It’s here. It’s finally, finally here. After countless rumor-fueled false starts and delays, the Android 2.1 update has finally started rolling out to Verizon Droid owners.
Unfortunately, it’s only been rolled out to around 8,000 Droids at this point — and considering that there are purportedly at least a million of these things floating around, that means the majority of people are still waiting for their update. Are you one of them? Fear not, friend! We’ve got all the details on how to manually update your Droid to the official, Verizon-and-Google-blessed build of Android 2.1.
All in all, it should take you about 10 minutes. There is no “hacking” required – your device doesn’t need to be rooted, overclocked, underpantsed, or what have you. This is the same package you’d be downloading from Verizon (it even comes from Google’s server!), just a whole lot sooner.
Here’s how to do it:
- Download the update package from here. Don’t unzip it! If your browser automatically unzips things (like Safari on Mac, for example), use a different browser. It MUST stay zipped.
- Rename the file from signed-voles-ESE81-from-ESD56.fa406da6.zip to update.zip. If you’re using an OS that doesn’t show the .zip extension, just rename it “update” — otherwise it’ll be called “update.zip.zip” and won’t work.
- Take the microSD card from your phone, plug it into a microSD card reader.
- Drag and drop the “update.zip” file into the main folder (otherwise known as the root folder) of your microSD card. Don’t go looking for a folder called “main” or “root” – we’re referring to the folder on your microSD card that holds all the other folders.
- Turn your Droid off, and put the microSD card back in.
- Hold down the letter “X” on the keyboard. While still holding it, turn your Droid back on. You should see an exclamation point icon appear on your screen.
- Push the volume up button and the camera button at the exact same time. If nothing happens, do it again. When you get to the bootloader screen, you know it worked. (Some folks are reporting that you need to hold the volume up button and then tap the camera button right after. It’s a bit tricky, but it’ll work eventually.)
- Use the d-pad to navigate to the “apply: update.zip” option, and choose the file you just dragged onto your microSD card.
Bam! Download, rename, reboot, hold a button, done. Could it get much simpler? As soon as the upgrade process finishes, you’ll be Android 2.1′d up and ready to go.
Enjoy!
[Much love to the guys at AllDroid for digging up the update file name, and to Nikolai for giving us the heads up]
what about the HTC eris/hero?
It’s gonna take longer while HTC re-writes the non-Sense UI for 2.1
The process will be as easy as the manual 2.1 update we had on the Nexus One
Obviously… You’ll have to wait until HTC ‘specific’ updates become available.
It already is available unofficially,
I am running it on my Droid Eris and it has very few bugs, the only major one I’ve found so far is that Google Earth wont open. Following this tutorial also roots the phone btw.
Here’s the link:
http://androidforums.com/all-things-root-eris/53963-guide-stock-1-5-latest-root-2-1-a.html
i did the manual update, was wondering if there is a way to undo it and wait for the over the air update? i dont get the pinch to zoom in the new browser or on google maps, only on the gallery
really appreciate the tip, but was wondering why you can’t just mount the droid on your mac/pc and drag the file into the root folder that way?
i don’t have a microsd reader, so i’m just wondering, else i probably have to wait for verizon to transmit the thing to me at their convenience, i suppose.
Should be fine, as long as it’s placed in the proper folder. Describing how to mount the drive would have added a few extra steps to the list, and it was already getting long.
Thanks for asking!
thanks for the quick reply, looking forward to getting this thing installed – cheers!
this is not the full version, its missing the weather, and 3d menu option as well as all the new homescreens etc
This is the full version, read the update from Motorola, we don’t get the new home screen or app selector or weather, idiot.
Boy “rj,” whether “charlie” is right or wrong, you’re a bit of an asshole, huh?
I tried to install this (got to the very last step) but it was unable to install it because it somehow couldn’t find the thing. How do I know if I put it into the right folder?
Just make sure you renamed the file to update. And it should be in the root of your sd card. That should be all enjoy follow the steps.
I can confirm that this works. Additionally, I placed update.zip on my SD card by mounting the DROID on my computer, and dragging the file over.
do you know what the folder will be called you place the file into when mounting w/o taking the sd card out? i tried the dcim folder and the instalation failed?
It’s the same steps whether you put the SD card directly into the computer or mount the Droid via USB. DCIM is the folder that pictures go into when you use the camera, so it’s the wrong folder. When you mount the card and the SD card folder first opens up, just drag the update file directly into that.
worked great via usb/mount on windows. drag n dropped update.zip and install with no issues. all data and settings thus far seemed preserved as well!
It works fine on Mac too, just mount the Droid and drag the update zip into the drive. Simple.
It works through the cable connect with mounting as well. I was able to upgrade mine that way.
