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Force update your Motorola DROID to Android 2.0.1 on your terms… like NOW!

By: , IntoMobile
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009 at 12:36 PM

motorola-droid-update-screenVerizon has started pushing out their Android 2.0.1 update to Motorola DROID users across the country. The name of this particular game is apparently “wait for Verizon to deem you worthy of your 2.0.1 update.” Well, homie don’t play that game – or, more like there are some people in the Android community that don’t play that game. Rather than wait for Verizon to bless your DROID with its latest bug-fixing, system speed-boosting, feature-adding update, we’re going to show you how to apply the Android 2.0.1 update yourself.

Updating your DROID is easy and fast. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

This is the updated Droid lock-screen

This is the updated Droid lock-screen

  1. Download this “update.zip” file (don’t do it in Safari, because it’ll just unpack the package, which is not what you want to do) and transfer it to your DROID’s microSD card.
    • Connect your DROID to your computer.
    • Pull down the notifications tray and tap the “USB Connected” alert.
    • Select “Mount” – you should see your microSD card showing up in Finder (Mac) or My Computer (PC)
    • Drag the “update.zip” file to the root directory of your microSD card (don’t put it in a folder, just drag it onto the SD card).
  2. Once transfer is finished, power down the DROID.
  3. Power up the DROID while holding down “X” on the keyboard.
  4. Once you see the /!\ symbol, press both the “Volume Up” and “Camera Shutter” keys at the same time (You might have to press Vol Up slightly before pressing the Camera key to get it to work).
  5. In the blue-colored list, select the second option that says “apply sdcard: update.zip” (use the d-pad to navigate)
  6. When your DROID finishes updating itself, you’ll see that blue-colored list again – select “reboot system now”
  7. Enjoy Android 2.0.1 on your new DROID!

[HoFo via: EngadgetMobile and MobileCrunch]

About The Author

Will Park

Will hails from The City of Angels - Los Angeles, California. He spends his time playing with his numerous gadgets and looking forward to seeing what future holds for mobile technology. An avid promoter of a fully "digital" life, he promotes the widespread adoption of truly mobile, paper-less living. He dreams of the day when he can go completely digital. No more snail mail, paper receipts, bound books, notepads/spiral notebooks, credit cards, hard currency. He's a digital warrior - fighting for the converged life. He is an idealist and a realist - he has a perfect view of what the world should be but knows that the world is not perfect. Can we ever hope to see Will's dream become reality? We'll see...

  • Stefan Constantinescu

    new home screen is hot, but i wouldn’t do this if i had a Droid. i’d just wait for the OTA update. yes, i’m a pussy.

  • Adam Buchanan

    Just did it and it worked like a charm. Thanks for the tutorial.

  • jed

    So can I try that with my g1?

  • Stefan Constantinescu

    No. That’s just asking for a world of pain.

  • nerdrow

    Updated fine. The same process has worked fine with each Android release since 1.0 on the G1 (as soon as the update.zip is hosted somewhere or the hidden google link is made public).

  • Mark

    I just downloaded the update from my droid web browser and coppied it to the sd card. Ran the update and everything worked great.

  • Will Park

    Glad to hear it! I like the 2.0.1 update, seems faster (slightly)

  • Sly

    Hey Will, thanks so much. You are the man. I’ve updated my Droid without having to wait. I appreciate you giving this tutorial greatly. I was disappointed to see that the updates were rolling out in a trickle and not in-masse.

    Have a great Christmas.

  • Raj

    Forced update worked perfectly, at first glance: noticeably quicker, no more stuttering windowshade menus and the widgets look a little cooler… Also the locked screen clock is a little cooler.

  • Mike

    Thank goodness, for not having to wait for Verizon, I thought I was forgotten for my update!

  • CZ

    I just bought a Droid on Fri. How do I know if I need to update to the 2.0.1?

  • Zonnked

    @CZ, From the home screen press the Menu button, press the Settings button, scroll to the bottom of the screen and press the About Phone panel, look for Firmware Version. If it’s not 2.0.1, you’ll be getting an upgrade soon (or if you’re brave, you can do it yourself).

    I’ve upgraded and it worked great, but there are numerous opportunities to really screw up your phone if you don’t follow the instructions to the ‘T’.

