View source for Ok

The 'ok' prompt is the [[OFW|Open Firmware]] menu for the laptop.  At this point the laptop firmware is ready to accept commands.  The operating system is not running.

There are several methods to get to the 'ok' prompt.  The most common is to press the [[File:Esc.png]] ''Escape'' key once when the grey icon first appears after powering on.

The 'ok' prompt is not available if the laptop is secured and has no developer key.  If you have tried all these methods, then perhaps your laptop is secured and you need a "developer key".  See [[#Developer_Key_Absent|how to prove it]].  See [[Activation_and_Developer_Keys|how to unlock]].

== Unsecured ==

=== Regular ===

* [[Shutdown]] the laptop,
* Watch the display, turn on the laptop, and as soon as the grey icon appears in the centre of the display press [[File:Esc.png]] ''Escape'' key once, and the 'ok' prompt should appear within two seconds.

 OLPC D1, 1 GiB memory installed, 4 GB internal storage, S/N SHC937010AA
 OpenFirmware  CL1   Q3A39  Q3A   EC Firmware Ver:1.9.28
 
 Type 'help' for more information.
 
 ok █

=== Novice ===

This method does not rely on timing.  For when you are under stress and doing many things at the same time.

* [[Shutdown]] the laptop,
* Hold down the '✓' (check) game pad key and turn on the laptop, within four (4) seconds, a diagram of the game keys will appear with a message ''Release the game keys to continue'',
* Hold down the [[File:Esc.png]] ''Escape'' key,
* Release the '✓' (check) game pad key, and the 'ok' prompt should appear within two seconds,
* press ''enter'' to get a fresh 'ok' prompt.

 OLPC D1, 1 GiB memory installed, 4 GB internal storage, S/N SHC937010AA
 OpenFirmware  CL1   Q3A39  Q3A   EC Firmware Ver:1.9.28
 
 Type the Esc key to interrupt automatic startup
 Type 'help' for more information.
 
 ok
 ok █

=== Expert ===

* [[Shutdown]] the laptop,
* Hold down the [[File:Esc.png]] ''Escape'' key while turning on the laptop, and the 'ok' prompt should appear.

 OLPC D1, 1 GiB memory installed, 4 GB internal storage, S/N SHC937010AA
 OpenFirmware  CL1   Q3A39  Q3A   EC Firmware Ver:1.9.28
 
 Type 'help' for more information.
 
 ok █

This method sometimes doesn't work for some laptops.

== Secured ==

=== Developer Key Present ===

When a developer key is present on a secured laptop, the timing is different.  This is because device and filesystems are accessed before the escape key can be used.  The access time varies.

* [[Shutdown]] the laptop,
* Hold down the '✓' (check) game pad key and turn on the laptop, a diagram of the game keys should appear with a message ''Release the game keys to continue'',
* Release the '✓' (check) game pad key, and within ten seconds a ''Devel key   Signature valid'' message will appear, with an open padlock icon, followed by ''Type the ESC key to interrupt automatic startup'',
* Press [[File:Esc.png]] ''Escape'' key once, and the 'ok' prompt should appear immediately.
* press ''enter'' to get a fresh 'ok' prompt.

This different behaviour is another good reason to ''disable-security'' if the laptop need not be secured.

=== Developer Key Absent ===

The 'ok' prompt cannot be accessed using the keyboard if a developer key is not present on a secured laptop.

You can prove this:
* [[Shutdown]] the laptop,
* Hold down the '✓' (check) game pad key and turn on the laptop, a diagram of the game keys should appear with a message ''Release the game keys to continue'',
* Press [[File:Esc.png]] ''Escape'' key once,
* Release the '✓' (check) game pad key, and the ''Devel key   Signature valid'' message will not appear, instead a sequence of ''Trying'' lines will appear, and the laptop will try to boot.

The missing ''Devel key   Signature valid'' message proves the laptop is secured and a developer key is not present.

In recent firmware, a ''Secured, continuing'' message proves the laptop is secured and a developer key is not present.

== How do I know it worked? ==

You should see text on the screen.  There should be the word ok with a black rectangle after it.

 ok █

Press ''enter'', and a new word ok will appear and the black rectangle should move down.

When you are finished with the ok prompt, you can either turn the laptop off, or type boot and press enter.

== Alternatives ==

If the above methods do not work, you may try:
* [[upgrading firmware]], because some earlier firmware made it harder to get the ok prompt, or
* attach a [[serial adapter]] between the XO and another computer, and during startup press the Escape key on the other computer.

== Technical Data ==

The firmware only checks for the [[File:Esc.png]] ''Escape'' key for a short time during the [[Startup sound]].  It is possible for the volume to have been turned down so that you cannot hear the sound, see [[Startup sound#How to enable]] to fix.

This 'ok' prompt is called a command line interface (CLI), and the black rectangle (█) is a cursor.

Normally it is hidden, which is why you have to do special things to get to it.

== Learn More ==

You might only have needed the 'ok' prompt for a specific task.  But there's way more.  To learn how to use the 'ok' prompt fully, see [[Forth Lessons]].

[[Category:Firmware]]
[[Category:XO startup]]