Can an Oculus Business version headset be converted to a Consumer version?

[havenocat3]

My school has a set of 15 brand new Oculus 2 Business devices that are in operable because there is no apps or app store on them, and now they are no longer supported. Since they have exactly the same hardware as a consumer version, is it possible to install the Consumer OS to convert it?  How would we do that? 

Here is what is displayed in the Business Version Headset

Business Oculus in About in ADMIN view (seen from inside headset)

Version 29.0.0.309.370.346330959

Runtime version 29.0.0.319.370.348573960

OS version user-24721951100100000

We have a consumer headset and this is what is displayed regarding the OS (seen from inside headset)

Software Update System Version 373144008900000 (no updates available)

Version 43.0.0.178.120.389405224

Runtime Version 43.0.0.178.120.389406401

OS version user-37314400808900000

[Kari538]

It would actually be pretty bad programming if a simple factory reset would convert it from a business version to a consumer version... 😏 Sometimes, you need to factory reset! That shouldn't change your edition to something OTHER than what you bought...

[1Fabbe]

Hi! Have the same problem, what’s the reason you’ll need an android phone? Don’t have any at home, hence it won’t be possible to install the consumer OS? 

[notabot.42069.2023]

I just managed to find out what causes the transfer to stop at 50% / 0.05 xfer.

TL;DR:
The timestamp of the consumer firmware you're uploading has to be newer than the timestamp of the currently installed buisness firmware. Notably the version numbers between buisness and consumer don't match, so in my case the consumer v.59 was still older than the installed buisness v.29.

When I first tried doing this with my quest 2 I had the same problem with the transfer stopping at 50%. The steps I used to fix the issue were as follows:

- factory reset (by holding power and volume down until logo appears)

- before entering the wifi password, connect the headset with the meta quest app on your phone

- enable debug-mode in the app for the headset

- connect your PC/laptop to the headset via USB

- download the latest consumer firmware

- use "adb reboot recovery" in order to boot into recovery mode

- you will be greeted by a screen saying "no command"

- press and hold the power button and then press volume up

- on the screen that appears, choose "Apply update from ADB"

- on your PC/laptop do "adb sideload path/to/firmware/file.zip"

- if everything completes without errors you can then choose "Reboot system now" and it should boot right up

I'm pretty sure that this does exactly the same thing as choosing the "manually sideload update" option in the original sollution, but in this screen (in the headset) you get more information about what exactly is happening, including any errors. In my case, when I originally tried with the older firmware and the progress reached 50%, I got an error saying that the timestamp of the firmware I was trying to install was older than the timestamp of the currently installed firmware. Trying again with the newest available firmware did the trick for me.

This would also explain why the sollution worked for some people and not for others, depending on which buisness firmware they were on and which consumer firmware they were trying to install.

Hope this helps some people 🙂

[rev.109520]

Is it possible if u know the admin u can turn the headset  back form business mode to customer os

[AliceinVRworld]

I think it would be best if you get in contact with them and I am sure they can let you know how to change it as well!