Since I am a reckless fool, I downloaded and tried to update my A1 with:

http://download.lenovo.com/slates/a1/ICS_OTA/A107IO_A404_001_014_0116_US.zip

Following instructions posted by some other fool. The update failed, with the message in the upgrade_log:

inflating: /system/media/audio/ringtones/Ring_Synth_04.ogg  
/system/media/audio/ringtones/Ring_Synth_04.ogg:  write error (disk full?).  Continue? (y/n/^C)
warning:  /system/media/audio/ringtones/Ring_Synth_04.ogg is probably truncated
run_program: child exited with status 4
run_program failscript aborted: assert failed: run_program("/tmp/fuse", "system", "/tmp/system.zip")
assert failed: run_program("/tmp/fuse", "system", "/tmp/system.zip")
E:Error in /sdcard1/update.zip
(Status 7)
install_success!!!

Of course the install_success part is wrong, but hey, it is just a computer. The tablet would not boot, I recovered it to android 2.3.4, which seemed to fix my bluetooth problem.

I checked the A107IO_A404_001_014_0116_US.zip download, carefully unzipping it to check for truncation of the original download. Checked out fine.

Do I really have a disk full error ?

What should I do to try an ICS update, besides wait for the official release to hit the OTA channel.

The "disk" is full because the 0116 ICS OTA doesn't flash a new partition table - the original A1 doesn't have enough space on /system for ICS to fit. You need to find an older ICS OTA (I've heard that version 86 does flash the MBR but can't confirm it as I don't have a copy of it). 

First, flash the old ICS OTA then the newer one - this should give you a working ICS installation.

Thank you, I will look for older Ics images.

I tried the A107IO_A404_001_010_0116_US.zip this morning, with similar results.

Is there another way to nuke the MBR ? I can mount the tablet to a linux by USB, can I replace it from there ? Sounds like going out ona limb, sawing it off, but I can try.

The 234 rom I recovered with has non-working GPS. I will try recovery with a ROW rather than a US version. Another post suggests there is an NNTP error in the 234.

If you have ADB working (you may need to download the ADB driver for the A1 from the Lenovo support site), you can do the following:

1. Unzip the 0116 OTA zip file into the current directory.

2. If you have a 2GB A1, run "adb push mbr2GB.img /data/local/mbr.img". If you have a 16GB A1, run "adb push mbr16GB.img /data/local/mbr.img"

3. Run "adb push fuse /data/local/fuse"

4. Run "adb shell" - this will give you a command prompt that's operating on the tablet.

5. Run "cd /data/local" - this puts you in the same folder where you just pushed fuse and the MBR to

6. Run "chmod +x fuse" - this makes fuse executable.

7. Run "./fuse mbr mbr.img" - this writes the ICS MBR to your A1. There will be a looooooooong pause, and eventually an error message will pop up saying "failed to re-read partition table" or something similar. This is normal, don't worry.

8. Attempt to install the 0116 ICS OTA file as before - it should succeed this time due to the increased amount of storage on /system.

Which tablet version? 2GB?

I forgot to mention, you'll need to be rooted for those commands to work.

I am reckless and foolish enough to try this.

I have run ADB and ADB shell, as part of exploring the development environment.

However, I have not rooted the A7, most of what I see on the web about it is an attempt to sell a magic program that will solve all my problems. I said reckless and foolish, not stupid.

What do I need to do to root it ? Will su or sudo suffice ?

Hi Gmarkall

I followed your steps but  I get an error when trying to run the fuse:

$ ./fuse mbr mbr.img

./fuse mbr mbr.img

fuse version is FUSE_1.0(Apr 28 2012-12:00:25)

Err: Can't open file /dev/block/mmcblk0.

Any ideas will be appreciated... im getting frustrated with the ICS installing :(

Thanks a lot!

EDITED:  I found an ICS1.2, a good fellow upladed it here: http://depositfiles.com/files/ttluow3h6 (I lost the original thread - Sorry). With this you can follow easy process of renaming it to update.zip and booting into recovery mode. ICS is really nice looking

Aug. 1, two subjects:

1) in another thread, user Inxcs linked to  "mynbook.wordpress.com", which has a procedure to unpack, modify, and repack the 0116 update to reimage the flash.

2) lenovo has posted another update (not new, still dated july 25) numbered 0113 in the A1/ICS_OTA download area.

I have tried neither, I have medical responsibilites, MG fell off her horse. Later.

can ask how I can get the new update on July 25 to get the ICS for A1 - 07 16GB