For now this guide will be for the advanced users. However, we'll happily accept scripts that would automate this process though!

Imporant note: this is for gen6 aka Archos5 or Archos7 aka IMT ONLY

For gen7 aka Archos5IT aka Archos5Android there is this guide:

SettingUpMultiRootGen7

I'm going to assume you still have the Archos firmware and are running a Linux Distro on your PC, if you already have SDE installed follow all steps excluding (3.) , or simply reinstall the stock firmware and start from the step (1.).

1. Go into recovery

• Shut down your unit completely.
• Start it by pressing [Vol+] and [Power] at the same time. You'll see the Recovery Menu.
• Press [Vol-] until You reach "Repair Disk", then press [Power].
• Now attach the unit to your PC by USB.

2. Backup the hidden partition

• run: "fdisk -l"
• look for your device (e.g. by size) and notice that the partition does not occupy the whole disk-size

  Disk /dev/sdc: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
  255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
  Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
  
   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
  /dev/sdc1               1       19432   156087508+   c  W95 FAT32 (LBA)
  

• Now copy the unassigned space using dd

  dd if=/dev/sdc of=/tmp/archos-hidden.dump bs=8225280 skip=19432
  

• Please note that you use the raw device, no partition; also the bs field is taken from the Unit output of fdisk; same goes for skip it is taken from the End field for the visible first partition.

3. Install the SDE

• Mount the first partition on your Archos device and copy the SDE .aos file into the root folder. (DATA Partition)
• Unmount it and press the [power] button on your device.
• If you haven't done so yet - connect the powersupply.
• Wait for the install to finish. This can take quite a while.
• Once the installation is done successfully power off your device.

4. Restore the hidden partition

• Start it by pressing [Vol+] and [Power] at the same time. You'll see the Recovery Menu.
• Press [Vol-] until You reach "Repair Disk", then press [Power].
• Now attach the unit to your PC by USB.
• roll back the hidden partition image (use the same numbers like in the previous step).

  dd if=/tmp/archos-hidden.dump of=/dev/sdc bs=8225280 seek=19432
  

• Do not disconnect the device yet!

5. Install the SDEMultiRoot

• Get the necessary files. (initramfs.cpio.gz, zImage)
• Mount the first partition (the large FAT32/vFAT one) on your PC.
• Copy the files over into the root directory. ** If you want to try out kevins build gunzip it and replace the SDE rootfs.img.
• Create a menu.lst text file in the root directory.

  Archos|AVOS|/rootfs.cramfs.secure|/init
  openAOS|/dev/sda1|/rootfs.img|/sbin/init
  

• Unmount the partition.
• Power off the device.
• Start it by pressing [Vol+] and [Power] at the same time. You'll see the Recovery Menu.
• Press [Vol-] until You reach "Developer Edition Menu", then press [Power], Press [Vol-] until You reach "Flash Kernel and Initramfs", then press [Power].
• Wait till both files have been flashed.
• Reboot, enjoy.

Congratulations, you have successfully installed SDE and are able to still boot AVOS from the boot menu''

If you have further questions or have run into problems - contact us on IRC! (#openpma)