Difference between FW formats

Introduction

If you have a look at the firmware release threads on the forum (Firmware Releases) you will notice that each version comes in two different flavours:

• WDLXTV [flash]
  eg. 1.02.21-WDLXTV-Live-0.4.7.3
• (WDLXTV) EXT3-Boot [non-flash]
  eg. 1.03.49_B-EXT3-Boot-Plus-0.4.7.3

WDLXTV [flash]

This version is the one most beginners want to stick with.
It is installed (flashed) just like any official firmware update by putting the files on a USB drive, boot the unit and flash it (see Quickstart).

EXT3-Boot [non-flash]

This version is used either for testing purposes, or for purposes of modifying the firmware content. It is identical to the normal flashed version. The main difference is that while WDLXTV runs from the internal read only NAND flash, the EXT3-Boot version is run directly off your external device. This means the EXT3-Boot version gives you full read/write permissions on the filesystem.

Important

It gets only mounted at boot, if all of the following applies:

• a previously flashed WDLXTV version (0.2+) is already present on the WDTVLive
• root.bin is placed in the root of a USB thumb drive connected to WDTV

Never unmount/unplug the USB thumb drive on which it resides while WDLXTV is running from USB (even if in standby), otherwise the system will become unstable.

Note: It's NOT possibile to boot an EXT3-Boot version from official firmware!

Note: If you are having issues booting into a root.bin, either see that the device containing the root.bin is the only device plugged into your WDTV or read and follow the instructions here .

For more information on how to use this, see USB Boot.

--Recliq 7 December 2011