Manual Firmware Install

From OLPC

Note: Many firmware pages transclude this page to provide installation instructions, providing a version in place of VERSION_NUM; see e.g. OLPC Firmware q2e15.

[edit] Installation

When installing new firmware, you must have a well-charged battery and the AC adapter plugged in. The firmware update code will not proceed otherwise. Possible error messages are:

[edit] Unsecured Laptop

This section is for unsecured laptops. Most XO-1.5 and XO-1.75 laptops are unsecured. Most developer XO laptops are unsecured. To unsecure your laptop, follow the instructions at Activation and Developer Keys.

You may install using either:

• a USB drive or SD card,
• the laptop's internal drive,
• a network.

Choose one.

[edit] Using a USB drive or SD card

• download the firmware from http://dev.laptop.org/pub/firmware/VERSION_NUM/VERSION_NUM.rom and save it to a USB drive or SD card,

• shutdown the laptop,

• check the battery is inserted and locked,

• check that the power cord is in place and the battery indicator is green,

• insert the USB drive or SD card,

• turn on the laptop, and get to the 'ok' prompt. See Ok for more detail. You should see:

ok

• if the downloaded file is on a USB drive, type:

 ok flash u:\VERSION_NUM.rom

• if the downloaded file is on an external SD card:

 ok flash sd:\boot\VERSION_NUM.rom

• wait for the laptop to reboot itself,

• remove the USB drive or SD card.

(Expert users may remove the USB drive after the message "Got firmware" ... at this stage the file has been read and closed.)

[edit] Using the laptop internal drive

An alternate method is to download the firmware file to the laptop internal drive and then install from the internal drive.

• start the laptop,

• connect to a wireless or wired network,

• start the Terminal Activity and type:

su
cd /versions/boot/current/boot/
wget http://dev.laptop.org/pub/firmware/VERSION_NUM/VERSION_NUM.rom

• shutdown the laptop,

• check the battery is inserted and locked,

• check that the power cord is in place and the battery indicator is green,

• turn on the laptop, and get to the 'ok' prompt. See Ok for more detail. You should see:

ok

• if the downloaded file is on an XO-1, type:

 ok flash n:\boot\VERSION_NUM.rom 

• if the file is on the internal SD card of an XO-1.5 or XO-1.75:

 ok flash int:\boot\VERSION_NUM.rom

[edit] Using a network

You will need a compatible USB to ethernet adapter, or an open or WEP wireless access point, connected to the internet.

• shutdown the laptop,

• check the battery is inserted and locked,

• check that the power cord is in place and the battery indicator is green,

• turn on the laptop, and get to the 'ok' prompt. See Ok for more detail. You should see:

ok

• if using wireless, type the essid of the wireless network:

ok wifi mynetwork

• if using a WEP wireless access point, type the WEP key for the network:

ok wep yourWepKeyInHexadecimal

• type the flash command using the download link above, but change all slash characters so they are backwards, for example:

ok flash http:\\dev.laptop.org\pub\firmware\VERSION_NUM\VERSION_NUM.rom

[edit] Secured Laptop

Secured laptops can only use flash firmware that has been signed. All mass-production machines had the latest signed firmware at the time of manufacture installed.

Upgrading firmware describes how to upgrade to a newer signed firmware release.

[edit] See also

• Cheat codes for information about how game buttons control startup options.