ClockworkMod Recovery for Galaxy Nexus

ClockworkMod Recovery for Galaxy Nexus

We just posted a handy guide on how to unlock bootloader on your Galaxy Nexus. But what fun would it be to unlock the bootloader without having a custom recovery for your Galaxy Nexus. You can’t install any custom roms, mods, themes or little tweaks like boot animation, etc without the help of a solid custom recovery.

So here comes the ClockworkMod (CWM) recovery for Galaxy Nexus. The CWM recovery is a robust custom recovery for Android devices. Here’s what you’d be able to do with CWM recovery on your Galaxy Nexus:

  • Flash custom roms
  • Flash custom themes
  • Flash Mods and system tweaks
  • Backup and restore your phone (Nandroid backup)
  • And lots of more system tweaks

How To Install ClockworkMod Recovery On Your Galaxy Nexus

  1. In order to install CWM you’ll first need to unlock your phone’s bootloader. Here’s a step by step guide for that → How to Unlock Bootloader On Your Galaxy Nexus.
  2. Download the following three files:
    1. Drivers from here
    2. Fastboot files from here
    3. ClockworkMod recovery image from here
  3. Extract the Samsung_drivers.zip and run the setup file to install the drivers (restart your PC if required)
  4. Now put your phone in fastboot mode:
    1. Switch off your phone
    2. Press and hold both volume keys and press Power key together until the fastboot mode comes up.
  5. Extract the Fastboot.zip file on your PC
  6. Now paste ClockworkMod recovery image that you downloaded in Step 2.3 inside the fastboot folder
  7. In the fastboot folder (from step 5), hold Shift key and then use mouse right click on any empty space inside the folder, and select “Open command window here” from the pop-up menu
  8. Once the command window is opened, connect your phone to your PC using USB cable, and type fastboot devices in the command prompt to make sure your device is recognized.
  9. Now to flash the CWM recovery, type this in command prompt:
    fastboot flash recovery recovery-clockwork-5.5.0.0-maguro.img
  10. And after the flashing process finishes, type this:
    fastboot reboot
  11. Your phone will now reboot, and the ClockworkMod should now be installed.

How to boot into ClockworkMod Recovery on Galaxy Nexus

  1. Switch off your phone
  2. Press and hold both volume keys and press Power key together until the fastboot mode comes up
  3. Now use the volume up and down keys and select Recovery using the power key
  4. Your phone should now boot into ClockworkMod recovery.
If you’re facing any problem, feel free to ask us using the Comments section below.
Posted by
Shivam

Shivam is our resident designer and web developer who also enjoys writing. He loves to meditate, drive on the freeways and hunt for snipers during his Call Of Duty playtime. Email: [email protected]

26 Comments

  1. I followed the directions, but when I get the recovery step to start clockworkmod, I get the little android man with the yellow exclamation mark.  Not sure what I am doing wrong.  The rest of the process went just as you describe in the directions.

    1. I’m having exactly the same issue

    2. You need to remove the file /system/recovery-from-boot.p, because it will add the default recovery again when you reboot.

    3. Having the same problem… Can you give a little more info on where/how I can delete the file you are talking about? Thanks!

    4. Do you have rooted your phone yet? If it is so, then download Root Explorer from your favourite alternative Market and then navigate to /system folder. Make sure the folder is mounted r/w checking the upper button. Find there the recovery-from-boot.p and delete it as usual.

      If your phone isn’t rooted, root it (you don’t need CWM installed to do it) and then follow the steps I told you earlier.

      The recovery-from-boot.p contains a copy of the default recovery so in case of Android detects that the default recovery hasn’t the same size, it changes the recovery again flashing that file.

      If you need more help, send me a tweet to @marlex.

    5. Now it says Warning! reovery-from-boot.p cannot be deleted because the file system is read-only. What shall i do?

    6. If you’re using Root explorer, you’ll see a button at the top who says: “mount r/w”. Press it to mount the system so you can write (and delete, of course).

    7. And so am I. Even after removing the recovery-from-boot file I just get the dead Android on its back with red triangle.
      clockworkmod doesn’t seem to work on the Galaxy Nexus

  2. I followed the directions, but when I get the recovery step to start clockworkmod, I get the little android man with the yellow exclamation mark.  Not sure what I am doing wrong.  The rest of the process went just as you describe in the directions.

    1. I’m having exactly the same issue

      1. And so am I. Even after removing the recovery-from-boot file I just get the dead Android on its back with red triangle.
        clockworkmod doesn’t seem to work on the Galaxy Nexus

    2. You need to remove the file /system/recovery-from-boot.p, because it will add the default recovery again when you reboot.

      1. Having the same problem… Can you give a little more info on where/how I can delete the file you are talking about? Thanks!

        1. Do you have rooted your phone yet? If it is so, then download Root Explorer from your favourite alternative Market and then navigate to /system folder. Make sure the folder is mounted r/w checking the upper button. Find there the recovery-from-boot.p and delete it as usual.

          If your phone isn’t rooted, root it (you don’t need CWM installed to do it) and then follow the steps I told you earlier.

          The recovery-from-boot.p contains a copy of the default recovery so in case of Android detects that the default recovery hasn’t the same size, it changes the recovery again flashing that file.

          If you need more help, send me a tweet to @marlex.

          1. Now it says Warning! reovery-from-boot.p cannot be deleted because the file system is read-only. What shall i do?

          2. If you’re using Root explorer, you’ll see a button at the top who says: “mount r/w”. Press it to mount the system so you can write (and delete, of course).

  3. I have installed Clockwork, and want to wipe data, but the process stops at “formatting /data…

    I tried all the methods to wipe userdata, but the phone is freezeing at this point. I cannot boot to ICS too – the phone stands at boot animation for a while… freezes at some point and I get black screen.

    I think this is some kind of a memory problem? Is it possible?

  4. I have installed Clockwork, and want to wipe data, but the process stops at “formatting /data…

    I tried all the methods to wipe userdata, but the phone is freezeing at this point. I cannot boot to ICS too – the phone stands at boot animation for a while… freezes at some point and I get black screen.

    I think this is some kind of a memory problem? Is it possible?

  5.  My device as a phone a exclamation mark and a pc. Can’t get into download more or recovery. Think I am hosed?

    1. Can you access bootloader mode, by pressing and holding both volume buttons and power when switched off?

  6.  My device as a phone a exclamation mark and a pc. Can’t get into download more or recovery. Think I am hosed?

    1. Can you access bootloader mode, by pressing and holding both volume buttons and power when switched off?

  7. I have same issue with the red triangle on the android guy on it’s back. Is it true that clockworkmod doesn’t work on the galaxy nexus despite the above directions? If so, how can I boot to get an option to install from sd card? Thanks!

    1. Nevermind. Found it to work with the Nexus Root Toolkit. Under advanced utilities and flash zips, it will boot a temporary clockworkmod.

  8. I have same issue with the red triangle on the android guy on it’s back. Is it true that clockworkmod doesn’t work on the galaxy nexus despite the above directions? If so, how can I boot to get an option to install from sd card? Thanks!

    1. Nevermind. Found it to work with the Nexus Root Toolkit. Under advanced utilities and flash zips, it will boot a temporary clockworkmod.

Comments are closed.