OLPC Firmware q3a09

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OLPC Firmware Release q3a09 - 2009-08-21

Download: q3a09.rom

Changes since q3a08

• B-test support
• Changed devalias names. Internal drive (SD or IDE) is "int" or "c", external is still "sd" (or "ext").
• Automatically created alias "last" refers to the previously used boot device; useful in olpc.fth scripts.
• Various bug fixes for suspend/resume support under OFW
• IDE driver less susceptible to hanging when device errors occur
• OFW idles the CPU while waiting for input, thus saving power
• Improved console multiplexing; you can use a USB keyboard and the builtin keyboard simultaneously
• Serial is enabled only if the jumper is installed or if the machine is A-test
• Tethered SPI recovery support (clone and recover commands)
• Linux command lines can now exceed 256 characters - 1024 is the new limit
• EMACS is now present in the XO-1.5 firmware

EC code is version 1.9.8

• B1 support

Which Firmware Do You Have?

If your machine is not in secure mode, the firmware version is displayed in the startup banner, as in:

 OLPC XO 1.5, 1 GiB memory installed, S/N SHF7250024D
 OpenFirmware  CL1   Q3A04 Q3A
                     ^^^^^

If your machine is in secure mode, you can go to the Terminal activity and type

 cat /ofw/openprom/model

If your machine is in secure mode but the OS will not start, just go ahead and try to upgrade the firmware anyway. The procedure is safe and will not do anything if you already have up-to-date firmware.

You can see the firmware version in secure mode by powering up with the "check" game button held down.

You can also go to the main Sugar screen, click on the little man and select "about this XO"

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:

error message	how to fix
AC not present	plug in the power cord, check the battery LED is on, then try again.
No external power	plug in the power cord, check the battery LED is on, then try again,
No battery	plug in the battery, check the latches, then try again, or try another battery,
Battery low	allow more time for the battery to charge, then try again, or try another battery.

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.

Using a USB drive or SD card

• download the firmware from http://dev.laptop.org/pub/firmware/q3a09/q3a09.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:

 flash u:\q3a09.rom

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

 flash sd:\boot\q3a09.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.)

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/q3a09/q3a09.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:

flash n:\boot\q3a09.rom

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

flash int:\boot\q3a09.rom

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:

essid mynetwork

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

wpa passphrase

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

flash http:\\dev.laptop.org\pub\firmware\q3a09\q3a09.rom

Secured Laptop

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

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

See also

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