We may not have any ROM’s available for the Google Nexus 4 yet, but there’s no reason why you can’t get your device ready for flashing when they do show up. We’ve already gone through how to unlock your bootloader, now it’s time to show you how to root your Nexus 4 and install ClockwockMod recovery so you can start flashing ROMs, kernels, radios and more.
*Important: Android Headlines is not responsible for any damage caused to your Nexus 4*
Follow these instructions:
- Download the latest official ClockworkMod recovery from CWM website and rename it to recovery.img
- Enable Android Debugging from Settings > Developer Options. (If you can’t find developer options, read this post)
- Connect the device to your computer via USB, and install the required drivers.
- Download the recovery flashable SuperSU package with Busybox and transfer it to your phone’s internal SD card.
- Reboot into fastboot/bootloader: Code:
adb reboot bootloader
You can also power off the phone and then use power + volume-down key combination to get into bootloader.
- Unlock the bootloader if you haven’t done so already. WARNING: This command will wipe all data on your device. Code:
fastboot oem unlock
- Enter this command in a command prompt to flash the ClockworkMod recovery (making sure you are in the directory where you downloaded the recovery file): Code:
fastboot flash recovery recovery.img
OR
If you simply want to root without flashing a custom recovery and want to stick to your stock recovery, simply boot this recovery once using this command:
Code:fastboot boot recovery.img
- If you flashed the recovery in the previous step, you can now boot into recovery by pressing volume-up or volume-down twice to select the recovery option, and then the power button to enter it. If you simply booted into the recovery file without flashing it in the previous step, you should already be in recovery now.
- Once in recovery, take a backup to be on the safe side.
- Flash the downloaded SuperSU and busybox package zip file from recovery.
- Clear cache and dalvik cache just in case (not required but won’t hurt).
- Reboot the device.
If you don’t want to enter all the commands, you can always try mskip’s Nexus 4 Root Toolkit available on XDA. It will root your device, unlock the bootloader and much more.
Now you’re all set. Just have to wait for our favorite developers to bake some Android 4.2 ROMs for the Nexus 4. In the meantime, enjoy your Nexus 4 if you were able to get one.