WiKi's and Software Installation Notes

[YoDude]

The following links are to WiKi's maintained and hosted by maemo.org The Home of the Maemo Community, where you will find more information on what Maemo software is, how to develop with Maemo, and how to make your development work available to users.

Beginner

• New users

• Downloading Applications

• Frequently asked questions

• More beginner topics...

Power user

• Help testing software

• Getting root access

• Extras repository

• Updating the tablet firmware

• More tutorials

• More power user topics...

Developer

• Maemo 5.0 (Fremantle) documentation

• Porting your application

• Maemo Cross Reference

• Developer frequently asked questions

• Help create stock answers for bugs

• More developer topics...

On maemo.nokia.com you fill find more general information about the N900 mobile computer powered by Maemo.


***

(This a draft message for a locked sticky thread that we may all use for reference. Some text will be replaced with links to additional information as it becomes available.)

The Maemo 5 operation system comes preloaded with a variety of core applications. Beginning with Diablo and continuing with Fremantle (Maemo5) a user can receive "over-the-air" updates to the live system. This over the air "Seamless Software Update" or SSU method also decouples bundled software updates from the major system updates as was required with the previous flash-based software update method. This now allows Nokia the ability to release more frequent updates to individual packages than it had before.

Nokia expects that the open source community will play a large part in the development of applications for Maemo 5.

Maemo uses an on device “Application Manager” that will notify you of updates to installed software and allow you to browse and install new software from pre-loaded and user loaded software catalogues. These catalogues or “repositories” will provide any needed dependant files required by new software or updates.

Now here is the rub…

Only official Nokia or stable repositories from maemo.org should be installed by the average end user. 3rd party repositories and repositories and catalogues with “eval”, “evaluation”, “devel”, or “developer” in their name should be avoided by the average end user as the software they contain may:

• Fill memory because they ignore recommendations for installing big files in the internal memory. (read more)

• Significantly shorten use times because the widgets or apps do not take advantage of proper power management techniques.

These examples are not because of developer malice or ineptitude but may simply be because that is why some of these repositories are made available in the first place… for development. They are not for use by the average end user.

It is easy to get caught up in new user enthusiasm and although the “Application Manager” usually warns the user when new catalogues are being installed, it is easy to click through these warnings or overlook them as yet another long licensing agreement or credits page.

A method to restore to all factory defaults will also be provided in this thread as the information becomes available.

Errors and Omissions: This thread will remain closed so that it can provide this relevant information quickly. I can always be reached by Private Message if corrections or additions are required.

[YoDude]

Right now the best place to find applications from stable Nokia (OVI store) and community (maemo.org) repositories is from Maemo Select.

You can browse to the page with your N900 and simply click on the "download" link for an app or widget that you want. An install script should then open the Application Manager on your device, add the stable repository from downloads.maemo.nokia.com or repository.maemo.org/extras/ to the list of application catalogs monitored by your device, and begin installation and you will be good to go.

One of the first apps that I became actively involved in beta testing from the Maemo community was OMweather or "Other" Maemo Weather... The developers were very quick to correct reported bugs and were responsive to community enhancement requests. Their devotion and attention to detail can be seen in their latest release for the N900.

OMweather is a desktop widget for the Nokia N900 that shows the current weather as well as forecasts for the next 10 days. Humidity, pressure, wind, gust and other parameters are also displayed in addition to the temperature. And you can choose whether these parameters are shown in metric or imperial units.

OMweather works with the built-in GPS receiver to give you automatic updates from the weather station closest to you.

[YoDude]

How to update your N900's Firmware
(Please read this post completely)

Nokia releases updates to Maemo devices OTA (over the air), using SSU (Seamless Software Update). This will show as a small orange box blinking in your tray, and will update different parts of your device, without the need for a computer and without erasing any of your data.

However, if you find the need to "re-flash" the device there are options available.

