The Galaxy Nexus is the first smartphone to feature full-fledged Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. As a Google Experience Device, it is also bound to be the first in line for upgrades to the Android operating system.

Thanks to the official updates that Samsung is spearheading, the Galaxy Nexus also gets the royal treatment with the latest (leaked but official) Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich update.

However, in most cases, for every brand new official update that rolls out, older methods of rooting your device become obsolete. In the case of the Galaxy Nexus, updating your device to the latest Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich will eventually void your root privileges.

However, there’s a workaround to rooting the Galaxy Nexus without your having to downgrade your device. XDA Developers member adrynalyne authored a patch that enables Galaxy Nexus users to root their device running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich.

In this tutorial, we're going to teach you how to root your Galaxy Nexus running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich.

Important Reminders

Take note that rooting your device will void your device’s warranty. Additionally, if the rooting process fails to root your device, there is a slim chance that you could damage your phone.  Please use the instructions with caution and at your own risk.  We shall not be responsible for any damage or loss because of your use of these instructions.

Requirements

• Verizon Galaxy Nexus (CDMA variant) running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich.
• ADB and Fastboot installed on your computer.
• Make sure that your device has at least 70% of battery left so it won’t get switched off during the installation process.
• Disable antivirus software and other tools that could disrupt the installation process.

Instructions

1. Download the su ZIP package (su.zip) from here or here. Save the file to your computer.
2. Download the ClockworkMod (CWM) Recovery 5.5.0.4 image for the Galaxy Nexus CDMA from here or here. Save the file to your computer.
3. Copy the CWM image file into the same folder where adb.exe and fastboot.exe are located on your computer.
4. Enable your phone’s USB debugging mode by going to “Settings > Applications > Development”. Make sure that there is a check mark beside USB Debugging.
5. Connect your phone to your PC via USB cable.
6. Copy su.zip into the root of your phone's SD card..
7. Launch a command prompt (DOS prompt) on your computer and issue the following commands:
   • adb reboot bootloader
   • fastboot flash recovery recovery-clockwork-5.5.0.4-toro.img
8. Using your phone’s Volume keys, select the option “Recovery Mode” and press the Power button to confirm the selection. This should boot your device to ClockworkMod Recovery.
9. Once inside ClockworkMod Recovery,  select “install zip from sd card”, then select “choose zip from sd card”. Browse the contents of your SD card and select the file named “su.zip” to manually flash the su binaries to your Galaxy Nexus.
10. Wait for the installation process to finish.
11. Select “++++Go Back++++”, then select “reboot system now” to reboot your phone.

To verify if you have root access or not, you can download the Superuser app in the Android Market for free.

Congratulations! You successfully rooted your Galaxy Nexus CDMA running Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich. Enjoy the benefits of having a rooted device.