z50 and Linux - help

Hi,

I am trying to install linux in my z50, but up to now failed.
Two questions:

1. linux-mips.(linux-mips.org) Has anybody managed to compile a kernel for the z50 and is willing to share it? I did the crosscompiling and finished with a "compressed" file in /arch/boot but do not know how to go ahead (total newbie!!)

2. pocketlinux.(gnulinux.de/pocketlinux) Same question has anybody installed it in a wince mips? I can not find an answer if it is possible at all.

Any comments will be much appreciated.

Cheers!!

oski

Try the NetBSD mips port. It should work on the z50. Grab it from http://www.netbsd.org/Ports/hpcmips/

Hi Snappy!,

I have installed NetBSD and it works. But none of the browsers (Dillo, links) can contact some of the websites I am interested when travelling. Firefox was ported and I installed it but is so slow that it is unusable.
Many thanks for answering!!!!
oski

Can you give us a screenshot (even though it is slow and unusable) for firefox? The command is as follows:

import 'filename' - so it could be: import firefox.jpg (or import firefox.png). Then select the window or the whole desktop, click, and that's it!

What about links-graphical and dillo not working? Go into more detail there.

Hi,

1. Minimo. Unfortunately I have reformatted my microdrive to test linux then I have not minimo installed. If you are interested in installing it all the info is in a thread by Snappy! "A confession".( By the way will be usefull to move it to this forum!!!!)

2.Browsers: I did not say that they did not work. All I said is I was not able to use them for the sites I usually use IE, like MSN, Hotmail, my banks, my company website. In many cases you only can do text browsing, or get the message to upgrade your browser. Dillo is very nice an fast, but has, the same as links-g, the problems mentioned before. For MSN Messenger there is a good alternative called AMSN that works very well.

I do not now if I will make any progress with linux-mips (pocket linux I was informed will not work in a mipsel HPC) but it is worth trying. If in the future there is a port of minimo to 2.11 or a new browser developed I will be delighted to use them. All I want is to put some more life in my z50 and be able to use it when travelling (instead of my Thinkpad 240), and have the opprtunity to have a glimpse of the world of linux and NetBSD, that I did not know anything 6 months ago.

I followed your work with Debian/Arm and think something like that for mips will be great but I do not have enough knowledge to do it.

Cheers

oski

Whoa - did you just say that amsn works on your H/PC?! Isn't that gtk2/gtk+? That could change things...

Have you tried out netscape? I mean an older version. Or maybe konqueror, or some of the other linux browsers that use the gecko engine. If you can find one that works, that would be excellent, and you would be able to browse your sites.

-Yeah, I would like to be able to get linux working on all the architectures too. But I would need bootloaders at my hand and a working cross-compiler.

--And in the meantime, a lot of my energy is going into trying to desperately fix my Replica I...it is dissapointing to spend months on your first electronics project, to have it work perfectly, and to put it onto the metal surface of an AT PSU without thinking....and burning stuff.

Edited by ProgramSynthesiser 2005-09-30 1:23 AM

Hi,

AMSN is gtk2/gtk+ and works very well with NetBSD/hpcmips 2.02

I will review the NetBSD packages to see what is available, do not now about Konqueror or netscape.

Sorry can not help you with your problem.

In the meantime I am trying to crosscompile a linux-mips(mipsel) kernel for my z50.

oski

Hi

AMSN: sorry I made a mistake it is Tcl/Tk based NOT gtk/

oski

Lol, I fixed the Replica.

Really? It is tcl/tck based? Wow...it looks pretty good, I use it for msn messaging all the time. Well I will definitely add that to my release...

Can you test a gtk program?

Hi,

I do not know if I can test, all I have is a z50, and CF, and a linux box.
Can try if you give me clear directions, good for a total ignorant.

Hi again!!!

For the first time I found that somebody has installed linux (Debian) in a mipsel 2.11 machine!!!! a Sigmarion II.

http://linux4sig2.sourceforge.jp

The issue is that there are no docs, no kernel sources etc, and my question is:

Can with some technical wizardry this porting for the sigmarion applied to the z50? Recompiling the kernel etc etc, but no kernel sources!!

I am sure that the clever people in HPCfactor will have an answer (other than NO)

Many thanks

oski

Try running the gimp.

Heheh, you might want to try to find a program that uses less ram. Gtk is just a graphical library, most programs for linux use it at this time.

Kernel...I do not know...wait for me to learn about cross-compilers.

Hi,
I managed to make my vmlinux kernel
(for 2.4.30)
But I can not boot it in my z50 using hpcboot!!!

hpcboot identifies the file and seems to open it, indicates that loader=ELF
and goes as far as the 2nd boot loader and when the screen should change
color, indication of booting a kernel, the z50 freezes and hangs, and only a
soft reset bring it back to life.

What I am missing??? I do not know any other way to test the kernel other than try to boot!!!!!!

any comments will be appreciated.

many thanks

oski

Pretty much, if you can get the kernel to compile, and you DID compile it with the cross compile libraries with a CC= command.... (I hope....)

I wonder, is linexec only for the 720? Because there is source code available for it, you could try cross-compiling it, and see if that works better. It seems to be much more reliable than hpcboot, and now is better than it, being able to boot kernel 2.6.

Hi,
- Yes I crosscompiled using the toolchain from linix-mips.org (the SDE one) and did not find problems with make.
- AFAIK linexec was developed for ARM only.
- hpcboot worked OK with other kernels like a couple of linux-vr.
- I wonder if somebody has a linux box and will try to crosscompile the kernel for me to test and try to find were I am doing wrong?????
Tks
oski