First small steps toward free GSM firmware

Michael Spacefalcon msokolov at ivan.Harhan.ORG
Tue Oct 22 20:21:36 CEST 2013


Jose Luis Perez Diez <jluis at escomposlinux.org> wrote:

> The procces to flash GSM firmware used linux, the serial port,
> and the fluid binary see 
>
> http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/GSM/Flashing#Manual_Update_.28GTA01.2C_GTA02.29_.2F_geek_way

Yes, and that exact same procedure should work just as well if you
substitute your own *.m0 image built from my leo2moko-r1.tar.xz source
in the place of calypso-moko11.m0.  I say "should" because I haven't
tried it myself - like Richard Stallman, I avoid proprietary software,
so I use my own fc-loadtool instead of that fluid.exe for which I have
no corresponding source.

Just give it a try - if you don't like my illegally-free GSM fw, you
can always reflash back to the official calypso-moko11.m0.

Patryk Benderz <Patryk.Benderz at esp.pl> wrote:

> Can't we just use dfu-util?

The GSM modem has its own processor, its own independent address space,
its own address and data buses, and its own independent flash memory
(NOR in a Multi-Chip Package combined with SRAM).  Neither dfu-util
nor the AP (application processor) bootloader it is talking to knows
anything about that separate hardware block.

In order to reflash the GSM modem, one needs to establish communication
with Calypso's own boot ROM.  That can be done either from a running
Linux system on the phone's AP (i.e., from inside the phone) or
externally via a classic "T191 unlock" cable plugged into the headset
jack.  (The latter approach makes more sense for FreeCalypso
developers.)  Either way, one needs Linux software running on the
phone's AP in order to control the power to the modem and to enable
the headset jack serial channel if you wish to use the latter.

VLR,
SF



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