So far I’ve only tested the pinch to zoom on maps.
You don’t even need the computer. hit the link DL to Droid. Use astro (file manager free in android market place) go into download folder you will see the update zip file you just downloaded. Rename it update.zip copy it past in root (if you are in SD download folder the root is one level up or just hit home button that will put you in the root) make sure you don’t paste the update into a folder. Know if you have everything right turn phone off. Hold x as you turn it on you will see a triangle push camera and volume up at same time. choose the update option and boom. The has the official android 2.1 update. Fun fun fun
It worked!!!! Rebooting now!
This worked for me and I have never done anything like this before on a phone. Thanks for the tip.
Killer. This is the easiest way to do it.
It works fine that way too. that’s how I upgraded to 2.0.1 and now to 2.1
I agree with what Brian said, you can in fact down the file straight on to your sd card and just rename it that way. It also worked for me.
Go ahead it works great! I did the force at about 6 this morning (just could not resist) I read others that said it lagged with the live background on. Mine seems to have no lag but I did do a factory data reset (settings/privacy/factory data reset) on mine. Which may or may not be why. So far I give it an A instead of an A+ it is fast as hell the screen is more touch sensitive and the gallery is awesome but 2.1 beats on the battery like it owes it money (make good friends with task killer and power widget. Love the News weather widget.
Anyone else tried it with success???
I tried it, with MUCH success. Simple.
Just finished, easy and painless. Rebooting now.
yeah worked fine for me, this is how i did the last update too (2.0.1)
I can verify this works. Used a microsd card reader to move the file. When I booted into the recovery console, it actually asked me to “apply: update.zip”, not “update from zip file”, is this possibly 2 different recovery console revisions? made no difference though, worked 100%.
Thanks for the guide, I couldn’t bear the wait of a day or two! :P
So far… no love here… I can get the update.zip onto the MicroSD card, and can get the bootloader screen, but when I select “apply sdcard:update.zip” I get the following message:
E:Can’t open/cache/recovery/command
– Install from sdcard…
Finding update package…
E:Can’t mount /dev/block/mmcb1k0p1 (or /dev/block/mmcb1k0)
(no such file or directory)
E:Can’t mount SDCARD:update.zip
Installation aborted.
I had the same problem, realized I had renamed it with update.zip (effectively naming it update.zip.zip). Try renaming it without typing the extension, as your OS will just add it automatically. Mine is restarting at this moment.
that same i have
Does this work with the Eris? Or only the Droid?
No. It’s best to install the 2nd 2.1 leak that came out for the Eris. Verizon has not officially released the 2.1 update.
I can confirm that it works perfectly. Live wallpapers are included as well as the 3D Gallery.
It says I have 2.1 but no live wallpapers or 3D gallery. Any suggestions?
did you reboot? Also make sure your file was name properly
Now for the official HTC Droid Eirs 2.1 update………………………………………………………
you can just mount it, it worked for me.
I can’t seem to get the update.zip to transfer over to the sd. it seems to be locked. I guess I’ll have to wait for the update.
When you plug in the Droid to the pc, the droid shows a notification to allow access. you have to tap this and allow
Ah HAH! The above message is what you get… if you put the MicroSD card back in the phone… UPSIDE DOWN! DOH!
(Though I’m sure I won’t be the only one that makes this mistake…)
Update complete… took it longer than usual to boot up, which was a little scary… but, so far so good, just got a txt message on it… so something’s workin’!
Hahaha, I did the same thing. It’s odd that it reads the files on there while upside down, but won’t actually use them.
Rebooting now.
I was able to do this completely through my phone and the “Astro File Manager” app, without mounting or taking my SD card out.
I went to this website on the phone, downloaded, and using Astro I moved it to the top of my SD card files. Restarted and followed the other steps as listed and bam, 2.1 here I am.
How did you move it from the download folder to the root?
I am having such a hard time doing this update could yu please help me with it ?
just did in, and it worked flawlessly. only took about 10 minutes
OK i did this both ways…do i click reboot system now, do i wait for it to reboot itself, …i tried to click reboot and it seemed to lock up at restart and just kept showing the droid tail lights….help…or am i just inpatient
It takes about 3x as long to boot up after the update than regular. Just let it do it’s thing.
Me 2 @ Ken so how did you fix it??
did all the steps loaded when to reboot after it said it was complete and its keep going red eye restart to droid uggghhhh
2 first it keep restarting then i Did
A factory reset before the installation process works great looks the same @ First notice-ably faster live wall paper is so kool im in los angeles feel free to email your questions
if i do a factory reset, will it erase my phone numbers, pictures, etc????? and if i do a factory reset do i have to re install the 2.1 update….
