How to - Install ICS on your Samsung Galaxy S II

Those owning the Samsung Galaxy S II (SGS II) have been eagerly waiting for the official release of the latest Ice Cream Sandwich update. The new OS update brings a lot of eye-candy and additional features, which can speed up the phone and make it compatible with newer app versions. Downloading the ICS update for your phone is easy and takes a few simple steps. There are two methods of implementing the ICS update for the SGS II. Here’s how.

Method 1

This method is applicable to those who have the official Android Gingerbread OS that came preinstalled with the phone. It doesn't matter if the phone was rooted or not, as long as the firmware (OS) is official. All you need to do is install the Samsung Kies utility on your PC, plug in the SGS II using the USB port and update it to the new firmware. OTA updates are also available, but if you have a slow connection, you could end up with retries and delays. The best way is to do it via the PC as it's safer and quicker. 

Download Kies and install it on your PC. If you don’t have Kies, you can download it from the Samsung website or click on this link. Once done, connect your SGS II to the PC’s USB port. Make sure you had your phone’s battery charged to at least 80 percent before attempting any updates. This will ensure your phone does not lose power while updating, and you don’t end up with a bricked device.

Backup data with Kies

Once you connect your phone to the PC, the phone’s notification bar will highlight 'MTP connection enabled'. This ensures that the drivers are successfully installed and the phone is recognized by the Kies software. Next, the Kies software will check your phone’s current firmware (OS) and highlight it on the screen that a new firmware (ICS) is available for your phone and to start the updating procedure. Before you choose to move ahead, you should ensure a backup of all your data from the phone. Press the cancel button and then click on the ‘Back-up/Restore tab in the Kies window. This will allow you to take your necessary data backups before proceeding. Choose the ones you need to back up by checking the required fields (contacts, messages, memos, call logs, etc.) and hit the back up button. Once done, you are ready to install ICS on your phone. 

Firmware update notice

Head back to the ‘Basic Information’ tab in the Kies window and click on the ‘Firmware Upgrade’ button. Follow the onscreen requirements and start the upgrade. The initial stage of the upgrading procedure involves downloading the necessary updates, which are more than around 350 MB in size. This will take time, depending on the speed of your Internet connection.