General precautions

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The point of this article is to give guidelines how to avoid tablet "reflashing" (see definition below). Yes, Maemo has command line access and everybody can gain superuser priviledges easily. With great power comes great responsibility. The base system can of course be installed again, aka "reflashed". If you are interested in reflashing and want to know more, please read article [[Updating the tablet firmware]]
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The point of this article is to give guidelines how to avoid tablet "reflashing" (see definition below). Yes, Maemo has command line access and everybody can gain superuser priviledges easily. With great power comes great responsibility. The base system can of course be installed again, aka "reflashed". If you are interested in reflashing and want to know more, please read the article on [[updating the firmware]]
== How to stay safe ==
== How to stay safe ==
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Staying in the safe side is rather easy. Install only signed software with software installer, and don't open the command line application (xterm).  
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Staying on the safe side is rather easy. Install only signed software with the Application Manager, and do not open the command line application (xterm).  
X Term should only be opened if you know what you are/intend to do.  
X Term should only be opened if you know what you are/intend to do.  
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'''DO NOT EXPERIMENT IN XTERM! READ UP ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING IF YOU HAVE THE SLIGHTEST DOUBTS IN YOUR ABILITIES.'''
'''DO NOT EXPERIMENT IN XTERM! READ UP ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING IF YOU HAVE THE SLIGHTEST DOUBTS IN YOUR ABILITIES.'''
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You can find more info about xterm in the article [[Terminal]].
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You can find more info about xterm in the [[Terminal]] article.
== Take backups ==
== Take backups ==
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'''Always keep valuable data in at least two places! This can't be emphasized enough!'''
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'''Always keep valuable data in at least two places! This cannot be emphasized enough!'''
== The Don'ts -- what to avoid ==
== The Don'ts -- what to avoid ==
Xterm:
Xterm:
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*Gaining root access (see article [[Root access]])
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*Gaining [[root access]]
*Copy-pasting commands from internet to command line
*Copy-pasting commands from internet to command line
*Installing untrusted .debs
*Installing untrusted .debs
Application manager:
Application manager:
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*Enabling the extras-testing repository. (see [[Extras#Extras-testing]])
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*Enabling the [[extras-testing]] repository.
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*Enabling the extras-devel repository. (see [[Extras#Extras-devel]])
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*Enabling the [[extras-devel]] repository.
*Installing non-optified applications. (This issue is temporary but still valid)
*Installing non-optified applications. (This issue is temporary but still valid)
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== I think I messed things badly ==
== I think I messed things badly ==
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[[Updating the tablet firmware]] is a good option. Pretty quick and clears all possible things that can be messed.
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[[Updating the firmware]] is a good option. Pretty quick and clears all possible things that can be messed.
[[Category:Beginners]]
[[Category:Beginners]]

Latest revision as of 12:13, 19 April 2010

The point of this article is to give guidelines how to avoid tablet "reflashing" (see definition below). Yes, Maemo has command line access and everybody can gain superuser priviledges easily. With great power comes great responsibility. The base system can of course be installed again, aka "reflashed". If you are interested in reflashing and want to know more, please read the article on updating the firmware


Contents

[edit] How to stay safe

Staying on the safe side is rather easy. Install only signed software with the Application Manager, and do not open the command line application (xterm).

X Term should only be opened if you know what you are/intend to do.

DO NOT EXPERIMENT IN XTERM! READ UP ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING IF YOU HAVE THE SLIGHTEST DOUBTS IN YOUR ABILITIES.

You can find more info about xterm in the Terminal article.

[edit] Take backups

Always keep valuable data in at least two places! This cannot be emphasized enough!

[edit] The Don'ts -- what to avoid

Xterm:

  • Gaining root access
  • Copy-pasting commands from internet to command line
  • Installing untrusted .debs

Application manager:

  • Enabling the extras-testing repository.
  • Enabling the extras-devel repository.
  • Installing non-optified applications. (This issue is temporary but still valid)

[edit] If something has already occurred

You should start with article Troubleshooting and see how the situation can be saved.

[edit] I want to do something anyway

Then you should see Installing unstable applications -article.

[edit] I think I messed things badly

Updating the firmware is a good option. Pretty quick and clears all possible things that can be messed.

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