It's been a year since the launch of the Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus SCH-I515. A lot of people were amazed by its 4G LTE capability and great performance. Of course, having an Android phone like the Galaxy Nexus would make you want to push it to the limits by flashing custom ROMs and kernels. Speaking of custom kernels, XDA Developers member tiny4579′s Tinykernel has just been released.

A kernel acts as a bridge between the software and the hardware. Having the right kernel is very important if you want your device's performance to be optimized. There are lots of different custom kernels lying in wait for you to find in the XDA Developers Forum and Tinykernel is a must-try custom kernel. It can run under both Android 4.1.2 and Android 4.2. This kernel has CIFS and NTFS support and is built with the Linaro GCC 4.7 toolchain.

This guide shows you how to flash Tinykernel for the Galaxy Nexus I515.

Warning

• The instructions in this guide are intended for use with theVerizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus, model number SCH-I515. Applying these instructions on another device or model may produce undesired outcomes.
• The information in this guide is provided for instructional and educational purposes only. There is no guarantee that these instructions will work under your specific and unique circumstances.
• Use these instructions at your own risk. We shall not hold any responsibility or liability for whatever happens to you or your device arising from your use of the info in this guide.
• Read and understand the whole guide first before actually performing the instructions.

Requirements

• A Verizon Galaxy Nexus SCH-I515 with unlocked bootloader and ClockworkMod Recovery
  • Check out this guide on how to unlock your Galaxy Nexus’ bootloader and flash ClockworkMod Recovery.
• Download the appropriate file for your software:
  • If you're running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, download Tinykernel 2.1.0 (tinykernel-2.0.1.zip, MD5sum:  b31943ca337c3a6b4f4ea8fc3083f502).
  • If you're running Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean, download Tinykernel 1.8.0 (tinykernel-1.8.0.zip, md5sum: c75b9931227ebe0a2983aa73efe6ad48).
• Make sure your device's battery still has at least 70% power. You don't want the device to shut down in the middle of the procedure.
• Backup all personal data on your phone to make sure you have a copy of your personal data (e.g., contacts, SMS, MMS, Internet settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and the like) in case the procedure in this guide erases such data.
  • For backup tips, check our guides on how to sync your data to the cloud and how to create local backups of your mobile data.

Instructions

1. Copy the kernel ZIP file to the phone's internal SD card.
2. Switch off your Galaxy Nexus.
3. Boot into Recovery Mode. To do this, press and hold down the Volume Up, Volume Down, and Power buttons until Fastboot Mode boots. Select Recovery.
   • Note: Use the Volume keys to navigate and the Power button to select an option.
4. Create a NANDroid backup. Select Backup and Restore > Backup.
5. Select Wipe Cache > Yes.
6. Select Advanced > Wipe Dalvik Cache > Yes.
7. Select Install ZIP from SD Card > Choose ZIP form SD Card > select the kernel file > Yes.
8. Select Go Back > Reboot System Now.

Hooray! You have successfully flashed Tinykernel on your Verizon Samsung Galaxy Nexus SCH-I515. Do you feel that your phone's performance has improved? Let us know by leaving a comment below.