this, so I didn’t root it.
Android version: 2.3.1
Baseband version I9020XXKB2
Built number: GRH78
Now I’m seriously thinking to bring it to Samsung service ’cause I dont know how to solve this problem without any problems that could appear during my attempts to update it. What you recommend me to do?
You want to go in order for the updates.
Ex: from 2.3.1 to 2.3.2
After that, the Nexus S should automatically prompt you to update from 2.3.2 to 4.0.4 and then to 4.1.
my baseband is M200KRKC1 the 2.3.1 to 2.3.2 update worked now what do i do??????
I would suggest going straight to: http://blog.vpetkov.net/2011/09/30/google-nexus-s-–-update-manually-to-2-3-6/ and I think you should use the FULL install. I am on 4.2.1 (stock, but rooted), and I am using the AirKernel, which is unbelievable. It is 2x faster and uses half the battery. Add a governor change to “conservative”, and now you have a snappy phone with a battery life that’s literally 35-40% better than original.
Thanks Ventz,
Some initial thoughts on ics, battery life as definetly taken a hit, over the day for me between 5-7%, but in saying that, i have used it a bit more than usual, but not 5-7% more.
Doesn,t seem laggy at the moment, every op seems the same, but not faster, the screen does by default seem less bright, obviously you can change that.
There’s definetly a learning curve with ice cream sandwich, something i’ll be doing in the next couple of days.
There,s a bug on the homescreen which shows 2 versions of google startup, one with a black background, one with white, again you can delete one.
My thoughts would be google android are not completely happy with 4.0.3 and are working on some of the finer points for the nexus s, but i hope its completed soon.
john.
Right forget about my previous post,
I’am now running ics 4.0.3, thank you vpetkov.net your website rocks.
I’ll try and write my thoughts later this week, after i had a play.
john
Glad it worked. Give ICS at least a week before judging it. The first week I thought I was going to go back. There are some “weird” things. Once you accept those, you realize how amazing it is, and how much easier it is.
I was just writing up a response to your previous post. I guess no need 🙂 Basically the summary for anyone who is curious is that when the Nexus S came out, there were a few different RADIO/firmware options, and there were a few mismatches because google only released one update at first. This caused like 3/4 ths of the people not to be able to update. The best solution honestly is just to use the full rom files. They are very difficult to find, so that’s why whenever I find them, I post them here. I always link to the original from google. So the conclusion — if you want 2.3.6, there’s a full rom. If you want to play with ICS, there’s a full rom.