Returning N900 as it was - maemo.org

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KFX	2012-11-14 , 08:33
Posts: 28 \| Thanked: 22 times \| Joined on Nov 2012	#1

I'm about to purchase a used N900. Is there a step-by-step procedure for returning the device, memory and all, to its original state, the way it came from the factory?

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demolition	2012-11-14 , 08:41
Posts: 560 \| Thanked: 422 times \| Joined on Mar 2011	#2

Look in the Wiki for a procedure called "flashing". Nothing rude, just the name for copying the filesystem template (and all the basic bits of the OS) on to the device.

If you get stuck, by all means post back. But, the Wiki is very reliable on this.

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michaaa62	2012-11-14 , 08:55
Posts: 2,102 \| Thanked: 1,937 times \| Joined on Sep 2008 @ Berlin, Germany	#3

FIRST make sure the USB is working, because this is needed to flash the firmware after wiping the old settings, applications and setup.

Read the wiki entry http://wiki.maemo.org/Updating_the_tablet_firmware about flashing the firmware to know what you are doing and to get the files and applications for your PC.

Install rootsh to be able to perform the removal from the X-Terminal application in HildonApplicationManager from the extras repository.Then open X-Terminal and run these commands

Code:

rm -rf /home/user/MyDocs
rm -rf *.*
sudo gainroot
cd /
rm -rf /etc
rm -rf /var/*
rm -rf /root
rm -rfv /

This command will give some output, but will finally just stop. Shut down the phone or pull the battery. Then follow the procedure for your PC's OS to flash the firmware and the Vanilla-EMMC according to the wiki entry.

Edit: The commands part above is unnecessary, sorry for that confusion.

Last edited by michaaa62; 2012-11-15 at 14:57.

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abuelmagd	2012-11-14 , 09:19
Posts: 85 \| Thanked: 38 times \| Joined on Sep 2010 @ Canada	#4

there's a program in the repos called healthcheck. it allows you to fully check the device. it is extremely useful.

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anthonie	2012-11-14 , 12:36
Posts: 1,048 \| Thanked: 1,127 times \| Joined on Jan 2010 @ Amsterdam	#5

Originally Posted by michaaa62

Edit: This may sound complicated, but lots of setting and even applications survive a flash in /etc and /opt folders.

How does that actually work, the surviving part, I mean?

__________________
download free linux books
online linux guides
download n900: service manual level 1-4

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michaaa62	2012-11-14 , 12:41
Posts: 2,102 \| Thanked: 1,937 times \| Joined on Sep 2008 @ Berlin, Germany	#6

Originally Posted by anthonie

How does that actually work, the surviving part, I mean?

There is nothing to survive!!!
The N900 will be flashed afterwards to fresh new PR1.3.

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vi_	2012-11-14 , 12:52
Posts: 1,680 \| Thanked: 3,685 times \| Joined on Jan 2011	#7

Originally Posted by michaaa62

FIRST make sure the USB is working, because this is needed to flash the firmware after wiping the old settings, applications and setup.

Read the wiki entry http://wiki.maemo.org/Updating_the_tablet_firmware about flashing the firmware to know what you are doing and to get the files and applications for your PC.

Install rootsh to be able to perform the removal from the X-Terminal application in HildonApplicationManager from the extras repository.Then open X-Terminal and run these commands
Code:
rm -rf /home/user/MyDocs
rm -rf *.*
sudo gainroot
cd /
rm -rf /etc
rm -rf /var/*
rm -rf /root
rm -rfv /
This command will give some output, but will finally just stop. Shut down the phone or pull the battery. Then follow the procedure for your PC's OS to flash the firmware and the Vanilla-EMMC according to the wiki entry.

Edit: This may sound complicated, but lots of setting and even applications survive a flash in /etc and /opt folders.

If you simply perform a flash of the eMMC and rootfs as per the instructions on the wiki, none of these commands are relevant.

A reflash COMPLETELY wipes everything.

__________________

N900: One of God's own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live, and too rare to die.

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HELLASISGREECE	2012-11-14 , 13:10
Posts: 896 \| Thanked: 978 times \| Joined on Feb 2011 @ Greece, Athens	#8

flash it to PR1.3 and then do an apt-get update & apt-get upgrade in order to get PR1.3.1 (fall 2011. last N900 official update)

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reinob	2012-11-14 , 14:00
Posts: 1,808 \| Thanked: 4,272 times \| Joined on Feb 2011 @ Germany	#9

Originally Posted by michaaa62

There is nothing to survive!!!
The N900 will be flashed afterwards to fresh new PR1.3.

You said

lots of setting and even applications survive a flash in /etc and /opt folders

so a lot of people (including me) are wondering if you can provide more information about this.

/etc is part of the rootfs, which AFAIK is completely re-written by NOLO during flashing.

/opt itself is also part of the rootfs, but is usually bind-mounted to /home/opt, which is part of the eMMC. I would also expect that eMMC flashing would completely rewrite the eMMC, but have not actually investigated how this flashing is exactly done (it's not done by NOLO, but by Maemo itself.)

so if you know something we don't (still) know, please share it