Motorola Droid update

If you need some hand-holding (and there's nothing wrong with that), watch our video how-to here.

The Verizon Motorola Droid Android 2.1 update! Finally! It's finally here! Only, it's not here for everybody. Such is the way over-the-air updates go. A few people get them at first, and then the rest of us. Fortunately, you can now update manually. (Note: This method does not -- repeat: NOT -- require root access, deals with the devil or any sort of Pagan sacrifice.) Here's how.

  1. Download the update from any of these links. [Official Location 1 | Location 2 | Location 4] (Note to Mac users: Don't use Safari as it may try to extract the files rather than just download them.)
  2. Rename the file to "update.zip" if it isn't already. (Note that if you're using Windows, just change the name to "update" -- without the quotes.
  3. Put the file in the root (aka main folder) of your microSD card. (You can pull the card from the phone, or use our method here.)
  4. With your Droid turned off, hold down the letter "x" on the keyboard and then hold down the power button. You should soon see a triangle with an exclamation point inside.
  5. Now for the tricky part. Press the volume up button and the camera button at the same time. (This usually takes me a few tries.) Erm, though it's much easier if you let go of the power button first.
  6. You should now be in the bootloader. Use the D-pad to choose "update from .zip file" and choose the update. Let things run their course.

That's it! You should now be updated to Android 2.1. Congrats! We're in the midst up updating our own phones, so let us know in the comments how it's going. (But do remember that you're doing this manual update at your own risk.) [via Android Central Forums; Download links via AndroidForums and AllDroid]

Update: Killed Location 3, and renamed Location 1 to make it clear it's the official download from Google.

Update 2: OK, to answer a few of your questions:

  • This *is* the official update. The only difference is that you're installing it yourself instead of waiting for it to be pushed out to your phone. Otherwise, all is Kosher.
  • Technically, this is "Android 2.1-update1," same as what was sent to the Nexus One a month or so ago. The "-update1" part has nothing to do with installing it manually.
  • Yeah, you'll probably lose root when you apply this update. But anything worth rooting once is worth rooting twice.
  • Yes, you can do this entire process on your phone. Just download the file to the microSD card, make sure it's named "update.zip," and other wise follow the same instructions.