iPAQ H3600 Linux Installation Instructions - v0.17

WARNINGS:

• If this installation fails then your iPAQ could become (temporarily) unusable.

  This version is less likely than the previous installation processes to result in an installation failure. We are trying very hard to make this procedure bullet proof, and we think we're very close with the boot loader. The boot loader can not get over not get overwritten by accident now. Some additionial bug is certainly possible, but we think it is unlikely. If you have not upgraded your boot load to version 2.9.5, please do so immediatly.

  Compaq Research will ensure that you do not permanently turn your iPAQ into a paperweight, but it is very inconvenient for all of us if we have to fix a unit that was rendered nonbooting by a failed installation (or WinCE restoration).

• Windows CE Restoration

  If you save an image of your Windows CE software as described in the WinCE restoration instructions then you will be able to restore it again after installing Linux.

  The restoration process is not simple. It is error-prone. But it is available. We will help anyone who has trouble with it.

  We are working on an improved process, but it is not ready yet.

  WinCE has been successfully restored by many people on fifteen (15) different iPAQs. The current status of the save / restoration of WinCE is available at http://www.handhelds.org/projects/wincerestoration.html.

• Errata

  • Do not use the "Tools->Bootldr->Run" command. The OSloader program contians an older version of the boot loader program, that could make your iPAQ fail to reboot. This will be fixed in the next OSloader release.

  • Some web browser's default download settings is 'ASCII' mode instead of 'binary' mode, this will make the downloaded files corrupt. For example, Netscape requires that you hold down the shift key when you click on an item for downloading in 'binary' mode.

    WARNING: Please verify the 'md5sum' of any file before using.

  • If you are going to be using minicom, there is a timing issue. If minicom starts to NAK repeatedly, stop the download Wait for the second '.' to print, then type ctrl-c. Retype the command at the boot loader prompt followed by a <cr>, then ctrl-a, z, s, select xmodem, , <cr>, <cr>. This will restart the down load very quickly and avoid the timing issues.

  • Unless you really really know what you are doing do not mix kernels, ramdisk and cramfs files from different V0.?? releases. Each V's can have different memory mappings.

Requirements:

• A computer that runs Windows 95/98/2000/NT. A few people have installed Linux on the iPAQ using a Linux computer. There are Linux conectivity instructions at http://www.handhelds.org/minihowto/wince-link/index.html and http://www.handhelds.org/pipermail/ipaq/2000-Auguest/000061.html
  • Install the ActiveSync application (Async) from the iPAQ H3600 Pocket PC distribution CD that came with your unit onto your Windows system.
  • You will also be using HyperTerminal (or other terminal emulator capable of the xmodem protocol, such as minicom on Linux.
• The following files from ftp://ftp.handhelds.org/pub/linux/compaq/ipaq/v0.17:
  • init-2-56.cramfs
  • init-2-56.cramfs.md5sum
  • root-2-54.cramfs
  • root-2-54.cramfs.md5sum
  • usr-2-55.cramfs
  • usr-2-55.cramfs.md5sum
  • zImage-2.4.0-test8-rmk5-np2-hh2
  • zImage-2.4.0-test8-rmk5-np2-hh2.md5sum
  • bootldr-0000-2.9.5
  • bootldr-0000-2.9.5.md5sum
  • bootldr-c002-2.9.5
  • bootldr-c002-2.9.5.md5sum
  • OSloader-1.3.0.exe
  • OSloader-1.3.0.exe.md5sum
• iPAQ H3600 with a serial cable (USB is NOT supported at this time). For those of you that can not wait for a serial cable, Peter Monta has instructions for a home made cable which invalidates the warrenty on the base station at http://www.handhelds.org/pipermail/ipaq/2000-Auguest/000061.html

Installation:

