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If you want to get most out of your rooted Galaxy Nexus, you will certainly try out custom ROMs for the Galaxy Nexus.
Galaxy Nexus Custom ROMs?
Galaxy Nexus custom ROMs can include additional features not included in stock ROM, give you better battery life, let’s you overclock your Galaxy Nexus, and a whole lot more.
Is it safe to install custom ROMs on the Galaxy Nexus?
Yes, only if you made a backup of your rooted stock ROM. If something goes wrong or you simply don’t like the custom ROM you’ve installed, you can always restore back completely to your rooted stock ROM.
Before we begin, you must have a rooted Galaxy Nexus, installed ClockworkMod Recovery, and highly recommend you to make at least one backup of your rooted stock ROM.
Step 1. Download the custom ROM zip file and copy over to the internal storage of your Galaxy Nexus. DO NOT unzip the ROM zip file, just copy over the whole zip file.
Step 2. (Optional) If the ROM you are installing requires you to install GoogleApps separately, copy over the GoogleApps zip file too, usually named something like “gapps-ics-xxxxxx.zip”.
Step 3. Turn off your Galaxy Nexus, reboot into Fastboot by holding down Volume Up, Volume Down, and Power button together. Once in fastboot, hit Volume Down button twice then the Power button to enter ClockworkMod Recovery menus.
Step 4. Once in ClockworkMod Recovery menus, choose “wipe data/factory reset”.
This will erase all your personal settings, apps, and such so make sure you’ve made a ROM backup and also backup your apps using Titanium Backup app (so you can restore your apps easily).
Step 5. Choose “Yes” and hit the Power button.
Step 6. When that’s done, choose “install zip from sdcard” and hit the Power button.
Step 7. Next choose “choose zip from sdcard” and hit the Power button.
Step 8. Find the ROM zip file you copied over earlier and hit the Power button.
Step 9. Choose “Yes” and hit the Power button.
Step 10. (Optional) Once the ROM finishes installing, you can also install the GoogleApps if required. If so, choose “choose zip from sdcard”.
Step 11. Choose the GoogleApps zip file (e.g. gapps-ics-xxxxxx.zip) and hit the Power button.
Step 12. Choose “Yes” and hit the Power button.
Step 13. When that’s done, choose “Go Back” and hit the Power button.
Step 14. Choose “reboot system now” and hit the Power button.
Step 15. You should see a custom boot animation if your ROM has it.
Step 16. If your Galaxy Nexus boots to the welcome screen, pat yourself on the back, you’ve installed your first ROM on your Galaxy Nexus. Don’t forget to tell your friends about it and go flash more ROMs to see which one is the best.
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You will need a rooted Galaxy Nexus to install all ROM/kernels.
NOTE: PLEASE ONLY INSTALL ROMS INTENDED FOR YOUR VERSION OF GALAXY Nexus! Otherwise you WILL BRICK YOUR PHONE and I will not be responsible!
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Hey man I’m pretty noob so I follow the instruction without backup and now I’m missing all the google apps including the market(Google play). Can’t figureout where you get your gapps-ics-xxxxxx.zip from maybe you can give me a hint? Thanks for all your great videos though!
NVM I found one on google!
How did you fix this? I’m stuck… can’t see any Google apps… not even Play/Market. Please help!
I can’t find the google play Zip file, where can i find it and how can i install it? I am using AOKP ROM
Help! I followed the steps on the videos( the “how to root” and “how to backup” vidz) but i still get the exclamation mark when going into recovery mode. How come?
Thanx
you will have to reflash the recovery img again then go back to your recovery mode.
This is great for showing how to change roms !
What im confused about is how you change Kernels ? Do most ROMS come with their own Kernels or do these have to be installed differently ?
Hey, ive done exactly what you have said
But i dont have any service. Can u help me plz .
All your tutorials are amazing, very detailed and showing every step we need to know! Love your site.
I have done everything according to the steps but I still get the android with the RED exclamation mark! Do I have to keep re-flashing recovery for that?
I’m having the same problem it just keeps saying “installation aborted”.
reflash recovery yes then boot into recovery right away.
I’ve been trying to flash every ROM I’ve download. It’s my first time btw, and I don’t think it’s a dirty download. I’m actually trying to flash CM10 M2 for my GSM GNex. Everytime I try to install it, it said
– Installing: /sdcard/cm-10-20121011-EXPERIMENTAL-maguro-M2.zip
Finding update package . . .
Opening update package . . .
Installing update . . .
Installation aborted.
It’s really frustrating max, and I’ve been reflashing recovery like 70 times, literally, and nothing is working. I’m using CWM 6.0.1.0. I’ve been flashing other recoveries like the optimus prime from your “How to root Galaxy Nexus” tutorial and the 5.0+ CWM version from “How to install CWM” tutorial. Nothing is working for me.
please help.
Are you using CWM recovery???
yeah, I was using CWM but after I use TWRP it started to work. But I’d prefer using CWM, I just tried flashing again with CWM, still it doesn’t work.
I am also trying to flash the same rom except my Gnex is from Sprint cdma. I get –Installing: /sdcard/cm-10-20121011-EXPERIMENTAL-toroplus-M2.zip
Finding update package…
Opening update package…
Installing update…
assert failed:getprop(“ro.product.device”) == “toroplus” I I getprop(“ro.build.product”) == “toroplus”
E:Error in /sdcard/cm-10-20121011-EXPERIMENTAL-toroplus-M2.zip
(Status 7)
Installation aborted.
I am using CWM recovery… but this is my first ROM flash on my stock rooted sprint gnex running 4.1.1. Any help would be greatly appreciated…
Thanks for the great guides. I’ve done everything and it works great. Good work overall. I look forward to the new roms in the upcoming months ahead.
Thank you so much for this guide. I tried using Wug’s Nexus Root Toolkit to automatically update my Galaxy Nexus from 4.1.1 to 4.2.1 and it got stuck in a boot loop every time and I panicked. I followed all of your instructions and it went very smoothly and was just as fast as using the toolkit. Thanks man!
i have a problem of installing wrong Roms, i am installing GSM ROM instead of CDMA ROM and my phone stuck at after loading google sign and presents X in 4 of google color..can u kindly help me.