Manual Firmware Install

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.

Installation

When installing new firmware, you need a well-charged battery and the AC adapter must be plugged in. The firmware update code will not proceed otherwise.

Unsecured Machines

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

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.

Alternatively, download directly to a laptop's internal drive; connect the 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

Power cycle the laptop and press the Escape key during the startup sound to get to the 'ok' prompt. If you don't get it, try until you do. See Ok for more detail.

At the 'ok' prompt type one of the following commands:

if the downloaded file is on a USB drive

 ok flash u:\VERSION_NUM.rom

if the downloaded file is on an external SD card

 ok flash sd:\boot\VERSION_NUM.rom

if the file is on the NAND FLASH filesystem of an XO-1

 ok flash n:\boot\VERSION_NUM.rom 

if the file is on the internal SD card of an XO-1.5

 ok flash int:\boot\VERSION_NUM.rom 

(Use the dir command if you need help finding the file.)

This will only work if the XO has a well-charged battery AND is plugged in. "AC not present" means you need to plug it in.

Secured Machines

Pre-mass-production machines were almost all unsecured. Secure-mode machines 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 official (signed) firmware release.

See also

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