Rooting Google Nexus One is like jailbreaking iPhone,  the only difference is that rooting is done on Android based smartphone devices while jailbreaking is used to unlock Apple products only. By Rooting Nexus One, one can get full access to the file system on the phone. Additionally rooting a phone helps users to change and modify the phone operating system, firmware, install custom apps, themes, personalize the way user wants and various hacks can also be enabled such as multi-touch.

Using a custom ROM for Nexus One called Superboot, developed by Paul, the device can be rooted. For retail Google Nexus One, the phone might have came with a locked bootloader, that you need to unlock first to gain access to the file system on Android 2.1 OS. Google Nexus One users need to unlock bootloader of N1 with a command issued via fastbook.

Rooting Google Nexus One

How to Unlock Google Nexus One Bootloader

• Download and extract fastboot.zip file (for Windows, Linux and Mac)
• Run a command prompt or terminal at the directory which the fastboot was extracted
• Type and run one of the following commands according to your OS:

fastboot-windows oem unlock
./fastboot-mac oem unlock
./fastboot-linux oem unlock

• Select Yes to unlock bootloader and void your warranty

How to Root or Jailbreak Google Nexus One

• Download Superboot.zip file and extract to a directory
• Turn off the phone >> press and hold the trackball to enter the bootloader mode (Else, you can also turn off the phone >> remove the battery >> plug in a powered USB cable >> Once the battery icon appears on the phone screen, replace battery >> tap the power button while holding the “Camera” key
• Now let’s proceed to the jailbreaking steps:

For Windows – Double click on install-superboot-windows.bat file in the extracted Superboot folder

For Mac OS X – Open a terminal window to the directory containing the Superboot files, and run the following commands:

chmod +x install-superboot-mac.sh
./install-superboot-mac.sh

For Linux – Open a terminal window to the directory containing the files, and run the following commands:

chmod +x install-superboot-linux.sh
./install-superboot-linux.sh

• You are done. [via]