USB update to 8.2

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with No-fail update. (Discuss)

These instructions are designed for new users.

• For a longer set of instructions without images, see No-fail update.
• For Advanced users, see the Clean-install procedure page also.
• [version in .PDF].

What you need

• 

  a USB drive already loaded with Sugar upgrade files
  how to make or get one

• 

  an XO laptop

• 

  power charger for the XO laptop

Let's do it! in 3 easy steps

Important

re-flashing your XO will erase everything on it!

(which might be exactly what you want if you are donating your XO, for example)

1) Prepare

• 

  Start with your XO turned off
  
  _{what if it doesn't turn off}

• 

  plug your XO to a power source.

• 

  plug the USB drive into any one of the three USB ports.

2) Go

• 

  hold down all four gamepad keys (on the right side of the screen, above the power button).
  be sure to get all four.

• 

  while still holding the four gamepad keys, push the power button to turn the XO on.
  You may need your other hand to do this.
  
  Let go the power button or the XO will turn off again

• 

  keep holding down the four gamepad keys until the message "Release the game key to continue" appears on the screen.
  This will happen fairly quickly, a couple seconds at most.
  _{what if I don't get that message}

3) Done

• 

  Release the gamepad keys.
  
  If you see a grid of black and other colored boxes on your screen, congratulations!
  
  Your XO is reflashing.

• 

  Just sit back and let it do its thing.
  
  It will take about 10 minutes

• 

  your XO will automatically reboot when it is done.
  
  Your XO may reboot twice, playing the little XO tune both times.

• 

  it will reboot automatically and ask you for a name, as if it were brand new.
  
  _{what if it doesn't reboot}

What can go wrong

The XO does not turn off

• In extreme cases of software failure you may need to remove the power source and the battery if any light keeps flashing in your XO.

Less than four stars in "Release the game keys" message

possibly you didn't get all the game keys at once

• power off again
• with your thumb over the four game keys, and your fingers behind the case, press slowly, listening for four clicks, keep the pressure on, then turn on the power
• press slightly harder on any of the game keys that isn't showing a star
• once all four stars are shown, release the keys

No "Release the game keys" message

possibly no keys were pressed at the time the power went on

• power off again
• go back to Prepare

possibly the USB connection has issues

• Try plugging in the USB drive to another XO port

If after trying several times this doesn't work, suspect the USB drive is bad

• replace

No grid

If you got the "Release game key" message, but no grid after a couple minutes,

• try another USB port. If still no go, suspect the USB drive or files on it - replace

Black grid with various yellow squares turning on and off

• you pressed the cursor keys on the left instead of the game keys on the right
• try again

No reboot

If you got the "Release game key" message, then the grid, but no reboot,

• remove the USB drive, reboot manually
• If no result after a couple minutes, try again from the start with another USB port.

If still no go, suspect the USB drive

• replace

Where to get a USB drive with a Sugar update

Make your own

You will need a 512 MB or larger USB drive. Some people have reported issues with sticks over 4 Gb, but not with firmware versions after 2009.

• No-fail_update

Usually works. Includes instructions for updating Activities if you have wireless.

• Clean-install_procedure

Making your own can get messy sometimes, like with U3 and such. This page has all the nitty gritty.

if donating your XO to Bolivia

If donating your XO to Bolivia, Yama Ploskonka will send you a USB. yama at netoso.com

to do

• Illustrated instructions for downloading files
• Instructions for updating activities right after an update (from No-fail update)