Ok, I think I've figured it out now but I don't understand it.

It seems that flashing the N770 doesn't reset the USB Host mode enabled/disabled portion of the device so I have to XTerm and enable USB client mode if I want to connect via USB to the memory card.

Is there an easier (graphical) way to switch between USB Host and Client modes now on any of the OS's?

It probably is more useful to have USB Host mode enabled by default and I could always use a card reader to access the MMC when needed.

I love my N770 - went on a year long around the world trip and used it for emailing and blogging (eventually buying and connecting a USB Keyboard to speed things up), Gizmo-ing to landlines, USB connecting to my digital camera and iPod to dump my travel photos off as I went around the world so I never ran out of memory card space, uploading photo's and videos to the internet, keeping track of expenses using a spreadsheet application, booking flights and hotels online, keeping copies of travel documents as PDF's "just in case", recording song ideas on recorder, tuning my Fijian ukelele using the tuner...etc,etc. I should sell these things for a living!!