• Registered: 2011-02-10
  • Posts: 66

Topic: One of those $20 amazon infocasts...apparently it was used

Oh dear.

How now do I get an infocast de-registered? 

And how do I over-ride the ssh password that's been set?

  • From: Meridian, MS
  • Registered: 2012-04-30
  • Posts: 867

Re: One of those $20 amazon infocasts...apparently it was used

Email Duane or post your device info for him to see and he will delete the device so you can register.  He is great about doing it very quickly. Be prepared to get info to eventually go offline with your unit. There is plenty of stuff to read to prepare for the fall out. It seems to be a good alternative to not having chumby work at all.

Owner of 3 Sony Dash, 2 Info 8.
  • Registered: 2011-02-10
  • Posts: 66

Re: One of those $20 amazon infocasts...apparently it was used

Okay, I'll turn it back on tomorrow and get its device info.

What about the ssh password?  The previous owner set one and I don't know it.  This is surely going to take more than de-registering it from the chumby servers.

~ ~ ~

I picked up another one because the two chumbies I have seem to be working reasonably well with zurk's firmware.  Aside from that one that doesn't want to run cron jobs, but I think it has other problems.  So.  I am now more confident that they'll be a long-term usable device, rather than something with disaster looking any moment.  I'm quite happy with zurk's stuff.  I wish he (and Duane) would get back to us about where we can donate them a few bucks for their time.

  • From: Oceanside, CA
  • Registered: 2008-04-17
  • Posts: 650

Re: One of those $20 amazon infocasts...apparently it was used

galadriel wrote:

Okay, I'll turn it back on tomorrow and get its device info.

What about the ssh password?  The previous owner set one and I don't know it.  This is surely going to take more than de-registering it from the chumby servers.

~ ~ ~

I picked up another one because the two chumbies I have seem to be working reasonably well with zurk's firmware.  Aside from that one that doesn't want to run cron jobs, but I think it has other problems.  So.  I am now more confident that they'll be a long-term usable device, rather than something with disaster looking any moment.  I'm quite happy with zurk's stuff.  I wish he (and Duane) would get back to us about where we can donate them a few bucks for their time.

I'd pull the microSD card and load the factory firmware back on.  That should reset the SSH password and any other "hacks" the previous owner might have done.

Linux Guy - Occasional Chumby Hacker

Materdaddy's Website

  • Registered: 2011-02-10
  • Posts: 66

Re: One of those $20 amazon infocasts...apparently it was used

Materdaddy wrote:

I'd pull the microSD card and load the factory firmware back on.  That should reset the SSH password and any other "hacks" the previous owner might have done.

Re-hee-heeeally?  Ooooh, fascinating.  Now, is there a good guide for doing THAT?

  • From: Oceanside, CA
  • Registered: 2008-04-17
  • Posts: 650

Re: One of those $20 amazon infocasts...apparently it was used

http://www.ladyada.net/wiki/chumbyhackerboard/microsd <-- this will get you a "howto" on using "dd" to get the image on the sd card, download the infocast firmware though.

Note, I haven't tried this, so if you have an extra microSD to attempt this (so you don't ruin the working (but bad password one), I'd recommend that.

I have an infocast and if you need help, I can attempt this and give you a write-up.

Linux Guy - Occasional Chumby Hacker

Materdaddy's Website

7 Reply by unwiredben (edited by unwiredben 2012-05-13 20:53:08)

  • From: Austin, TX
  • Registered: 2009-05-07
  • Posts: 471

Re: One of those $20 amazon infocasts...apparently it was used

You can also remove the SSH password using a debugchumby script running on a USB drive.  The script would looks lik

#!/bin/sh
mount -oremount,rw /
echo root: | chpasswd
mount -oremount,ro /

I also know the Chumby One supported getting a shell by plugging in a keyboard... the Infocast might do that also, and the shell that shows up gives root access without needing a password (just tried it on my SSH-secured C1).

unwiredben's Website

  • Registered: 2011-02-10
  • Posts: 66

Re: One of those $20 amazon infocasts...apparently it was used

unwiredben wrote:

You can also remove the SSH password using a debugchumby script running on a USB drive.  The script would looks lik

#!/bin/sh
mount -oremount,rw /
echo root: | chpasswd
mount -oremount,ro /

I can not begin to tell you how sad I am that this failed to work.

However.  The keyboard?  TOTALLY WORKED.  Yes!  Plugged it in, got a too-small-to-read shell, typed until the response appeared to indicate that I hadn't made a typo, and ssh'd in successfully.  Looks like I now have a fully-functional-as-intended $20 Amazon Special.  (We'll ignore the amount of time it took me to hunt down a USB keyboard, seeing as my primary computer has been a laptop for years now wink )

Thaaaaaaank you.

~ ~ ~

Now I've gotten way too interested in replacing the microSD cards in my various chumbies with larger ones, and I need to pick up a phillips screwdriver that'll fit to open up the backs.  But for the moment, my only project is offlining the new (ish) infocast.

Hoo-rah!

  • From: Oceanside, CA
  • Registered: 2008-04-17
  • Posts: 650

Re: One of those $20 amazon infocasts...apparently it was used

unwiredben wrote:

You can also remove the SSH password using a debugchumby script running on a USB drive.  The script would looks lik

#!/bin/sh
mount -oremount,rw /
echo root: | chpasswd
mount -oremount,ro /

I also know the Chumby One supported getting a shell by plugging in a keyboard... the Infocast might do that also, and the shell that shows up gives root access without needing a password (just tried it on my SSH-secured C1).

More than one way to skin a cat!  I count 4 in this thread so far already.  Good advice Ben!  I had completely forgotten to try the keyboard and am somewhat excited to hear it works on the infocast too.  I loved that hack.  Whoever at chumby put that in, kudos!

Linux Guy - Occasional Chumby Hacker

Materdaddy's Website