See the issue with OTA updating from pr1.2 to pr1.3 is that pr1.3 was quite a major bug-fixing update so the likelihood of bugs remaining due to a clean upgrade not being performed increases... The more serious issue with the OTA is that there have been people who while doing an OTA update have suddenly found their device to be in open mode at the end of the process due to no fault of their own... Read http://talk.maemo.org/showthread.php?t=82693 for the guide on flashing... The Russian ROM problem you mentioned won't happen when flashing to a Global FW due to the Global fw simply being a clean pr1.3 fw without any localization done...Its also without pre-loaded maps of your region so you will need to download them once the flash is done and your device is operational...The main advantage with Global FW is that whenever there is a new update [albeit pr1.3.1 or pr1.4 still seem some time away and will be the last one] you'll be among the first people to receive it...Since Global FW doesn't have any localization done; the probabilities of something messing your system due to different pre-loaded apps/services is significantly lowered... Do take note that the n9 is not like your typical Symbian handset whereby you can downgrade firmware...How you saw reset flash to pr1.1 is something I'm not too sure about as its well-publicised that you can't downgrade... So if you are on pr1.2 the only options you have when flashing are: - Stick to the same pr legacy of 398 in pr1.2 - Flash to a higher pr legacy than 398 in pr1.2 - Flash to any pr legacy in pr1.3 The problem with flashing pr1.3 legacy 398 is that you can't downgrade to pr1.3 legacy < 398 but flashing with global fw of legacy 001 leaves you open to flash whatever you may want in the future including a flash to pr1.3 legacy 398... Hope the above clarifies things...