Especially: Write down your root password and DO NOT factory reset the device if you want to go back to the original state.

If you follow these steps and you know a bit about linux you'll be fine.

Factory reset on the rM2 will mess with the community framebuffer service and reset your root password, effectively locking you out unless you go the fiddly way over the external port.

The rM1 is very resilient as you can directly access the internal storage without special tools.

So they provide a factory reset feature, and what that feature does is brick your device? (Or nearly so.)

Why do you say connecting over the external port is "finicky"?

The factory reset feature clears personal data off the device and resets the root password. So... it's not a factory reset.

I thought this means something else :D I wanted to say "fiddly", correcting it...

Remarkable 1 is recoverable without many tricks.

Remarkable 2 requires a bit of parts and possibly soldering (but not required, just might make things easier if you don't have pogo pins with handles available).

Both are fully recoverable unless you do something really impressive.

>Both are fully recoverable unless you do something really impressive.

really impressive like what?

Physically breaking the hardware through software, for example. I believe there's some fun possible in most embedded designs like the one used in RM1/RM2. Like manipulating power management circuitry, or maybe forcing overheat with disabled throttling, and the like.

I rooted my 2 and not my 1 without knowing the risk! Turned out fine but I wasn’t too adventurous.