N900 The Perfect Setup
Introduction
This page serves the purpose of assembling a complete and current howto-guide for the perfect N900 setup. The initial information here is based on my personal experience and the rich trove of experience which is talk.maemo.org. Please keep this page alive by adding your improvements and keeping it up to date as Maemo evolves.
Disclaimer: Some of the procedures might prove to be quite risky. There's no guarantee that your phone won't start to eat your cat. You do everything at your own risk
Recommended hardware
- A Nokia N900, obviously
- SanDisk Ultra 32GB Class 10 / UHS-1 SDHC Card (SU32-G)
- PolarCell 1520 mAh battery
- Standalone battery charger
- USB A-A adapter
- (Linux box)
Hardware Specifications
NAND Layout
dev size erasesize name mtd0: 00020000 00020000 "bootloader" mtd1: 00060000 00020000 "config" mtd2: 00040000 00020000 "log" mtd3: 00200000 00020000 "kernel" mtd4: 00200000 00020000 "initfs" mtd5: 0fb40000 00020000 "rootfs"
eMMC Partition Layout
dev size fs mountpoint mmcblk0p1 27648MiB vfat /home/user/MyDocs mmcblk0p2 2048MiB ext2 /home mmcblk0p3 768MiB swap
Hardware modifications
/* TODO: USB pre-broken fix */
Initial setup
Everything about Firmware Flashing
Download flasher from the repositories
/* TODO: Use open source flasher */
Download the firmware flasher: Flasher & SDK Downloads
Download the latest official Nokia Firmware Images for your N900: Firmware Image Downloads
RX-51_2009SE_10.2010.13-2.VANILLA_PR_EMMC_MR0_ARM.bin md5sum: 488809ff96a0a05479d692e9f77aeb4f RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin md5sum: b9f8690318a3be61767826d15b8c1784
Flashing the device
The following flashing procedure has proven the most stable to me:
Always use a fully charged battery!
- Turn your device off, disconnect USB
- (As root) flash the FIASCO firmware image:
flasher-3.5 -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin -f
- When you get "No suitable USB device found" connect your N900 through USB.
- Wait for the flashing to finish.
Don't reboot
- Flash original eMMC image:
flasher-3.5 -F RX-51_2009SE_20.2010.36-2_PR_COMBINED_MR0_ARM.bin -f
- Wait for the flashing to finish.
- Reboot the device by _reinserting_ the battery
Upon first login, enter your locale settings (Timezone, local time, etc.).
Run latest official Nokia SSU (upgrades your device firmware to V1.3.1) by launching App manager / Update from the applications menu.
Getting root access
- Add the Extras-Testing repository to the Hildon Application Managers catalog
name: Maemo extras-testing uri: deb http://skeiron.org/repo/repository.maemo.org/extras-testing/ fremantle free non-free dist: fremantle components: free non-free
- Add the Extras-Devel repository as well
name: Maemo extras-development uri: http://extras-devel.merlin1991.at/ fremantle free non-free dist: fremantle components: free non-free
- Disable OVI repository (conflicts with CSSU)
- Wait for repository update to finish (Hildon Application Manager is slooow) and install 'rootsh' from the system section.
- To get remote access over the network (way more comfy) install SSH server by launching XTerminal from the application menu and running:
sudo gainroot apt-get install openssh
You will be asked for your new root password. /*TODO: Change PW hash to enable passwords > 8 chars */
- Finally launch xterm and run
ifconfig wlan0
- Write down the IP address - from now on you can use the SSH client of your choice to connect to your favorite pocket computer - enjoy!
Upgrade to CSSU-thumb
cssu-thumb contains a kernel based on kp51r1, therefore you automatically benefit from all kernel-power features (undervolting, overclocking, framebuffer, ...). See Kernel Power Wiki and Kernel Power 51r1 on tmo
Repositories
Disable extras-testing - it will be replaced by its thump-compiled counterpart from the CSSU repository. Make sure Nokia and Maemo Extras repositories are enabled though.
