Messages

1

Accessories / CF wired Ethernet card - recommendations?

« on: August 03, 2004, 03:58:16 pm »

I have a Socket Low Power Ethernet card for an SL5500 - worked straight out of the box with Sharp rom 2.12, but not with Sharp rom 3.10.  Have not got either Sharp or Socket to admit to needing to fix the problem

2

General Discussion / flashing rom on SL 5500 - get blinking lights

« on: April 22, 2004, 05:49:26 pm »

Finally recovered from the holiday.

I was hoping someone could say definitedly yes they have flashed backwards from one Sharp ROM to a previous or no they could not.

I\'ve also heard from Socket (who are prepared to commit to email) but they are saying that the card works with the ROM /ROM emulator provided by Sharp and so it is a Sharp issue - Socket say they are going to raise it with Sharp.

My next step will probably by to go to 3.13 to give it a whirl (just in case) and then to try to flash to another ROM with a view to flashing back to a previous Sharp version (or not if the other ROM suffices)

One question - is there a way to do md5checksums under windoze?  (and for that matter under UNIX/Z?  And I don\'t recall seeing the md5checksums on the Sharp site - are they listed there or is there another source?

Thanks
L

3

General Discussion / flashing rom on SL 5500 - get blinking lights

« on: April 05, 2004, 11:58:49 am »

Have just spoken to a very nice man on the Sharp tel support line who has said the  the ROM will not update to a previous release and that the instructions given on the web-site to flash back usually don\'t work!

Can people confirm that he\'s right or alternatively say that he\'s wrong (as in you have done this yourself?)

Thanks v. much L.

4

General Discussion / flashing rom on SL 5500 - get blinking lights

« on: April 05, 2004, 06:14:45 am »

PS going to be away for 2 weeks (with a Z with no network card) - L.

5

General Discussion / flashing rom on SL 5500 - get blinking lights

« on: April 05, 2004, 06:13:33 am »

Once more them blinking lights.  The procedure was . . .

1. Plug in Z to mains adapter not on the cradle.
2. Copy the Ospack file to the Lexar card via a card reader (for Sharp ROM 2.12).
3. Put the CF card in the Z and check that the file name is Ospack
4. Put the card back in the card reader and remove all files/dirs except Ospack
5. Open the battery compartment on the Z (no cards in it)
6. disconnect from extl power
7. push down the full reset for 10 secs and remove battery at the end of this with reset button still pressed down
8. leave Z for 24 hours
9. connect to AC power (battery light started blinking which was different)
10. put in CF card
11. put in battery
12. press C and D and full reset
13. lights blink on mail and battery
14. do another full reset and it comes up 3.10

Taking a sideways look at this, there is  an update ROM button on the settings panel, but I can\'t find any documentation about how this is to be used with the 5500.  Ive tried to go forward with it, but it can\'t find an image to flash to and I don\'t know where it\'s looking.   Is this a possibility?  Has anyone tried this on a 5500?

Thanks
L.

6

General Discussion / flashing rom on SL 5500 - get blinking lights

« on: March 29, 2004, 04:01:19 pm »

There is no joy in Mudville . . .

I have now got a Lexar 64Mb CF card and for each of 2.12, 2.37, and 2.38 ROM\'s done the following:

1. Plug in Z to mains adapter not on the cradle.
2. Copy the Ospack file to the Lexar card via a card reader.
3.  Put the CF card in the Z and check that the file name is Ospack
4. Put the card back in the card reader and remove all files/dirs except Ospack
5. fully extend the keyboard
6. take the cover off the battery
8. put in the CF card
9. using the special gadget (see post above), hold down the c and d keys (so only c and d are being held down)
10. press the full reset button once using the stylus
11. Admire the blinking LED\'s before pressing the full reset again and starting on the next ROM.

If anyone can see any mistakes in the above please let me know.

Thanks L.

7

General Discussion / flashing rom on SL 5500 - get blinking lights

« on: March 28, 2004, 06:49:50 am »

Yes I am using the AC adapter throughout.  Something else I might try is using ROMIMAGE or OSPACK for the name.  There seems to be some reference to using these filenames way back in the mists of time.   That will give me something to do today.  Monday I\'ll try for a 64 Mb card of one of the above types

L.

8

General Discussion / flashing rom on SL 5500 - get blinking lights

« on: March 27, 2004, 07:52:01 am »

Many thanks for the continued suggestions.  Alas so far with no success.

I have downloaded the 2.37 ROM and transferred the Ospack file (verifying the file name, etc)  and I have made up a small piece of wood (how sad is that!) to exactly cover the C and D keys on the keyboard to ensure that those keys and no others are pressed.  I am still getting the blinking lights.  When I\'m pressing the keys there are two distinct clicks - one for each key so I think it\'s ok.

Not sure if I said earlier, but I have also tried zImage and initrd.bin from OZ, but with the same results - LED\'s flash.

I\'m still thinking that the next step is to buy a 32 or 64 MB CF card to try - a recommended mfgr would be helpful.  The reason I\'m flashing back is that the Socket Ethernet card I have doesn\'t work under 3.10 and this is to confirm that it is a driver issue with the OS.

Thanks again
L.

9

General Discussion / flashing rom on SL 5500 - get blinking lights

« on: March 26, 2004, 04:18:00 pm »

Thanks for the advice, but still no joy.  I have reformated the card as per your notes, placed the Ospack file and checked under the Z console to ensure it saw the correct name -Ospack (don\'t trust Windoze naming). Then took the CF card back to the Win98 machine and removed the extra directories added in by the Z before following the flash instructions.  Still get blinking lights.

I am getting a little frazzled now.  I\'m beginning to suspect the CF card although it has been reformated correctly and running the File Manager tests on it seem to work.  Suggestions on a CF card that has worked to flash the OS anyone?

Thanks again
L.

10

General Discussion / flashing rom on SL 5500 - get blinking lights

« on: March 25, 2004, 04:26:08 pm »

I\'m attempting to flash back the rom from 3.10 to 2.12 or 2.38, I have backed up, etc., I put the ospack image on to the root of a CF card (PQI 256Mb), put the CF card into the slot (with the machine off), then hold down C+D and push the full reset button.

The two LED\'s blink and the rom does not upgrade.  When I check the CF card via Win98 (yeah I know, I must get it converted to linux) it says the card has a FAT filesystem and the card has never been formatted (ie has original filesystem from purchase)

Anybody got any clues as to what to try next?  I\'ve read loads of stuff and can\'t find anything I\'m doing wrong.

Thanks - L.

PS the upgrade from 2.12 to 3.10 was via Sharp supplied PC software and went swimmingly