My goal
Dual
(tri
) boot my Mobilepro 900 between WinCE 3.0, Win CE.NET, and linux at will without hassle.
(without hassle= once in linux mode I can boot/reboot/suspend/unsuspend easily, I accept having to backup/restore during the Wince->linux->Wince transition but would really like to avoid even that.
(mostly a backup will be needed since Wince uses the RAM for permanent storage and linux will erase that
)
)
What have I accomplished so far?
I ran CYACE on my Mobilepro 900 which erased the OS from flash requiring me to send it back to NEC for repair.
What did I learn?
Don't rush in without more information!
The existing bootloader on the Mobilepro 900 can be controlled via the serial cable.
Serial cables for the MP900 are RARE.
Alan Computech had 1 left
There is a copy from CF to RAM option for the bootloader.
Don't rush in without more information!
I'm currently waiting on my MP900 to get back from NEC so I can test the serial cable/bootloader interface and to try again to put linux on the box.
-------------
Here are some comments on your posting:
> These devices seem like much better candidates for a distro for a variety of reasons including:
You left out USB Host mode! This is one of the rare PDA
(HPC's
) that have Host mode. Host mode allows me to hook any device with drivers to my USB port: hard drives, CD/DVD readers/writers, scanners, Wifi, TV Input, and on and on. Guess what linux has TONS of usb drivers. Ok maybe not as much as Win XP but definately more than Win CE by a long shot. USB Host was the deciding factor for buying the MP900. That factor overrode the DSTN screen problem.
> ....one could write the bootloader...
If I understand correctly bootloaders are REALLY tough to write. I tried many beta versions of the one for iPaqs. Many a bricked device during the development cycle. Very difficult to support all of the different iPaqs. You MUST know ARM assembly really well and have insight into the PDA hardware. I'll be a beta tester but cannot write that kind of software. Good luck...
> With WM5, which uses flash exclusively for storage and ram only for program execution, it should be possible to have a true dual-boot HPC!
You can get Windows Mobile 5 for a Mobilepro 900?!!!? I know everyone would be listening/paying for that!
(Microsoft pay attention! Quit filling landfills with perfectly good PDA's just because you don't sell a generic PDA OS.
(everyone else: it's a conspiracy make an OS that is "tailored" by the device manufacturer for their device only...ie you can only get the OS from the device manufacturer. Why would they want to provide upgrades which cost them both development money and loss of future sales money. This is why linux is a solution. What firefox on your PDA! I know how to get it there. Linux.
)
)
(sorry rather passionate about this
)
> Running linux from a CF card is less than ideal, as writes to the card will quickly result in bad blocks/fs corruption.
This has been mostly eliminated by: 1- not using a paging file, 2- new file systems, 3- automatic load leveling done by SD cards
(maybe CF??? either way SD in CF adapter
).
The Zaurus line uses SD / internal flash for storage. I run my SL-5500 on a 1 gig SD card. Flash memory is disposable at $30 / year.
I like the idea of a Microdrive and will eventually put a 4gig drive
(< $100
) in my Mobilepro 900. Currently I have a 1 gig CF card that I will be using that to get linux on board.
> So, what do people think about this idea?
I think the idea rocks and is essential for future use of the machine
(new apps
).
So make your choice:
- Watch all of the 3rd party app devs slowly quit supporting your device
- use only the existing apps
- discard your perfectly functional device and upgrade to the newer devices
OR
Load linux and realize that anything you want is available and future stuff will be written...
Bill