1. Plug your iPAQ into the serial port of your Windows machine using a serial cable.
2. Configure your iPAQ to use the serial port for ActiveSync.
   • Select settings from the Start Menu (the Microsoft flag icon)
   • Click the Connections tab, and then double-click the PC icon.
   • Ensure the Automatically synchronize when serial cable is connected using is checked.
   • Change USB to 115200 Default.
   • Click OK (top right of the screen).
3. Use the ActiveSync application (the file name is Async.exe) to connect to your iPaq 3600 from you PC.
4. Copy OSloader-1.3.0.exe to your iPaq from your Windows machine. Ignore the "may need to convert" message you will get.
5. Copy the bootldr-c002-2.9.5 file to your iPAQ: it MUST be in the root directory (the root directory is referred to as "My PocketPC"), and MUST be renamed bootldr.
6. On your iPaq H3600, find OSloader-1.3.0 wherever you put it, and then execute OSloader-1.3.0.
7. Select the Tools->Flash->Save to files.... Four (4) files, 4MB each in size will be created. After each file is created, copy the file to your computer, then delete the file from the iPAQ to make room in the WinCE ramdisk for the next file. The current status of the save / restoration of WinCE is available at http://www.handhelds.org/projects/wincerestoration.html.
8. Select the "Tools->Bootldr->Run after loading from file" menu entry. The iPAQ screen should go blank.
9. On the PC disconnect the ActiveSync application (it is holding onto the serial port you need).
   • On the PC, right click on the ActiveSync logo in the tooltray.
   • Select the Connections Settings.
   • Deselect Allow serial cable or infrared connection to this COM port.
10. You may have trouble getting ActiveSync to free your serial port. You might want to use some more friendly operating system to run minicom or eterm or,...
11. Run your terminal emulator on whatever machine can talk to your serial port with the settings of: 115200 8N1 (115200 baud, 8 bits, No Parity, 1 stop bit) and Flow control: 'None'.
12. In your terminal emulator, hit the enter key on your keyboard on your machine: you should see a 'boot>' prompt. You can type 'help' at the bootloader at the 'boot>' prompt to get a list of commands.
13. This step is dangerous: make sure you perform it exactly correctly. At the 'boot>' prompt, type 'load bootldr', then start an xmodem download of the file bootldr-0000-2.9.5. A bootldr tarball corresponding exactly to these boot loader bits is available.
14. Your iPAQ will say "verifying ... done.". The loader program has a simple sanity check in it to try to ensure that only a bootloader can get installed into flash at the iPAQ's bootloader's address.
15. Make sure the bootldr flash sector is protected:
    • qflash 2
    • should print 00010001.
    • Otherwise, protect the flash sector manually.
    • pflash 0 0xffff 1
16. Reboot or power cycle your iPaq H3600: the boot loader should come up. Don't be scared about the message "Corrupt kernel image", because you don't have a kernel installed yet. Whew! You are through the risky part of the procedure.
17. At the 'boot>' prompt, type 'load kernel', then start an xmodem download of the file zImage-2.4.0-test8-rmk5-np2-hh2. When finished with the download, you will see "Erasing, Writing, Verifying flash" messages. A kernel tarball corresponding exactly to these kernel bits is available.
18. At the 'boot>' prompt, type 'load flash 0x100000', then start an xmodem download of the file init-2-56.cramfs. This takes approximately 4 minutes. When finished with the download, you will see "Erasing, Writing, Verifying flash" messages.
19. At the 'boot>' prompt, type 'load flash 0x200000', then start an xmodem download of the file root-2-54.cramfs. This takes approximately 10 minutes. When finished with the downlaod, you will see "Erasing, Writing, Verifying flash" messages.
20. At the 'boot>' prompt, type 'load flash 0x500000', then start an xmodem download of the file usr-2-55.cramfs. This takes approximately 20 minutes. When finished with the downlaod, you will see "Erasing, Writing, Verifying flash" messages.
21. At the 'boot>' prompt, type 'set linuxargs "noinitrd root=/dev/flash4 init=/linuxrc console=0"'.
22. At the 'boot>' prompt, type 'set copy_ramdisk 0x0'
23. At the 'boot>' prompt, type 'set baudrate 115200'
24. At the 'boot>' prompt, type 'params save'.
25. At the 'boot>' prompt, type 'boot'.
26. At the (none) login: prompt, type 'root'
27. At the prompt, type 'mkfs -t ext2 /dev/flash6'
28. At the prompt, type 'mount /usr/local'. This will allow you to use /dev/flash6 as /usr/local for persistent storage. Please note that you may only make one hundred thousand (100,000) writes to a particular sector of flash.

Congratulations! You should be up and running.

Note: if you need to get back into the boot loader after you have Linux running, restart the iPAQ and quickly hit the space bar a few times during the boot process. You can restart the iPAQ with the Linux command shutdown -r now.

Please post any questions to linux@handhelds.org. Thank you.

Modified October 28, 2000 by france@crl.dec.com.

Please send comments on this document to George France (france@crl.dec.com).