[Nexus S 4G Android Development] mercado79:
What is a Recovery?

Recoveries provide you with an easy way to backup, restore, and flash files onto your device (among other things). While all recoveries will easily flash nearly any .zip file, not all recoveries use the same tools for creating your backups. Therefore, backups you make with ClockworkMod will not be usable/restorable by TWRP and vice versa. Choose wisely, or at least realize that you might have to switch back to a different recovery to restore a backup you made in the past.

How else can I access recovery tools from within Android?

The two primary recoveries currently in active development (for the Nexus S 4G at least) are ClockworkMod and TWRP.

If you use ClockworkMod, download ROM Manager from the Google store. Highlights include:

Manage your ROMs via a handy UI.

Organize and perform backups and restores from within Android!

Install ROMs from your SD card.

Install your favorite ROMs over the air!

There are free and premium versions available.

If you use TWRP, download GooManager from the Google store. Highlights include:

Ability to browse all of the files on the Goo site, and download directly to your mobile device.

Receive OTA style updates from your favorite rom developers that have been hosted on the Goo site.

New CyanogenMod nightly build update support

GooManager is free to download here or here; however, we should all support our devs by making a donation to help cover the cost of their bandwidth, hardware, and time.

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Installation:

Download the zip file, put it on your SDCard, and flash it in recovery.

All files are attached to this thread. See below.

CAUTION:

These files can only be flashed on the Nexus S 4G. They are not compatible with the non-Sprint Nexus S. Also, while I have tested all files posted below, I am not responsible for anything that might happen to your phone, your backup files, etc. Flash at your own (minimal) risk.

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ClockworkMod

Versions available below are based on the following files:

Touch-based

ClockworkMod Touch version 5.8.0.2. Note that touch-based recovery is a new feature which was introduced by Koush on 1/31/12. While unlikely to cause issues, you should proceed with caution. The official site is here.

Non Touch-based

ClockworkMod version 5.0.2.0. The official site is here.

Version 5.0.2.7 compiled from Koush's source by snandlal.

j_r0dd's custom ClockworkMod Recovery based on version 5.0.2.3. See his thread here.

Of these non-touch based recoveries, I personally prefer j_r0dd's version because of his improvements to the menu structure, organization of some sections such as wipe or flash zip, and the fact you don't have to scroll through a long list in order to confirm an action. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it. If touch is your thing (and it's mine), give ClockWordMod Touch a try.

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TeamWin Recovery Project (twrp)

Touch-based

TeamWin Recovery Project (twrp) version 2.1.1. For more information, see the XDA thread here or access the main project page here. Note that while this project had gone cold earlier this year, on April 12, 2012, TeamWin announced that the TWRP project was back.

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Archived

Note: These will not work with ROM Manager. In the latest RZR version 2.1.4, restoring ClockworkMod backups is supported.*

Non Touch-based

raidzero's RZrecovery version 2.1.4 beta (last build dated 2/1/12). This recovery has many advanced options available including the ability to compress backups and custom Nandroid backup locations. You can find the XDA thread here and the RootzWiki thread, which seems to be updated first, here. Be aware that version 2.1.4 has not been officially released. If you prefer to use the latest "official" version, download version 2.1.3 below.

Note

that the capacitive buttons are used for navigating/selecting. Back and the power button = "back" command. Home button = "select" command.

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Inspiration for this thread (straight up copying in some cases) comes from brainmaster's thread over in the Nexus S forum.

Thanks goes out to Koush, TeamWin, and Raidzero of course, as well as those mentioned above. Thanks to formula84 for letting us know about raidzero's recovery. Thank you snandlal for compiling CWM versions from source.