Newbies Nightmare (sl-5500)

[salparadise]

Bought myself a 2nd hand zaurus 5500. I've been wanting one for ages - having had sad experiences with the zire and the clie.

I replaced the sharp ROM with opie 3.5.2 after seeing some screenshots - not realising that it doesn't come with 99% of the apps shown in the screenshot.

And then discovered that the CD that came with it doesn't have replacement ROM images on it so I can't even restore it to factory state and start again.

I cannot get it to to see anything  or ping through the USB connection. The closest I got was last night when Windows was pinging it successfully for a few minutes (though the Z just said "network unreachable" when I tried to ping back).

I cannot get ANYTHING to install, whether through the package manager or via the command line. (I currently have the ipk files on the root of the cf card and in a folder called pck at the root of the cf card).
What am I doing wrong?

I've tried the kompany ROM, gpe, and opie 3.5.1 & .2 and opie 3.5.2 seems the most able,stable and willing to go.

I need some help please.

Didn't think it was going to be this hard.

(I have 2 years home use experience with Linux and run Ubuntu Hoary and slackware10 so I can cope with the linux file structure and command line.)

I was hoping to be able to avoid having to buy a CF network card and an SD card as this effectively doubles the price I've paid so far which takes it from being a good bargain to a few quid short of a new latop!

Many thanks for any help offered.

[TimW]

If you are happy with the command line and have the packages already downloaded then

ipkg -d root install complete_path_to_ipk.ipk

will install a package from a file to root (the path the the root of the CF is /mnt/cf/ )

ipkg -d sd install complete_path_to_ipk.ipk

installs to sd but if you install to anywhere except root then you need to add links:

ipkg-link add packagename

(packagename should be the name of the file less both the the version info and .ipk extension, ie (IIRC) everything up to but not including the first "_")

[lardman]

I cannot get it to to see anything or ping through the USB connection. The closest I got was last night when Windows was pinging it successfully for a few minutes (though the Z just said "network unreachable" when I tried to ping back).

As you were able to see it I presume that you have the correct drivers installed on the Windows side (the drivers which came with the 2.xx series of ROMs, not those which now come with the 3.xx ROMs).

Make sure you've set an IP address on the Z side (Settings > Network iirc). Give it a static address as by default it asks a dhcp server (which you probably don't have).

I'd also set a static address on the Windows side - right click > properties on the connection in Control Panel > Network Connections.

Then it should work fine.


Si

[salparadise]

If you are happy with the command line and have the packages already downloaded then

ipkg -d root install complete_path_to_ipk.ipk

will install a package from a file to root (the path the the root of the CF is /mnt/cf/ )

ipkg -d sd install complete_path_to_ipk.ipk

installs to sd but if you install to anywhere except root then you need to add links:

ipkg-link add packagename

(packagename should be the name of the file less both the the version info and .ipk extension, ie (IIRC) everything up to but not including the first "_")
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Thanks for that.
I managed to get korganizer to install.
It doesn't work, but at least it installed.

One step nearer!

Should all ipks to be installed be at the root of /mnt/cf - the ipks that I put in /mnt/cf/usr/lib/ipks are always reported as "cannot find package xxx" ?

[TimW]

It should work but I have to admit to only ever doing it from the /mnt/cf directory. A concrete example of what should work is

ipkg -d root install /mnt/cf/usr/lib/ipks/opie-reader_0.7i_arm.ipk

This should install opie-reader from the directory you are using (but the version numbers won't match since I'm using my own latest build of opie-reader).

BTW, the main reason for installation failures is installing stuff to a CF or SD card which requires symbolic links but having a file system on the CF or SD card which doesn't support them. If you are installing to SD or CF it is best to reformat them them to ext2 first.

The only other obvious reason I can think for something not working after a successful install is that you are using a feed built for Sharp style ROMs with an open zaurus ROM (or vice versa but you already said that you are on OZ). If you do need a package which isn't built for the open zaurus ROM to work you may be able to get it to work using the oz-compat package (available on the openzaurus feeds) but you are generally better off sticking to only using stuff from the OZ feeds. The only non-OZ app I use is Opera. I believe some people also use jeode but I can't think offhand of any other app which is worthwhile installing from a sharp rom (though your needs may be different to mine).

[salparadise]

Put simply, my needs are for a reliable address book/contact manager that will sync to Ubuntu at home and Ubuntu and slackware at work.
The rest, email, web browser, games and music are just the icing on the cake.

Thus far, I see pencil and paper as being far and away the most reliable method. Even if it is archaic and untechy (I work with Linux in the NGO/Charity sector - CANNOT be seen to arrive and pull out pencil and paper!).

On the other hand, using opie on the Z reminds me very much of when I first started with Linux - I'm clueless and going nowhere - but it will come in time.

S'just a matter of hitting the brick wall with my head hard enough and frequently enough for the wall to give up and collapse!

 

[JohnKiniston]

Put simply, my needs are for a reliable address book/contact manager that will sync to Ubuntu at home and Ubuntu and slackware at work.
The rest, email, web browser, games and music are just the icing on the cake.

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The Opie pims + Multisync under linux got my 5500 talking to Evolution in a reliable manner.

I was going to try for the KOPI or whatever they are called pims next but I've stopped using evolution and went back to my OS X desktop for my day to day use.

[TimW]

I'm pretty sure that syncing was broken in the release of oz which you have but the next release is imminent (in fact there is a pre-release collie build [i.e. the one you need] being tested on one of the threads in this forum) and you should look at the release notes which says something about syncing. In summary, it looks like it will work but you need a patched version of multisync on your Ubuntu and slackware boxes.

[salparadise]

Does this mean I would have to patch multisync myself?
Would compiling it locally do?

[salparadise]

Would a USB-Ethernet adaptor do the same job as a CF Network card?

[JohnKiniston]

Would a USB-Ethernet adaptor do the same job as a CF Network card?
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If you had a Zaurus with USB Host or a USB CF Card yes, Otherwise no.

The older Zaurii do not have USB Host support, The are client only.