.. include:: ../urls.rst .. meta:: :keywords: byzantium flash flashing reinstall install image pureos .. _l5_reflashing: Reflashing PureOS ================= .. _l5_reflashing_overview: Overview -------- Reflashing the Operating System (OS) on your phone is the best way to remove your personal data from internal storage and reset the phone to factory defaults. The Librem 5 and Liberty phones do not support on-device factory reset at this time, although this feature will be available in the future. .. warning:: This procedure will completely erase everything on the device! Create a `backup `_ before proceeding! .. raw:: html .. seealso:: * :download:`Download ` the video * `Original blog post `_ .. _l5_reflashing_terminology: Terminology ----------- By definition, the Librem 5 and Liberty Phones are fully-featured standalone computers. For readability, this guide will use the following common vernacular to refer to host computers and target devices. +-------------+---------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+ | Common Term | Specific Term | Description | +=============+===============+===========================================================+ | Computer | Host computer | The device on which commands are issued to reflash PureOS | +-------------+---------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+ | Phone | Target device | The device on which PureOS is being reflashed | +-------------+---------------+-----------------------------------------------------------+ .. _l5_reflashing_materials: Required materials ------------------ .. _l5_reflashing_materials_hw: Hardware ~~~~~~~~ #. 1x Librem 5 **OR** Liberty Phone #. 1x 64-bit computer running a Linux OS with the capability of running shell commands #. 1x USB-A to USB-C data cable .. tip:: Don't own a Linux computer? No problem! Follow `this guide `_ to configure a temporary environment on your computer to proceed with these steps! .. _l5_reflashing_materials_sw: Software ~~~~~~~~ #. ``git`` package #. ``uuu`` package #. `librem5-flash-image`_ repository .. _l5_reflashing_procedure: Procedure --------- This procedure leverages a computer to erase the existing system image on the internal eMMC of the phone, then installs a new system image on the phone. All shell commands are executed on the computer and not the phone unless otherwise stated. .. _l5_reflashing_procedure_prereq: 1. Install software dependencies ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ .. note:: The ``uuu`` tool requires a 64-bit computer to run and is packaged as an ``amd64`` binary. If running Ubuntu on this computer, enable the Universe repository before proceeding: ``sudo add-apt-repository universe`` #. `Launch a terminal `_. #. Run the following command to install software dependencies: .. code:: bash sudo apt install git uuu .. seealso:: `Installing git `_ .. _l5_reflashing_procedure_scripts: 2. Download the Flashing Scripts ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Flashing scripts are responsible for downloading the image files and transferring them to the phone. #. From within the terminal emulator, clone the `librem5-flash-image`_ repository. .. code:: bash git clone https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/librem5-flash-image.git The ``librem5-flash-image`` directory will be created. #. Navigate into this new directory. .. code:: bash cd librem5-flash-image .. _l5_reflashing_procedure_flashing: 3. Flash the system image ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You are now be ready to run the flashing script to reflash PureOS onto the phone. .. warning:: This will erase the contents of the phone's eMMC memory, including user data. #. From within the terminal emulator, configure the environment: #. Ensure that the ``librem5-flash-image`` directory is the current directory. #. Make sure you have installed all python dependencies. .. code:: bash sudo apt build-dep . #. Install the udev rules. .. code:: bash sudo ./scripts/librem5-flash-image --udev #. Run the following script to download and flash the latest image. .. code:: bash ./scripts/librem5-flash-image --stable .. tip:: By default, the script will assume it is flashing the Evergreen version of the phone. However, a different version can be flashed with the ``--board`` option. Use ``librem5r2`` for Birch and Chestnut series phones, ``librem5r3`` for Dogwood. #. Wait for a notification to attach the phone for flashing once the script downloads the image. The phone will not provide an indication of the boot mode. #. Expose the filesystem of the phone to the computer. #. Ensure that the phone is switched off. #. Set all :ref:`hardware kill switches ` to the :ref:`disabled ` position. [#]_ #. :ref:`Remove the battery `. #. Press and hold the **Volume Up** button while performing the following actions: #. Connect the phone to the computer using a USB-A to USB-C cable. [#]_ A successful connection will cause a red notification LED to blink, but will not show a green notification LED. #. Reinsert the battery. The red notification LED will remain on, and the script will continue. #. Release the **Volume Up** button. #. Allow the script to continue. Successful output will look something like: .. code:: uuu (Universal Update Utility) for nxp imx chips -- libpureos/1.2.91+0git6b465-62-g9c56e46 Success 1 Failure 0 #. Remove the USB-C cable from the phone. #. Hold down the power button for 15-18 seconds to reset the phone. The phone should now be running the latest image. .. [#] The motivation for disabling the :ref:`hardware kill switches ` in this procedure is to minimize power consumption. This maximize the chances of a successful boot even with a deeply depleted battery and under-powered USB source. It is entirely possible that this procedure will work even if you do not operate the kill switches as described. .. [#] Some USB-C cables may need to be plugged into the phone with a particular orientation. If the instructions above do not appear to work, reverse the orientation of the USB-C connector when inserting it into the phone.