[Motorola Droid RAZR] Science Ninja:
Hello All,

This is the tale of my personal journey to updating my RAZR to the .211 OTA. Please note that all of this is from my memory. If anyone happens to notice an error, please let me know asap! I’ll be sure to edit the post.

Hopefully my time yesterday will help other n00bs like me :)

Backstory:

I was rooted on .181. I thought that I was 100% stock other than the root, but apparently that wasn’t the case. My first attempt was done via this method here: http://www.droidrzr.com/index.php/topic/2871-upgrade-from-181-to-211-sideload/

I tried this method because it seemed the easiest, but it did not work for me. It just simply booted me back into GB.

So… after reading, thinking, reading, thinking, wavering, thinking, and drinking for hours on end yesterday, I finally give this method a shot. This is my overly specific story of my success.

Numerous caveats before I proceed (seriously... read these):

1) In no way, shape, or form, is this information novel. I give all credit to Matt (his utility), andlaw, and RDA990 over at droidrzr.com and droidforums.com. THANK YOU ALL!

2) What follows is only the step-by-step of how I accomplished it. I am in no way, shape, or form responsible for what happens should you try this at home.

3) This is from where I compiled the information:

a. http://www.droidrzr.com/index.php/t...y-17-for-ics-and-those-who-want-to-go-to-ics/

b. http://www.droidforums.net/forum/dr...-installation-guide-droid-razr-razr-maxx.html

c. http://www.droidrzr.com/index.php/topic/2871-upgrade-from-181-to-211-sideload/

4) The process is actually simpler than it appears.

5) Make sure that you have a charge of at least 70% (I charged to 100% to be safe).

6) If for some reason you brick, see here to fix: http://www.droidforums.net/forum/dr...-installation-guide-droid-razr-razr-maxx.html

7) This method will wipe your phone (i.e, factory reset).

8) To my knowledge, this method only works if you are on .181. (but see the link in A for other versions).

9) My understanding from my extensive reading yesterday indicates that the reason some people were failing on the OTA update from the link above at droidforums is that the first attempt at the ICS installation replaces your stock Recovery but then fails to actually install. Some were getting errors the second time around as well.

10) This method worked flawlessly for me first attempt.

What you’ll need:

a) A Droid Razr (duh)

b) A Windows PC

c) Latest Motorola Drivers

d) Matt’s Utility 1.7

e) The OTA .zip file (Blur_Version.6.12.181.XT912.Verizon.en.US.zip)

f) Your USB cord

g) Download C,D,E here: http://www.droidrzr.com/index.php/t...y-17-for-ics-and-those-who-want-to-go-to-ics/

Steps:

1) Download Matt’s Utility 1.7.

2) Unzip it

3) Download the OTA .zip update file. DO NOT UNZIP IT

4) Make sure you turn on USB Debugging on your phone

5) Connect your phone to your computer via USB

6) Place the zipped OTA file on the EXTERNAL SD CARD of your phone. Please note that you can verify it’s in the right place by using ES File Explorer (available for free on the market). It should be located at “/mnt/sdcard-ext/”. You can also verify the md5 via ES File Explorer to make sure it matches that listed on Matt’s download page.

7) Change USB back to Charge Only

8) Turn your phone OFF

9) Hold Power, Volume UP, and Volume DOWN (all three at the same time). A menu will appear.

10) Press Volume DOWN until you get to AP Fastboot

11) Press Volume UP to enter AP Fastboot

12) Open the folder to which you extracted Matt’s 1.7 utility on your PC

13) Open the .bat file in Matt's Utility folder

14) Select Option 1. Let it do its thing. It replaces the stock recovery (along with some other stuff I don’t understand) so that you can then actually apply the update. This process actually takes a few minutes (probably something like 5-10 minutes).

15) When complete, turn your phone OFF using the on-screen (phone) instructions.

16) At this point, I powered back on, and the phone booted back into stock GB. I then setup Google account.

17) Turn phone OFF

18) Hold Power, Volume UP, and Volume DOWN (all three at the same time). A menu will appear.

19) Press Volume DOWN until you get to “Recovery”

20) Press Volume UP to enter “Recovery”

21) At this point an android will be on his side with an exclamation mark. Don’t freak out, this is supposed to happen.

22) Press Volume UP and Volume DOWN (both at the same time). This should enter recovery.

23) With the Volume DOWN button go down to "Wipe CACHE partition" and press the Power button to select it. DO THIS TWICE

24) With the Volume DOWN button go to "Apply Update from SDCard" and press the Power button to select it.

25) Press Volume DOWN until you get to “Blur_Version.6.12.181.XT912.Verizon.en.US.zip” and select it with the Power button. (This is the one we put in the External SD in Step 6.)

26) It will take a good bit of time to update. Mine took about 15-20 minutes.

27) Once the update is complete select "Reboot system now."

28) Grab a beer and pat yourself on the back.

29) Feel free to Root ICS 4.0.4. using Matt’s 1.7 utility  (if you do, I believe you need to make sure to check allow installation of non-market apps – at least I did, and it worked for me).

30) Did I mention to have a beer?

31) See pics for verification :-) (screen shots are built into ICS by holding Power and Volume DOWN!)