Hello. I recently got a Nokia n800 tablet and I am running OS 2008 at the moment. While I am finding my way around the device well enough, I did have some questions that I cannot find easy answers for. While I can find some answers, the answers are out of date and somewhat confusing...

So, after I install OpenSSH server, I can set the root password. When I try to use sudo, it doesn't work at all. If I try sudo gainroot then I get yelled at that I am not in R&D mode and that I would only want to enter that mode if I want to break my device (nice warning about root...). When trying to figure out what that is all about, I have seen talk of a program that allows you to enter blue pill and red pill modes but I haven't heard much about what that was talking about either.

So, can anybody summarize? Also, can I become root without using SSH to do so?

Hi.

After installing OpenSSH server, you can "ssh root@localhost" to enter root shell.

Command sudo asks for user password, not root's. There is no user password set by default, but you can define one by yourself in root shell with command "passwd user". You also have to define which programs the user may run with sudo. This is done by editing /etc/sudoers file. For example, if you want to be able to enter root mode with using su (writing "sudo su -"), you could write the following in root shell:

This adds a line in the end of /etc/sudoers file, which allows you to use command su with root permissions. You will be asked for your password every time you use this. If you don't want to write your password, you should write instead:


Gainroot is a script, which is supposed to let you in root shell without installing SSH server. As you already noticed, this normally works only if you have enabled special R&D mode when flashing the OS to your tablet. However, you can install a package called "becomeroot". This edits the gainroot script so it works even without R&D mode enabled.

Red Pill mode is a hidden feature in the Application Manager. It gives you more options, for example you can install software which is not in "user" category. However you should remember that in Red Pill mode it is possible to break package dependencies and brick your device.

You can make sudo ask for the password of the user to which you are changing instead of the one from which you are changing. This can be achieved by putting
to the beginning of /etc/sudoers. Then you can sudo to root even if user doesn't have a password.

If you install this package, you will be able to become root from the Xterm without needing to SSH. Excert from Milhouse's Cloning OS to SD card thread.

After that is installed, from the Xterm you can simply type sudo gainroot. The previous error message you got will no longer occur, and you will drop into root. Works fine in OS2008 even though those distros are for OS2007 and OS2006 respectively (I think).

I can't believe there is software which would 'brick the device'. It can't so anything a re-flash of the OS won't cure can it?

Well, there really isn't at the moment, but a user who doesn't know what they're doing certainly can.

GeneralAntilles, would you please clarify. Are you saying that the device can be bricked such that even re-flashing it will not be a cure?

(As a Red Pill Mode user who doesn't know what he's doing , I sure hope the answer is No!)

Well, yes, but the chances of somebody stumbling upon it by accident are about zero.

Am I correct in that the only way you could brick your device was to somehow mess up the boot loader for the device (and thus prevent it from ever getting to the reflashing point)?

AIUI, yes.