Recent Posts

31

Zaurus - pdaXrom / Re: Sharp Zaurus linux in 2025

« Last post by InSearchOf on September 03, 2025, 07:47:18 am »

Its amazing that there is still interest in pdaXrom this many years later...

Late

32

Zaurus - Void Linux support / Re: Void Install Guide

« Last post by Varti on August 28, 2025, 12:09:22 pm »

Hi Varti,

Great to hear about Void's new release news—super excited! Any word on the release date?

I’m already using Void Linux build-8, plus the new kernel Greguu released in Jan 2025. Void feels really lightweight, but I’ve run into some challenges too.

Also, do people still use Arch Linux? Any tips to share, like on GUI or productivity? Eager for Void-related insights too!

By the way, I have a question: the USB hosts of C1K and C3K cannot provide sufficient power to support external devices. How can I get these devices to work properly? Thanks.

No release date yet unfortunately, I hope greguu can update us on the current status of the release.
As already mentioned by DiTBho, an externally powered USB hub/device is unfortunately required.

Varti

33

Zaurus - Void Linux support / Re: Void Install Guide

« Last post by DiTBho on August 26, 2025, 01:11:22 am »

Do you mean external hard drive?
If so, you d best use externally powered units

34

Zaurus - Arch Linux ARM support / Re: Update: C1000 / Akita support

« Last post by zengold on August 22, 2025, 11:49:47 pm »

Code: [Select]

macmini2-intel kernel-5.4.229-arm-akita # ./mybuild-2024 2
[step2] compiling
kernel-5.4.229(arm/zaurus-akita)
| vanilla + patches from Void
| status:
|  boots(from SD)
|  boots(from CF-microdrive)
|  usb-lan DM9601 works
|  suspend
|    failure on c1k
|    success on c3k
|  irda/raw serial, added, to be tested
toolchain(armv5tel-softfloat-linux-gnueabi:2.40.0/12)
-----------------------------------------------
checking myhost as qualified_host ... success
checking .config ... success
checking blobs ... success
-----------------------------------------------
gadget_to_do(build) ... overlay/build
cleaning ............... done
gadget_to_do(clean) ... kernel/clean
building kernel ... success
-----------------------------------------------
gadget_to_do(binary) ... overlay/binary
gadget_to_do(sweep) ... kernel/sweep
app_body    =kernel.zImage
app_size    =5003576 byte
app_size_max=6000000 byte
checking size ... passed
gadget_to_do(binary_report) ... overlay/binary_report
macmini2-intel kernel-5.4.229-arm-akita #

that's how I compile kernels for all the platforms I support, mainly MIPS, POWERPC and HPPA2.
I wrote a "builder" in bash-scripting + C/89, to help managing patches, configuration, and checks

Every build comes with a "profile", which tells about

• the toolchain, with constraints on the min and max versions of binutils and gcc
• the ecosystem (it's called "qualified machines", can also be a chroot, or a container), to ensure you are using the right setup, at least "tested"
• the final size of the kernel
• the final file-format { uboot, elf, bin, zImage, ... }
• etc...

Code: [Select]

checking .config ... success

Here, it checks a file in ensures that the .config contains options considered "essential", and that it does not contain options considered "to be avoided"

Code: [Select]

macmini2-intel kernel-5.4.229-arm-akita # cat profile/config_check.list
CONFIG_PANIC_TIMEOUT                 # without this, panic() loops forever

CONFIG_USB_NET_DM9601                # Davicom DM9601 USBv1.1 10/100 Ethernet NIC

not CONFIG_CMDLINE_FROM_BOOTLOADER     # do not allow the bootloader to pass cmdline
CONFIG_CMDLINE_FORCE                 # built-in cmdline
CONFIG_CMDLINE                       #
                                     # console=ttyS0,9600n8 console=tty1
                                     # noinitrd
                                     # root=/dev/hda2    /dev/sda2
                                     # init=/bin/bash
                                     # rootfstype=xfs ro
                                     # video=pxafb,mode:640x480-2
                                     # fbcon=rotate:1
                                     # (debug)
CONFIG_EXT2_FS
CONFIG_EXT3_FS
CONFIG_XFS_FS

CONFIG_IKCONFIG                      # save .config into /proc/config.gz

CONFIG_GPIO_PCA953X                  # set the GPIOs in Akita
....


Dear Bros, can share this kernel , C1000 model, thks

35

Zaurus - Void Linux support / Re: Void Install Guide

« Last post by zengold on August 22, 2025, 11:33:36 pm »

Hi Varti,

Great to hear about Void's new release news—super excited! Any word on the release date?

I’m already using Void Linux build-8, plus the new kernel Greguu released in Jan 2025. Void feels really lightweight, but I’ve run into some challenges too.

Also, do people still use Arch Linux? Any tips to share, like on GUI or productivity? Eager for Void-related insights too!

By the way, I have a question: the USB hosts of C1K and C3K cannot provide sufficient power to support external devices. How can I get these devices to work properly? Thanks.

36

Zaurus - Void Linux support / Re: Void Install Guide

« Last post by Varti on August 22, 2025, 03:47:33 am »

Greguu is preparing a new Void release and he's asking what new packages to add to the release, you might want to list the packages here and he'll add them to the new release.
Regarding the setup of the crosscompiling env, there are some instructions here: https://github.com/greguu/voidz-packages

Varti

37

Zaurus - Void Linux support / Re: Void Install Guide

« Last post by zengold on August 21, 2025, 08:35:55 am »

hi bros,

i was setup build-8 rootfs void linux ,but dropbear starting , root & other user has not access for ssh, pls give any advise,many thks

by the way , if need dosbox & more void package , can share how to setup complies env ?

38

Site Suggestions, Requests, and Updates / Re: Forum outage

« Last post by Varti on August 18, 2025, 04:43:20 am »

Hi,

the forum is currently experiencing connection issues, from time to time the forum fails to load. The source of the issue might be a recent PHP upgrade on our hosting server, the current version isn't fully supported by our forum software. Sorry for the inconvenience, I'm working on a forum upgrade which should solve these issues.

Varti

39

Gemini PDA - Linux / Re: Working UBports (Ubuntu Touch) Focal for the Gemini PDA by NotKit

« Last post by hzykiss on August 16, 2025, 08:49:10 am »

Hello, I've recently been considering trying out UBports, but I'm not sure where to start. Could you provide a more detailed explanation of the specific steps involved? Here's my understanding so far:
1. I need to first flash my device to Android 8.1 (boot1) + Gemian (boot2).
2. Download and extract the files to obtain ubuntu.img and boot.img.
3. The ubuntu.img needs to be placed in the root directory of Gemian.
4. Execute the following command in Gemian: `cat boot.img > /dev/disk/by-partlabel/boot3`.
5. Finally, restart the device to boot from boot3.
 

Is this correct? Can it be flashed to the boot1 partition? Can I keep only UBports if I don't need Android and Gemian?
Looking forward to your reply.

40

New products and alternatives / A Chinese company is reviving old BlackBerry Classic phones with Android

« Last post by Varti on August 15, 2025, 07:43:26 pm »

"A brand named Zinwa Technologies is working on resurrecting a limited number of decade-old BlackBerry Classic Q20 devices and installing Android on them. The reborn phone will be sold as Zinwa Q25 Pro."

https://www.androidauthority.com/blackberry-classic-revive-android-3587932/

Varti