I have the same thing. Completed successfully but just sits on the red flashing eye at reboot. Been sitting for 30 minutes so i don’t think I’m being impatient. How do I do a factory reset anyway? Need to get my phone back !!!!
Why is @VZWsupport all over Twitter saying that 2.1 has not yet been released for Droid? What’s going on?
it didn’t change anything? I have several launchers on my phone, though. I tried the pinch to zoom on the regular browser with no luck.
Same thing for me also. I checked the fw and it thinks its running 2.1 but no difference
You can also download this straight from your droid!
Just click on the link above and save it as update.zip and move it into your root folder via astro or any other file manager and follow the steps as shown.
It worked perfectly for me:)
Just used the same method. Downloaded directly to Droid. Edited name with Astro. Moved to sdcard root with Astro. Then followed the rest of the instructions for the reboot. Looks good so far.
Jeremy! I had the same error issue! glad you helped me figure it out! =)
Hmm, not working for me. I’m getting an error that says this:
Finding update package…
Opening udpate package…
Verifying update package…
E:failed to verify whole-file signature
E:signature verification failed
Installation aborted.
Any ideas?
Make sure the file is named update.zip and not update.zip.zip. I got the same thing and just dropped the .zip from the filename. I had it named wrong at first.
Not seeing any changes thus far… but, I don’t know anything about the “live wall paper” and what not… I’m waiting for flash support… with this 2.1 update, Adobe still doesn’t allow flash download for the Droid.
Charlie, it sounds to me like your download of the .zip file wasn’t complete or is corrupted in some way. I would try the download, rename and transfer of the .zip file one more time, and try it again.
Excellent! Just completed the update and it worked flawlessly. Now to poke at it and see if it’s faster… cooler… wicked… awesome…
Thanks!
Yep. I am getting the same error as Charlie. =(
me too! help?
I dont know about you guys, but mine is running really slow after the update was applied. and i still have the three main screen, wasent it suppose to apply 2 extra screens?
Mine too, to the point of being completely unusable half the time. The music app locks up upon loading, the gallery app just sits there and churns away endlessly, pandora took about 10 minutes to launch. I clicked it and waited, eventually giving up and trying to close it. Forgot about it eventually while trudging through other slowness and suddenly my music startles me at full volume — couldn’t turn down the volume either, had to take the battery out! Anyone else have this sort of problem?
Precisely my issues as well. Anybody know if this will prevent us from receiving the OTA update?
I am also interested in knowing whether this will prevent the OTA update from occuring. Is there any way to undo the update?
Downloaded the update from the phone, renamed & moved the file via Astro, installed & rebooted.
So far so good!
My pinch zoom works in the browser…
I’m getting the same error.
Each time I try to install I get an error. I did not remove the card, simply mounted and dropped in the Android file, unmounted and followed the rest of the steps.
E:Can’t open/cache/recovery/command
– Install from sdcard…
Finding update package…
E:Can’t mount /dev/block/mmcb1k0p1 (or /dev/block/mmcb1k0)
(no such file or directory)
E:Can’t mount SDCARD:update.zip
Installation aborted.
If you didn’t remove the card, did you rename the file to “update.zip” after download? Otherwise it won’t find the file when you reboot and hold down X to find the bootloader.
Yes, I names the file correctly, no added zip.zip.
I tried re-downloading the file in case there was an error and I still get the same error.
I tried 3 times. I assuming the main file is the one named Android.
Try this…
Re-mount your droid, open the sd card in windows explorer.
Click Tools -> Folder Options in the explorer menu.
Click on the “View” tab.
Find “Hide extensions for known file types” and uncheck it.
Look at the update file and make sure it’s not named update.zip.zip
Failing that, it’s most likely not in the right location (the root of the SD card).
I just mounted my sd card on my mac, and dragged the file over. After that i turned off my phone and then back on again.. nothing. Can anyone help? I don’t have a memory card reader so I did it this way.
Did you hold X while you turned the phone back on?
I held the X on my keyboard yes. While it was plugged in.. no idea if that makes a difference.
Right now I’m gonna try using the Astro File Manager and download it through my phone itself.
Okay I got the exclamation point. Held the camera button and the up volume button at the same time. Nothing happened. How long am I supposed to hold it? I did for a while and I tried it twice, still won’t work.
Just keep tapping them at the same time. The goal is to press them at (quite literally) the EXACT. SAME. TIME. It took me like 30 tries.
Worked like a charm. Drag and drop via USB mount.
Anyone else having trouble getting past the screen with the exclamation mark. I have tried pressing rocker up and camera button at the same time like 30 times. It never seems to move past the exclamation screen. I rebooted and verified all the buttons work fine in the OS. Any ideas?
hmmm did a battery pull and tried it again… my guess is i finally got it “just right” on the button presses.
