Well it is getting obvious to me that there is probably very little in the way of roadblocks to adding software to this thing,... otherwise they wouldn't be stalling this bad...

Once we have the source code and have an understanding of the partitioning of the hard drive, we ought to be able to figure out how the bootloader works and possibly replace it as has been done with the 430.

At that point adding/replacing software is no problem.

Don't you have to understand the firmware distribution format to be able to install new things without open up the machine?

Maybe of somebody payed for the source code they might just put it on the web to avoid the hassle with mailing CD:s.

I don't know if it will be possible to get around opening the device because all updates are most certainly signed, and unless someone can crack their Encoding key, you will need to install software with the drive out-of-the box. If I was the designer, I'd probably relly on that because even if the hack community gets through the software roadblocks, the hacks will only be applicable to people with the technical ability to take the thing apart... This is why they probably included those nuts that float-around. The first time I took the drive out I had a hell of a time putting it back together because I took all the screws out including the ones that keep the nuts in place. I had to shake it around and use gravity to help me when I put it together again... Then they used an embeded drive with a ZIF connector, who in the world has a ZIF adaptor?! At least I was able to find one, but it cost $62 US after shipping from the UK! At least it's a simply mapping of pins and a small LDO to bring down the voltage. If there's enough interest I can create a better adaptor and sell it here in the states so that way it will only cost $20, but that's once we see if we can crack the thing.

Assuming we have access to the system partition (only a matter of time now), who has a DaVinci compiler???

Greg

You Don't necessarily have to crack the case. The bootloader for the 430 was hacked and now they have the OpnePMA stuff available... I can't imagine that Archos made the firmware bootloader THAT much different from before...

But if we need to crack the case to replace this thing's guts... So be it... Once done, you should be able to add-remove software with root access and a package manager...

The key part is whether the bootloader would even install an OS that wasn't signed...

As for the bootloader,... if it can be engineered, it can be reverse engineered... It's only a matter of time.

I'm more concerned for the Wifi chipset...

News update from Brett Smith of the Free Software Foundation (FSF):
"Zach,

Thanks for the updates; I did get your last e-mail. I have told people
with Archos in France that we are concerned about the 604 Wifi and would
like to see it addressed. I am confident that they'll get to it, and this
is just a case of the US hand not knowing what the French hand is doing.
Right now, however, they're still working on cleaning up the source for the
PMA 400, and I can only ask them to do one thing at a time.

I know things should be moving quicker. Believe me when I say Archos is
actually doing better than most at coming into compliance; they were
immediately responsive and have not questioned any of the instructions we
have given them. We will get this done; it just takes time."

update:
Source code available! :)

Yeah, it's finally there! Thanx for all your effort and persistence to push Archos releasing this thing. Now that the sourcecode is available, we should focus on exploiting the firmware and to avoid a discussion spreaded over various topics. Please continue here:
http://forum.archosfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=3326
Thank you.