Manual Android 2.1 Update for Motorola Droid

by: Kellex | posted 03.31.10 | News

Sure I attempt to get 5 hours of sleep and almost miss out on all the phone fun…

*Note 1* – If you need to return to stock from a custom ROM, follow these instructions.

Instructions to manually install 2.1 on your Motorola Droid:

1. Download this file: update.zip (alt link) (alt link 2) (alt link3)

2. Place file on the root of your sdcard (not in any folder)

Make sure it is named UPDATE.ZIP! Alt Link2 needs to be renamed!

3. Turn your phone off.

4. Boot into recovery (Power + X)

5. Wait for a triangle with exclamation point to appear.

6. Hit the volume up and camera button (half-way down) at the same time.

7. Using the D-Pad select “apply update.zip” and press in the gold button on the D-Pad.

8. Reboot

9. Bam! 2.1 goodness!

Update 10:01AM 3/31: Added a News and Note section to help those with any issues.

*Note 2* – By the way, if any of the download links drop, please contact me!

Full review coming later today for those still on the fence about unrooting.

396

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Samantha

When i try to turn my phone back on it gets stuck at a battery ok page what do i do!
Samantha

When i try to turn my phone back on it gets stuck at a battery ok page what do i do!
Anon

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Sam

how do i root the droid in the first place to get the root folder?
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Dean

I am unable to reach recovery mode. I hold “X” and power and get the white M logo…and the screen freezes on that logo. It stayed like that for over 5 minutes until I pulled the battery. Anyone have a fix for this? Any other ways to reach recovery mode?
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MacDeCourcy

is this the stock 2.1 or is it basically a root?
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krfilter

ok this sucks real bad! i didnt do the manual update, i just okd the notice i had on my phone to update. now the thing has been going from red eye to droid for 2 hrs! helppppp i have no way of contacting anyone! i need to get this thing working
roddyblack73

Keep getting download unsecessful

skippy4241

I thought we where suppose to get some sort of Flash player too? Or did i misread that?

schwartz20

Thank you! This worked perfectly.
natthompson

kellex, help. i tried all three files and none work. what am i doing wrong?
jkmaize09

hey when i try to do it says file not found unable to open am i doing something wrong but question do i need to download all the alt links too

schwartz20

You only need to download 1 file. The “update.zip” file worked perfectly for me.

jAY

when i tried to install the update folder is said aborted and wouldnt install??
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Jarrod

Hey, I keep getting an error when I install FlashworkMod Recovery “An Error occurred while attempting to run priviledged commands!” Do you know how to fix this?
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drbohner

I had to remove the .zip from my 'update' downloaded from Google.
Scott

Holy Cow! It worked!!! I had my doubts…
http://www.scottwyden.com scottwyden

I've updated the software and although it says it installed correctly it keeps cycling between “Droid” and the Eye
pete

If i do the manual update, what should i do when the official update comes to my phone?
Chris

I'm getting a force close loop in the Gallery every time I open it… I can see it at first, but as soon as the photos start to fan out I start to get the loop. Any suggestions?

CRJ700

This was posted a few hours ago maybe it will help you. “I don't know if anyone else had this issue, but I applied update.zip (from the first link) to two different droids today and the gallery failed to work after the update. i reapplied the same update just to see if maybe that would work. no luck. then i downloaded update.zip from (alt link) and applied to both droids and it worked after that.”

CRJ700

Guys…How are you backing up all your apps/data. I would use titanium, but the problem is once you un-root titanium no longer works! Is there an app like titanium that will back up market links/app data without requiring root access??????????????????????????????

CRJ700

Ok, I did it. There's probably an easier way but here's what I did. 1. Flashed/Un-rooted back to Stock 2.0.1, and wiped data (I was coming from cyanogen) 2. Re-rooted through DM Updater 3. Restored all my apps/app data/market links using titanium backup. 3. Un-rooted (again) 4. Applied update to stock 2.1

CRJ700

I tried installing the update to 2.1 and it has been stuck on the Motorolla symbol for over 5 minutes now…..HELP!!!!! What should I do?

CRJ700

Nothing like having a conversation with yourself…but…if this will help anyone else her ya go.
I was stuck on the Motorolla symbol for over 10 minutes. Finally did a battery pull, rebooted again into recovery re-installed the update.zip again and walla, the second time she booted right up.

FusionEnvy

Been trying all day to get ANY ROM to work on this. I think my ROM Manager is bugged. But i tried this 2.1 update and BAM! It works great, Love the Live Backgrounds. Thanks for the heads up.
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braydenn

is this rooting my phone?
angad

i am confused indian 2.1 update has 5 home screens
Hong kong 2.1 update has 9 home screens
and USA 2.1 update has 3 now whats going on and i have no idea about the features of European update
nasunog

Thanks cpeter753 for your help…
wolfhound0023

Just updated to Android 2.1 by following the instructions. Works perfectly!!! Thanks
billweller

I installed 2.1 last night and installed helix launcher and evey thing was working fine. I get up this morning and I am in an endless loop of helix doing a force close. how do I fix this/
james

I don't know if anyone else had this issue, but I applied update.zip (from the first link) to two different droids today and the gallery failed to work after the update. i reapplied the same update just to see if maybe that would work. no luck. then i downloaded update.zip from (alt link) and applied to both droids and it worked after that.
Ryan

All I get is a Triangle. I hit the camera and up button and nothing. Do I have to hold it in? Hit it multiple times, or just hit it once and wait?

Ryan

This guys post got it.

you r not hitting the volume up an camera at the same time. It is actually kind of challenging to get them at the same time. The trick i used was hit the volume up a millisecond before the camera key

Lipster

I dont see what all the hype is about.. Rooted is the only way to go
http://YourWebsite Crazing

@billweller http://www.droid-life.com/2010/03/22/quick-tip-boot-motorola-droid-into-safe-mode/
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tankboyben

ok so when are you gonna post the milestone update on here, somebody must have it, or are europeans not allowed to join in on this site?!?
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trevorkai

What the root of the sd card?
DatDudePug

it keep saying installation fail on my droid
http://profiles.yahoo.com/u/RXFWXDUWRRHCGFV6NP2SDZ7YLU Ray

Im not sure if i did this right but i still see ROM manager in my apps
TJHmojoman

when I try to apply the update it says it can't verify the file and cancells out of the update tried several download file same thing happens??
Ant B

does nothing when i press volume and camera button. WTF!!
Ant B

how do i move file to root or sd card? i know im noobish
http://www.johnpariah.wordpress.com/ Mr. John Pariah

just letting you know, for those of you who SUCK at getting into recovery mode like i do. if you go to the Security settings, and do a Factory Reset from there-it does the same thing and Clearing the Cache / Data wipe
mrwildman1

Thanks Kellex! i got it installed, and it fired right up. i had the eye thing for a few minutes, but then it came to life. this sight rocks!!!

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