To avoid thumb-compiled binaries being overwritten by upgrades from non-thumb repositories use the following /etc/apt/preferences file
Package: *
Pin: release a=community-thumb
Pin-Priority: 700
Package: *
Pin: release a=Extras-devel-light
Pin-Priority: 500
Package: *
Pin: release l=Extras
Pin-Priority: 550
Package: *
Pin: release l=community-testing
Pin-Priority: 600
Remove unneeded software
apt-get remove --purge hildon-theme-beta osso-chess-ui gnuchess osso-graphics-game-chess osso-lmarbles osso-graphics-game-lmarbles osso-sounds-game-chess maemoblocks ap-installer amazon-installer foreca-installer facebook-installer skype-installer dtg-installer tutorial-home-applet osso-tutorial-l10n-engb osso-tutorial-l10n-ptpt osso-tutorial-l10n-frca osso-tutorial-l10n-nlnl osso-tutorial-l10n-cscz osso-tutorial-l10n-itit osso-tutorial-l10n-eses osso-tutorial-l10n-svse osso-tutorial-l10n-frfr osso-tutorial-l10n-dede osso-tutorial-l10n-fifi osso-tutorial-l10n-nono osso-tutorial-l10n-esmx osso-tutorial-l10n-enus osso-tutorial-l10n-ruru osso-tutorial-l10n-mr0 osso-tutorial-l10n-plpl cherry osso-systemui-splashscreen sharing-service-flickr sharing-service-ovi chinese-font google-search-widget tutorial-home-applet osso-mahjong osso-graphics-game-mahjong osso-sounds-game-mahjong ovi-promotion-widget
Installing CSSU-Thumb
- Visit this link using your N900s web browser: http://maemo.merlin1991.at/cssu/community-thumb/community-thumb-fremantle.install and confirm the prompts displayed in HAM
- Launch community SSU from applications menu.
- Install the proposed updates.
Essential software packages
The following is a list of applications which (IMHO) constitute a reasonable base set
apt-get install backupmenu busybox-power cryptsetup tracker-extractor-vorbis rawcam gstreamer0.10-plugins-good-extra-formats xournal filebox fm-boost fmradio recaller swappolube tracker-cfg flashlight-extra-gtk vim flashlight-applet cal-home-widget adflashblock-css kernel-power-settings cssufeatures catoriseplus ttf-nokiapure mce-ledpattern
Install non-optified cryptsetup
wget http://maemo.merlin1991.at/apt-mirror/extras-devel/pool/fremantle/free/c/cryptsetup/cryptsetup_1.0.4%2bsvn26-3_armel.deb dpkg -i cryptsetup_1.0.4%2bsvn26-3_armel.deb echo "cryptsetup hold" | dpkg --set-selections
Install & configure bootloader
apt-get install u-boot-flasher kernel-cssu-bootimg ln -s /etc/bootmenu.d/20-Maemo5-kernel-cssu-2.6.28.10-cssu3.item /etc/default/bootmenu.item u-boot-update-bootmenu
USB Host mode
wget http://atrey.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~pali/usbmode/usbmode_1.0-3_armel.deb dpkg -i usbmode_1.0-3_armel.deb
- USB mode can be set through the status menu
- To connect USB peripherals use a USB A-to-A adapter
Configure openmediaplayer
- Get a thumb-compiled version of openmediaplayer OMP-thumb download
dpkg -i openmediaplayer_20121220-1+thumb0_armel.deb
- As root, edit file:
- /usr/share/dbus-1/services/com.nokia.mediaplayer.service
so the line:
Exec=/usr/bin/mediaplayer
...becomes:
Exec=/usr/bin/openmediaplayer
This will replace execution of MP binary with OMP one - without physically replacing files, so you can revert back to MP by reverting changes.
- tracker-cfg
/* TODO */
Faking Flash Player 12
- Get flashplayer 10 binaries for maemo.
apt-get remove --purge adobe-flashplayer apt-get install hexedit dpkg -i adobe-flashplayer-10.deb hexedit /usr/lib/browser/plugins/libflashplayer.so
- Once in Hexedit, press CTRL+S and type in 31302e31 and press enter, the string you've just found need to be changed to 31322e31
- Now, press CTRL+S, type "y" and search for 31302c31 and change it to 31322c31
- Press CTRL+S then "y" again.