Shell, I tried it a few times, and for me, pressing the volume up button slightly before the camera button was the key… doing them both simultaneously resulted in nothing.
i held the volume up, then i hit camera. worked that way. same time didnt work
no luck for me…mounted to computer…renamed and dragged over…did the root process…reboots and it just comes back to 2.01
Is this update Verizon only or will it work with a (Canadian) Milestone?
Simply awesome. Performed all the steps above (except I mounted and dragged the zip over), and everything worked perfectly. The only part that took a while was pressing the camera and volume button at the same time… took a few minutes to get it right. But once I did, it went through like a charm.
Thanks!
Mine didn’t give me the new slider for unlocking the phone….. but it did update.
I have tried everything. I dragged and dropped from the computer, as well as trying to use ASTRO. I have renamed the file correctly, put it in the SDcard slot by dragging and dropping. When I turn off my phone, then reboot phone and hit x.. i get a screen saying:
Bootloader 2c.6c
Battery OK. OK to Program Transfer Mode: USB
and thats it. nothing else happens… i tried hitting the volume up and camera phone and got nothing.
where EXACTLY should the file be placed? everyone who says they put it in the root folder, how is that possible? I cannot access that on my computer, nor will the app on my phone allow me to move any file to it.
Please help!
also, the exclamation point thing never came up for me!
The root folder is the very first folder you open to access your sd card, whether it is mounted through the phone or you’re using a card reader. If you are running windows, download the file and just rename it “update” excluding exclamation points. Windows already knows that it is a zip file. Unmount your sd card put it back in the phone prior to turning it off and let it read the card. Turn off the phone and hold “X” before you turn the phone on. Press volume up and then the camera button in a 1, 2 fashion and select the update file.
what about the devour? any manual method for this?
I installed the update, rebooted phone and now its working very slow and still is 2.01 screens and no new functionality :/
When looking at the version menu of my phone it thinks its 2.1 update1
Help !
PS
I also had the
“E:Can’t open/cache/recovery/command” screen
The update applied properly (I downloaded it straight from the Droid and used Astro), but this version is missing many of the 2.1 features. I still have 3 home screens instead of 5, and voice-to-text doesn’t work. There are some new apps (Gallery and News & Weather) along with pinch-to-zoom, but this is not what was promised with 2.1 Did Verizon gimp this release, or is this problem unique to using this work around?
took me a while to figure out that you never let go of “x”…
You can run this without a computer at all. Simply view this page from your Droid phone, save the file and rename it using a file explorer application (AndroZip, for example.)
Follow the instructions for reboot/update and Tada! All updated without a card reader, cable or computer.
I have pinching zoom capabilities, but still only 3 home screens. Also, the Gallery is lookin’ good.
But why no 5 screens? That’s what i really cared about….
Just performed the update and it worked like a charm. Testing out Android 2.1 now…
Just did it from the droid itself using astro file manager, no computer required.
not only didnt work…but have some “superuser permission” program now? sketchy
If you’ve got the superuser permission app, you’re presumably running on a rooted Droid.
That most certainly has nothing to do with this — check the URL of the download, it’s coming straight from Google.
never saw it until today…I know about rooting…never did it before b/c i didnt want to void warranty…i returned the app before installing
do you know how to unroot then? since this update didnt work for me and now have this super permissions app that wont let me delete it? id appreciate any input!
this isnt true 2.1 update!!!! dont do it!! wait for OTA!!! mine is running really choppy!! gallery looks sweet but thats it, pinch zoon in browser works. thats it
It only runs choppy when you have live wallpapers on…take it off and its faster than ever
i didnt even know it had live wallpapers.. lol
The update worked fine. However it didn’t seem to do much! I still only have 3 screens and pinch to zoom does not work. did I do something wrong?
pinch to zoom doesnt work on the main homepage (e.g. google.com) but it should work on most other webpages. you can also try it on the maps app and photos in the gallery. if those work then you have multitouch zoom. hope that helps.
I hope the OTA will come through for us.. this suxx
I updated manually and everything seems to be fine except that my little launcher arrow at the bottom didn’t change, It still looks like the 2.0.1 launcher. Oh well. Any fixes
sorry I meant to put a question mark after that.
The app launcher doesn’t change in 2. 1 on Droid. It’s not going to look like the nexus 1 version
It doesnt? All the screenshots of the droid show the 16 little squares at the bottom of the screen.
Finally got it. :) It works well. Just tried the pinch to zoom.
I did it all from my phone, no computer or cables and it worked!!
how did u do it from your phone??