036df02739
Explicitly document the need to install a flasher tool and point to the download sites. 'flasher-3.5' isn't a well known command, and with the demise of the official distribution sites, it's become hard to find. Also describe how to do the same thing with 0xFFFF, the free software replacement for maemo_flasher.
177 line
5.2 KiB
Plaintext
177 line
5.2 KiB
Plaintext
Documentation of RescueOS
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=========================
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RescueOS is a rescue solution for the Nokia N900, distributed
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as an initrd image. It has several features, most
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notable:
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mounting maemo /
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EMMC access(can mount maemo home and MyDocs partition)
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Lock code reset
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WiFi support
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USB mass-storage mode
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USB networking
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Battery charging
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Users must be familiar with the Linux console.
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This project is _NOT_ the meego rescue initrd.
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How does it work?
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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The flasher utility loads rescueOS. This makes it unnecessary
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to modify the bootloader or maemo's /sbin/preinit like other solutions do.
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By using the "-l" option, we do not flash the kernel or initrd image.
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It only loads the kernel into RAM. No modification on
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the NAND or bootloader happens.
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Use cases
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~~~~~~~~
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In fact, most users do not need it. Either way, possible use cases:
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-Changing typos in bootscripts which prevent an operation system
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(e.g. maemo) to boot.
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-Creating a backup of files before starting a reflash. But should have existed
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anyway, correct?
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-Charging the battery (when maemo is dead).
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-Modification of the EMMC partitions and partition table.
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-Backing up & Restoring maemo rootfs.
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-fsck file system checks
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-Resetting the lock code (without reflashing)
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-and more...
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Booting RescueOS
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Note: You can not store persistent data in / as everything happens in RAM. Of
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course, it becomes possible when you mount the EMMC or sd card on the
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corresponding mountpoint.
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Note: It comes without any promises and without any warranty. Therefore you
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are doing everything at your own risk.
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To load RescueOS onto an N900, you'll need a USB data cable, a PC, and one of
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the following flashers:
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- 0xFFFF - the Open Free Fiasco Firmware Flasher
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Free/open source, but only runs on GNU/Linux.
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Packaged for Ubuntu and Debian as '0xffff':
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http://packages.ubuntu.com/source/0xffff
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https://packages.debian.org/sid/0xffff
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Discussion: http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=87996
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Source repo: https://github.com/pali/0xFFFF
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- maemo_flasher v3.5 - the original proprietary flasher from Nokia
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Windows, MacOS, GNU/Linux
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Official distribution site is gone. Archive copies at:
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https://web.archive.org/web/20131117084237/http://skeiron.org/tablets-dev/maemo_dev_env_downloads/
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Documentation:
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http://wiki.maemo.org/Documentation/Maemo_5_Developer_Guide/Development_Environment/Maemo_Flasher-3.5
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Switch the N900 completely off. If it is plugged into a charger, a PC, or
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anything else by its USB port, unplug it and wait about 10 seconds to give the
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charger software time to shut down. Don't connect it to the PC just yet.
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Startup the flasher and get it ready to load RescueOS. For 0xFFFF, the
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incantation is:
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0xFFFF -m kernel:zImage -m initfs:rootfs.cramfs -l -b 'rootdelay root=/dev/ram0'
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For maemo_flasher, it's:
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flasher-3.5 -k zImage -n rootfs.cramfs -l -b"rootdelay root=/dev/ram0"
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You'll get a message like "suitable device not found...", but the flasher
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should block and wait. Now connect the N900 to the PC with the data cable; the
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flasher should detect the device, upload RescueOS, launch it, and then exit.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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How to use it
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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It boots and you get a bash shell.
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The folder /rescueOS/ contains some scripts for various tasks. Not all of them
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are completed yet. They help you with the usual stuff, e.g. mass-storage
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mode, maemo root mounting, usbnetworking, WiFi setup etc.
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Mounting maemo root
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-------------------
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/rescueOS/mount-maemo-root.sh
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This scripts mounts the maemo root to /mnt/maemo.
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/rescueOS/umount-maemo-root.sh
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Lock code reset
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---------------
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code_reset
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# This will set the lock code back to the default ('12345').
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USB Networking
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-------------
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/rescueOS/usbnetworking-enable.sh
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Sets up USB networking in the following way:
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ifconfig usb0 192.168.2.15 up
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ifconfig usb0 netmask 255.255.255.0
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route add 192.168.2.14 usb0
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To disable it: /rescueOS/usbnetworking-disable.sh
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USB Mass-Storage mode
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--------------------
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/rescueOS/mass-storage-enable.sh
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Makes the first 2 EMMC partitions available for the mass-storage
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mode. Known as /home/ and /home/user/MyDocs inside maemo.
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/rescueOS/mass-storage-disable.sh: Deactivates mass-storage mode.
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WiFi support
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------------
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It has wpa_supplicant, but without EAP support. This should be ok for
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most home networks which use a PSK.
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Give the following a try:
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wpa_passphrase [essid] [password] > /run/wlan.conf
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sh /rescueOS/setup-wpa-wifi.sh
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For DHCP:
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udhcpc -i wlan0.
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Battery charging
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----------------
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By using ShadowJK's charge21 script. Use it only with the wallcharger,
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as it pulls 950 mA, and USB is not designed for that
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(some ports can do it though, don't try if in doubt.)
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/rescueOS/charge21.bash
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Shutdown
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--------
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poweroff
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Root password
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-------------
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rootme
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How to transfer files
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=====================
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It asks you on boot whether an FTP Server should be started.
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This will have anonymous up and download permissions everywhere.
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Then you can connect to it once USB networking or a WLAN connection
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has been established, using any FTP client. For downloads, most browsers
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can be used.
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Alternatively, use mass-storage mode.
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Contributions and suggestions are welcome. Write to me (NIN101 on freenode or TMO. E-Mail: n900-rescueos at quitesimple period org).
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