[Tuto] [EN/FR] Install nLoader / TI-Nspire CX

[critor]

In my opinion, for rev<W you should keep nBoot+ControlX.

nLoader does only support a small subset of TI-Nspire CX production OSes and has no boot menu (thus no possibility to recover from a brick).
It's just that the exploit is inferior (Boot1.5 instead of Boot1), making the environment much more restrictive.

Also, I don't think you have to remove nBoot+ControlX.
Just don't alter the Diags partition, and put in the Boot2 partition :
- Boot1.5 4.4
- nLoader
And then tell ControlX to boot Boot2/Boot1.5 4.4.

If it doesn't work, you'll just have to tell ControlX to boot your ExtnD/Boot2 4.0.3.

[parrotgeek1]

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[critor]

1) Every calculator which supports OS 3.1/3.2/3.3 can just use nlaunchy if someone wants to run that version. Although why doesn't it support 4.4/4.5? Is it abandoned?

Anyone can release a newer version supporting them.

Excale never accepted to update nLaunchy correctly for OSes 3.6 and 3.9.

I finally did it for non-color models with nLaunch CXM.

I won't spend time on including 3.6/3.9 support in nLaunch CXM, because :
- CX users able to install Nlaunch* should just install nBoot+ControlX, which is far superior in many ways
- the Nlaunch* payload size is limited and we're already pretty close to the limit, adding new OSes will imply removing other OSes

[parrotgeek1]

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[critor]

- CX users able to install Nlaunch* should just install nBoot+ControlX, which is far superior in many ways

It doesn't have patches for boot2 3.1/3.2 so it's really hard to install old oses because of the missing manifest

It's quite easy in my option, either :

- put a Boot2 3.1 somewhere and run it when you want to install them

- use nSwitchOs, which can install any OS - it's been designed especially for this

But feel free to share manifest patches for Boot2 4.0.3/4.4, I'll update ControlX to make things even easier.

[parrotgeek1]

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[GalacticPirate]

So, since I was away for a few days, what does nLoader do, basically? (and what's the difference compared to ControlX)

[parrotgeek1]

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[critor]

@GalacticPirate nLoader is another boot loader like Nlaunch* and nBoot+ControlX.

It's inferior to nBoot+ControlX, not exploiting a Boot1 flaw but a Boot1.5 flaw. So the payload has more constraints, not only about size. It's much harder to code for it.
So far it only supports a small subset of Nspire OSes (3.6, 4.4 and 4.5). No Linux, no custom boot images, and no boot menu enabling you to recover from calculators semi-bricks.
Also, doesn't work on CM calculators so far, although it could. But since 4.x OSes can't run on CM calculators anyway...

But unlike nBoot+ControlX, it works on CX HW-W+ calculators assembled since october 2015 which are a majority.

In my opinion, if you've got a CX HW A-V, just keep nBoot+ControlX.
If you've got a CX HW-W+, then install nLoader.

[parrotgeek1]

no custom boot images

Actually it will load anything that is in TI-Certificate format (and has a base address of 11800000 because I am lazy). You just have to remove patchBoot2()

Also, the payload size is essentially unlimited. You're mistaken.

The only thing preventing NAND support from working is actually my inability to *find* NAND functions in boot1.5.