One of the beauties of this device is that generally, no matter how bad you screw up, you can restore your N900 to its factory fresh state in about 20 minutes. You will need to download two things in order to accomplish this:

- First download and install the appropriate flasher for your desktop environment from here >> http://tablets-dev.nokia.com/maemo-d...-downloads.php
The file maemo_flasher-3.5_2.5.2.2.exe is the installation package for Windows 7, XP and Vista (x86, 32-bit)


- Once it is downloaded (I keep a copy in a N900 folder on my Windows desktop) click on this exe file and it will install. The default directory it will install to in Windows is C:\Program Files\maemo\flasher-3.5


- After the installation cruise over to this directory with Windows File Explorer and create a shortcut to it in the N900 folder you created on your Windows desktop .

Note: You will need Windows administrator privileges and your Windows folder options > view should be set to “show hidden files, folders, and drives”.


- Next you will need to download the appropriate firmware image from here >> http://tablets-dev.nokia.com/nokia_N900.php
By entering your IMEI in the box provided.

An easier way to find your IMEA on the N900 is to go to: settings and select “about product”

The latest “global” firmware file is RX-51_2009SE_10.2010.19-1_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin

Specific variants can also be found there for other regions but unless you have a subsidized phone (UK) or need that regions language files, it is best to use the global image (USA English language files are included in the global package).


- Once the firmware image is downloaded to your Windows machine, move it to same directory that now contains the newly installed flasher.


- Now, run the back-up utility on your N900 and create a fresh back-up, make sure your battery is fully charged and you will be ready to begin.


- Create a new text file in your N900 windows folder and call it flash instructions or suttin’


- In that new text file copy and paste the following:

1. Open the Command Prompt (Start then Run or hit the Windows Logo key + R) and type cmd in the box then press Enter.

(Once the C:\Windoes\system32\cmd.exe DOS box opens on your Windows desktop right click on the title bar and make sure that the “Insert Mode” box is checked in properties > options

2. Change the directory to the Flasher's path by copying and pasting the following command after the DOS prompt (you may have to hit the enter key after doing so):


cd "%ProgramFiles%\maemo\flasher-3.5"


(Your DOS prompt should have now changed to something like this: c:\Program Files\maemo\flasher-3.5> )

3. Unplug the charger from your freshly charged and backed up N900

4. Hold the u key on the device keyboard and connect the USB cable from your Windows machine at the same time. Once the USB icon can be seen in upper right hand corner of the dimmed screen on your N900, release the “u” key.

5. Flash your N900 by copying and pasting the following command after the c:\Program Files\maemo\flasher-3.5> DOS prompt (you may have to hit the enter key after doing so):


flasher-3.5.exe -F RX-51_2009SE_10.2010.19-1_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin -f -R


(Note: Change [RX-51_2009SE_10.2010.19-1_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin] to appropriate file name if another image is used. )

- Now, simply follow the instructions in your new text file and you should see something like this after rapidly scrolling to a stop:

(Screen shot is from an earlier flash and does not show the current firmware)

(If the Windows display dims and a security box pops up, do not freak, do not unplug the USB, do not adjust your set. Simply click "yes" or whatever in the pop up and rock on.)


- After you see “CMT flashed successfully” and a DOS prompt you can unplug the USB cable and the N900 should reboot. You can then follow the N900’s on screen instructions in order to restore your back-up.

REGARD: If you use programs from the “Developer” or “Testing” repos DO NOT enable these catalogues just yet as the restore routine may pull newer unstable versions of the programs you were using.

Instead let the restore run its course and try out your newly flashed device. You can go back latter and simply enable these catalogs one at a time and click on the App Managers title bar and hit restore again. Any missing programs that you had used from these repos will now show up.


Also: The above instructions do not include an eMMC flash. If you are not experiencing some very specific issues you will not need to flash the eMMC as this will overwrite all your personal data not stored on a removable memory card. If you still feel an eMMC flash is necessary please open a related thread on the subject in our forum and I’m sure we will all pitch in to help.

[YoDude]

•1 General shortcuts

•2 Conversations

•3 General gestures

•4 Xterm Shortcuts

•5 Web browser Shortcuts

•6 Web Browser Gestures

•7 E-mail client

•8 RSS Reader

•9 Evince PDF Reader

•10 Mozilla Firefox (formally known as fennec)

WiKi Here >> http://wiki.maemo.org/N900_shortcuts_and_gestures