  • Felix

    This was pretty good! Worked without any issues.

    Thanks for posting!

  • Felix

    Home Screen -> Settings -> About phone -> Firmware version ’2.0.1′

    If not, then you do not have the update.

    Felix

  • Raj

    The quickest way would be to look at the unlock screen. Is the unlock slider semi-circular or horizontal? If it is horizontal then you have the new software.

    If you want to make sure, go to settings>about phone and under firmware version, if it says 2.0.1 you have the newest software. if it says 2.0 then you need the update.

  • Jed

    Go to settings, about phone(located at the bottom), then check the current version of firmware which will be listed about 2/3 of the way down the “about phone” page. If it doesn’t say 2.0.1, you need/will get the update.

  • Gabe

    Nice. Worked like a charm.

  • Gabe

    The interface seems smoother now… especially the app pull up menu. It catches on my finger a lot easier, as well as the notification pull down menu. There are also a few other stylized changes to the widgets. Overall the phone seems quicker and more responsive.

  • ashley

    It worked great on both mine and my husband’s phone. Camera is so much better and phone, overall, seems to be running smoother.

  • melrowgo

    I was “pushed” today by the firmware update gods, and the update went fine. It might be me, but some of the things that functioned quickly and smoothly before are now experiencing some hesitation, and I’m having some trouble with the new screen onlock. The locked screen looks much cooler with the new clock and the two unlock buttons, but the sensitivity of the screen unlock is not as good with the horizontal swipe as the arch. I’m also experiencing more instances of the “stutter” effect when choosing an app from the menu screens. I’m hoping this is just a fluke and not something I have to look forward to long-term. I can honestly say this is the best phone/PDA I’ve ever had, and I’ve had a lot of them!

    Thanks for the article.

  • bravos419

    We’re not going to have issues with further updates are we?

  • Ogref

    +1 internets! Worked perfect for me… thanks for the link and instructions….

  • Devin

    Great directions, worked like a charm.

  • ken

    followed directions to the letter but after chosing apply sdcard:update.zip got error as follows:

    E: can’t open /cache/recovery/command

    and although it found the update package on the sdcard it said “E:signature verification failed installation aborted”

    What gives?

  • JIHN

    I heard another update in January.

  • Verizon sucks

    Verizon is piece of shit to stagger this release. What the fuck for??? DROID users are technical and smart about this shit. This strategy is pissing everyone off. FUCK OFF Verizon. You make me want to switch to Apple with your dumbass shitty stategies. DO NOT TREAT YOUR CUSTOMERS THIS WAY YOU FUCKIN IDIOTS.

  • TopherJ

    Me too. Skip a step. Worked like a charm.

  • Rich

    For some reason after the update my Gallery doesn’t work. Says “application is not installed on my phone” though my media is still on the phone. thank God

  • cliq

    will it work for cliq?

  • andy

    does this update come with flash?
    if not, ill wait for it… safer.

  • Jarrod

    I tried to do the update, here is how it went.

    –Install from sdcard…
    Finding update package…
    Opening update package…
    Verifying update package…
    Installing update…
    Verifying current system…
    assert failed: apply_patch_check(“MTD:boot:2512896:86ce122fdfab1ca7aea268575ec692699c8556ab:2502656:e79414e1774b152c9c3eca09f1be0c6b1b24e889″)
    E:Error in /sdcard/update.zip
    (Status 7)
    Installation aborted.

    What is wrong?

  • jesus

    hey does anyone know how to get to the boot loading screen on a moto cliq let me know i wana try the update… email me at jesus0723@gmail

  • Fabio

    Would it work on a Milestone? Just asking rs rs

  • dj.kokaine

    ok i downloadead the update.zip file and whent thru the whole prosses and when i tried to install the zip file from sd card it reads error update abborted why is this happening ?? plaese people help me :(

  • emokid

    Omg I’m running android 2.2 and it sucks !!!!! And I want to go back to 2.0.1when I run the update.zip. all I get is installation aborted status 2 why please anyone help pleaseeeeeeeeee

  • emokid

    So yea will help me out all I get is installation aborted status 2 do you happen to know why?