Talk:Autoreinstallation image

Downgrading to an older OS image if desired (optional)

If you need to downgrade to a previous version of the OS image for testing purposes, edit the boot/olpcboot.fth file and change both the test of current version and file used by copy-nand. For example, to force a downgrade to build 193:

• change: os-build# d# NNN < [if]
• to: os-build# d# 193 = not [if]
• change: disk:\boot\nandNNN.img
• to: disk:\boot\nand193.img

How do we determine what the current version of the flash and image are?

The current version of your firmware is displayed on the screen at power-on (e.g. Q2B73). Each OS image contains its own build ID in /boot/olpc_build (e.g. 385). You can also see the OS image version in the Developer Console (from a graphical screen, press Alt-= .) It's supposed to show the firmware revision too, but on my machine it says "None".

How are we to know the pros and cons of each version?

The name of each autoreinstallation image includes the name of the software release as well as the name of the firmware release. E.g. olpc303_b76.zip includes software release 303 and firmware release B76. There is no good documentation for the individual software builds, but see generally the OLPC Software Release Notes. Each firmware release has a page that describes the improvements in it; see for example OLPC Firmware Q2B76. You can see an index of all firmware-related pages, including all the release notes, at Category:Firmware.

How does this interoperate with bitfrost? Will a reinstalled laptop need to be re-activated?

Bitfrost isn't written yet, so there is no "activation"; laptops just work all the time, like ordinary (non-DRM'd) computers.

My disk is not detected because it takes too long to spin up

If firmware does not see it, but probe-usb from the ok prompt does... just do probe-usb followed by boot. In later firmware revs, more time has been allocated between power-up and accessing USB drives. Please report a bug in TRAC if your USB drive doesn't work cleanly with the latest firmware version.

How to force an autoreinstallation

Suppose, for giggles, one wants to force an autoreinstallation; maybe to revert a B2 to its as-delivered state. How does one achieve that? (I know I can edit the boot file and lie about the firmware or bootrom versions, but that seems---well---like lying! I guess I'm suggesting there should be a more direct way like a boot argument or something.)