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weird Workpdad Z50 problem

design.fort Page Icon Posted 2009-04-16 5:59 PM
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Hi all,
I have a weird problem on my IBM Z50. I installed some programs on a 2GB CF card and everything worked great. The programs started ok etc. After a while I got an error message saying that the card was taken out. (I didn't touch the card) The system completely froze up and I had to do a hard reset because the system couldn't read the card anymore. I tried it in the two different card slots (with a PCMCIA adapter) A soft-reset works, but the card still is not readable.

First I thought it's the card but this happens with any CF card (tried all kinds of cards). First it works great, but then I get the error message and I have to do a hard reset. It's almost as something corrupts the a CF card driver or something. The error only happens if I try to start a program that on the CF card.
The programs that are installed in the internal memory are not affected, I only can't start or read CF cards anymore.
The only solution is a hard reset.

The whole thing is very frustrating as I need the machine to get some work done.

Ideas anyone?

Thanks in advance
Herbert
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hmascience Page Icon Posted 2009-04-16 7:00 PM
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Wild guess, but see if you can get some contact cleaner into the CF slot (I know, near impossible). I'm speculating that after all these years of service, those contacts are getting corroded and you are getting a borderline electrical contact (with very high impedence/low current flow -- hence the sensing of a card being detected). As the unit warms up, the resistance gets high enough to break (or at least drop the current below some threshold) the circuit.

Of course, that doesn't sound like it'd explain why the PCMCIA doesn't work along with the dedicated CF slot (which does sound like it points to a driver/internal memory issue).

Just a guess, if you have a few minutes to play and otherwise try to work out your frustrations.
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Rich Hawley Page Icon Posted 2009-04-16 7:55 PM
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You say it only happens if you try to start a program on the CF card. What happens if you don't try to run an .exe from the card, but just use the card to write data files to...does it lock up then as well?

Might be worth experimenting to insert a cleanly formatted card and try and write some word or excel data files to the card and see what happens. If it still goes crazy, then I'm inclined to believe as hmascience suggests, that you have a hardware problem.

However, it the card remains intact, and the problem only occurs when running an .exe from the card, then it seems you have some software incompatiblity problem.
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design.fort Page Icon Posted 2009-04-16 8:13 PM
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Hi!
It only happens when I start an .exe from the card. Writing/reading data is ok. I don't think it's a hardware problem. The weird thing is that it happens with multiple programs that I want to start. So far it happend with Textmaker, TheSky pocket edition, Pocket DOS, TCPMP media player and PQV. All versions are the correct ones for the HPC/Pro and install fine.
When it happens it corrupts some driver and I have to do a hard reset. After that it works just fine for a bt and then it starts all over again. I found a threat on the internet from a guy with a similar problem, only that I don't have the 32MB update installed.
http://www.fixya.com/support/t80467-strange_ibm_z50_problem

Maybe this is some kind of a memory problem...

Quote
Rich Hawley - 2009-04-16 7:55 PM

You say it only happens if you try to start a program on the CF card. What happens if you don't try to run an .exe from the card, but just use the card to write data files to...does it lock up then as well?

Might be worth experimenting to insert a cleanly formatted card and try and write some word or excel data files to the card and see what happens. If it still goes crazy, then I'm inclined to believe as hmascience suggests, that you have a hardware problem.

However, it the card remains intact, and the problem only occurs when running an .exe from the card, then it seems you have some software incompatiblity problem.
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Rich Hawley Page Icon Posted 2009-04-16 9:14 PM
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Well, the solution is obvious then...don't run programs from the CF card. I'm thinking it is corrupting because you have files that are not closing and opening properly.

Are you installing the programs through activesync, or are you only extracting the cab file components directly to the memory card? Might be there are some registry settings that need to be installed during activesync, or maybe there is something that is simply turning off the card, low power perhaps, causing it to defunct.
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design.fort Page Icon Posted 2009-04-17 4:32 PM
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Thanks Rich!

I did some more testing and found out that the culprits are two programs:
1. The hum MP3 player only works if installed in the main memory. If I install it on the CF card I get the error message.
2. If I install the actual DOS image from PocketDos on the CF card it also crashes. The PocketDos program itself is not a problem if installed on the CF card... The weird thing is that once those programs are installed wrongly, they effect the start up of other .exe programs as well.
3. If hum is installed, SeePic crashes. Why I don't know, must be a conflict somewhere.

Now everything seems to run ok. I guess the whole process of installing software on the Z50 is a bit trial and error. I've never had a Windows CE device that touchy before. But I really like the concept of the Z50 so I give it a good chance


Quote
Rich Hawley - 2009-04-16 9:14 PM

Well, the solution is obvious then...don't run programs from the CF card. I'm thinking it is corrupting because you have files that are not closing and opening properly.

Are you installing the programs through activesync, or are you only extracting the cab file components directly to the memory card? Might be there are some registry settings that need to be installed during activesync, or maybe there is something that is simply turning off the card, low power perhaps, causing it to defunct.
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