I just wanted to state this since no one else had: this open source getbootstate works on-device, and I personally would recommend using it. I've been running it on my N900 instead of the stock closed blob one for a few weeks now, and it works great as far as I can tell.

jvollmann has, as far as I know, also been using the open source one for a time span a few days longer than I've been using it, albeit his is a version slightly patched by Estel to hack around some battery recognition problems jvollmann's device was having.

P.S. @Pali - I think by the time you posted the "-lcal" flag we both (jvollmann and I) independently figured out to use that flag, but I always appreciate the follow-up even if it's delayed.

Personally, I recommend this as a drop in replacement to all power users who want to screw Nokia and/or stand for open source software by sticking the open source one in instead of the closed source one. I think this could very well be pushed to the CSSU as a open source replacement for getbootstate - but I and jvollmann alone aren't enough reliable verification to be sure it's safe (although it's certainly more verification than just running it in qemu was).