- Close terminal and enjoy new faked v12.1.98.88 flash player
Tweaks
Kernel Power Settings
To enable overclocking (more horsepower) and undervolting (less power consumption) run the following commands
kernel-config save stock kernel-config load ideal kernel-config default ideal
To revert to stock settings run
kernel-config load stock kernel-config default stock
swappolube
cssu-features
- Launch cssu-features from the applications menu
- On first run choose "Fix config"
- Launch cssu-features again
- Configure to your taste
Theme customizer
- Set nokia-pure as default font
Disable Nokia Hands
- Edit the file
- /etc/hildon-welcome.d/default.conf
[hildon-welcome] filename=Hands-v32-h264.avi
- Comment out the last line or specify gstreamer compatible movie file
Backup your device
- Don't backup unnecessary stuff, so
rm /var/cache/apt/archives/*
- Reboot with keyboard open
- Select default kernel
- In backupmenu press 'b' to start backup
- Press 'q' to backup both rootfs and optfs
- Select 'p' twice to store backup on /home/user/MyDocs
- Wait for backup to finish
- Connect USB to Linux box
- Press 'w' to export eMMC as mass storage device
- On your Linux box check 'dmesg' to identify device names (e.g. /dev/sdX), mount /dev/sdX1, switch to the mount point (e.g. /media/usb) and run
tar -cf /home/user/MyDocs_backup.tar
Adjust eMMC partitioning
/* TODO: Evaluate better filesystems and possibly alignment */
- With eMMC still exported as mass storage device using backupmenu point your favorite partition manager to /dev/sdX
- Adjust partitions to your needs (align to MiB, not cylinders), for example
dev size fs mountpoint mmcblk0p1 24576MiB vfat /home/user/MyDocs mmcblk0p2 5120MiB ext2 /home mmcblk0p3 835MiB swap
It's recommended to leave /dev/mmcblk0p1 as vfat for /home/user/MyDocs as it needs less tweaks to maemos mmc-scripts. For other options visit repartitioning the flash
Disk Encryption
/* TODO: Verify that HW accel is being used */ /* TODO: Use initrd in NAND and encrypt rootfs */
Preparing userland
Don't reboot your device before having performed all steps described in this chapter or else you'll have to reflash your phone!
- Make sure cryptsetup and busybox-power packages are installed to rootfs
dpkg -L <pkgname>
- Get modified rcS and rcS-late scripts and copy them to your device
scp rcS root@<n900-ip-addr>:/etc/init.d/ scp rcS-late root@<n900-ip-addr>:/etc/event.d/
- Edit the file
- /sbin/preinit
and insert the command modprobe fbcon as the last line in function init_system() (just above the })
- Get an n900 keymap and convert it (on your Linux box):
loadkeys -b nokia-n900.map > nokia-n900.kmap
- Copy the keymap to your phone's root directory
scp nokia-n900.kmap root@<n900-ip-addr>:/
- Create /etc/default/osso-mmc-blacklist.sh and corresponding /etc/default/osso-mmc-blacklist containing devices which should not be mounted to MyDocs - /dev/dm-0 and /dev/dm-1)
Edit the files
- /usr/sbin/osso-usb-mass-storage-enable.sh and :/usr/sbin/osso-usb-mass-storage-disable.sh
and add the following lines at the beginning
case $1 in
/dev/dm-*)
set /dev/mmcblk0p1
;;
esac
Move optfs to encrypted partition
- On your Linux box extract the :optfs.tar file from the previously created MyDocs backup
cd /tmp tar -xf ~/backups/MyDocs_backup.tar
- Boot your phone into boot manager and export eMMC to USB. On your linux box run the following commands to create an encrypted ext3 filesystem on mmcblk0p2
cryptsetup luksFormat /dev/sdX2 # Confirm by typing YES, specify a looong passphrase cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sdX2 n900 mkfs.ext3 /dev/mapper/n900
- Now you can restore your optfs backup to the encrypted partition
mount /dev/mapper/n900 /mnt cd /mnt tar -xf /tmp/systemBackups/optfs.tar umount /mnt cryptsetup luksClose n900
- Reboot your phone and enjoy the password prompt!
SD card usage
Testing
Alignment
Swap on SD card
- On your SD card create a swap partition of approx. 1.5GiB
- Edit /etc/event.d/rcS-late and change the line
/sbin/cryptsetup -d /dev/urandom create swapenc /dev/mmcblk0p3
to
/sbin/cryptsetup -d /dev/urandom create swapenc /dev/mmcblk1p6
VoIP
Encrypted SIP
- linphone
GPG support
- mutt
- claws
- patches for modest anyone?
Camera
- pcam
- stock/cssu
- blessn900
Watch 720p movies
Synchronization
dpush
Certificates
Client configuration
Battery calibration
Credits
My thanks go to jebba, titan, pali, NIN101, MentalistTraceur, sixwheeledbeast, DocScrutinizer05, sEKI, kerio, freemangordon, ShadowJK and everyone on #maemo