Generic CE 6.0 subnotebook - I took the plunge

They are not saved in a USUAL file. They are built in OS BINARY IMAGE. They are not accesible from the system.

That's not uncommon. People who've lurked on be300.org will tell you that sometimes repeated flashes of the Casio BE-300 are needed to replace the stock shell with the custom ones. (The BE-300 also has NAND flash.)

I've just flashed it again several times, but I can't get the NAND flash to do it's thing. I've modified the image (removed some dross); is this a factor, and if so how can I make the format run?

Incidentally, I had a look at the loader script file (scriptcmd), see ASCII version attached. Almost makes sense!

Edited by nigelmercier 2010-04-23 5:20 PM




Attachments
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scriptcmd.txt (2KB - 9 downloads)

Not sure if this is a "fix" but I've just got it to run by putting the SD card in then pressing the RESET button for 20 seconds.

I tried reflashing my VT8500 netbook (the generic CE 6 one), and it reflashed fine on the first try. I added some programs (and their shortcuts) to the \Windows and \Program Files folders inside the \script\System Disk folder and reflashed again, and again the first attempt was successful. Looks like it's pretty easy to design a custom ROM for this device.

Do all of the generic netbooks reflash in the same method? That is do you have to have a device up and running and then run some flash software that reads an image file and flashes the rom just like you would do if you reflashing the bios chip in a desktop?

Or do some of them have a built in bootloader that looks for a flash image on the SD card and reflashes even before the OS is loaded?

The VT8500 series devices flash the latter way, Rich, and then format the ROM partition in the flash and install the files from the \System Disk folder in the reflash package. I suspect the CE 6 netbooks with other processors (ARM9, ARM11, etc) don't flash the same way. Remember the Via processor is a "system-on-chip."

I've reflashed the VT8500 device several times with added files (and shortcuts), and everything's come out fine so far.

Seems to me then the VT8500 must be fairly bullet-proof. I mean no matter how much you screw it up, you can always reflash a good image.

The battery ran down on mine today - it occasionally turns on inadvertently when held while closed, or when placed in a snug space between two other objects. I assume the power button gets pushed inadvertently in those circumstances. Anyway, when I plugged it into AC power and powered it on, everything was still intact except the date and time, which had defaulted back to 12:00am on 1 January 2009, and a few registry entries I made relating to my attempts at synchronization. Just set the correct date and time, and it was almost like nothing had ever happened. Nice.

Sensitive button...maybe you need some little rubber bumper/spacer between the lcd lid and the palm rest to keep a little air space there....

Same here, if I let it suspend instead of shutting down and then forget about it, the battery dies and I lose the date/time. Nothing else though, after registry changes to move things to the flash drive.

-Dana

Interestingly, I saw these things advertised in the local paper Sunday magazine section for $179. Sleazy ad, no mention of OS (just "microsoft windows", with a doctored screenshot) or screen size, but the picture clearly showed the same generic chinese CE minibook. Ad claimed "normally $600" (!) and "limit two per household"...

-Dana

There are more than two in my household.

Wish mine had a suspend feature like yours does, Dana.

Am I wrong? There is really no suspend feature on any of these devices. Leave it on and do nothing, and the screen will blank, backlight will go out, but the computer is still active. Turn it off, and it still draws power...but at a much slower rate.

Isn't suspend on these things just another way of saying, "powering down?"

I get my VT8500 netbook delivered tomorrow...a white one! Something different looking...maybe I'll put a sticker on the lid....

You guys have no "suspend" time in the "Power Properties" control panel applet?

When my device runs out of battery, the clock resets to 1970! Even DOS didn't exist then!

-Dana