Guylhem Rom : First Release

[guylhem]

Hello

The first release of the guylhem rom has been uploaded to externe.net/zaurus/guylhem-rom

Installation is as simple as promised, but it's a hackers only preliminary, as it's full textmode, you need to put qtopia on a SD, and the Fn/A keys have been inverted for qtopia. Yet I though it was overdue, and that's still a good working base.

You will get:
 - my latest fast kernel with squashfs
 - root in r/w mode with a cleaned filesystem
 - a single root partition - 58 Mb
 - only 12 Mb used, so you can install pdaxrom or whatever you want (say sharp qtopia-1.5 :-)
 - the new keyboard scheme to make internal and external keyboard work together.

Get the nandbackup and qtopia-1.5.tgz, then follow the instructions in README. Don't untar qtopia-1.5 in the flash - put it on a SD, since it's quite big : there's every application I have on my zaurus.

Attention : until the keyboard is fixed, I had to invert key "A" and "fn" in Qtopia 1.5 because someone hardcoded fn keycode value into qtopia binary libs :-( I'm working on a fix but it's not ready yet. Don't complain - there's nothing I can do yet.

The next release will be identical to that one except it will have the keyboard stuff fixed (hopefully !) and it will ship with a minimal qtopia 1.5 in flash.

I'm interested in any feedback - I will create a dedicated page and forum on externe.net which was attacked last week :-(

If you are satisfied or want to help, donation to paypal@externe.net or technical help is welcome. I'd be especially interested if someone could purchase a 128 Mb flash chip (the various company I've contacted won't export to France and won't sell a single chip either) to try some hardware upgrade on the 6000

PS: could someone who still has qtopia-2.1 flashed it make a tarball of it? I'm having problems with the initrd.bin from qtopia.net and I don't feel like reflashing again and again- I'd rather use that time to work on new cool stuff.

---------------- README -------------------


1. Installation instructions for Guylhem ROM for the Sharp Tosa SL-6000:
########################################################################

1. Put syst0006.dbk on a compact flash
2. Open a console, type "sync ; reboot"
3. When you see sharp logo at reboot, simultaneously press on D and M
button, then without releasing D and M, press reset on the back of your
Zaurus, then without releasing D and M, press power button
4. You will be rebooting into "Diagnostic Mode". Press on right button
until you see "Nand Restore" then press ok ok
5. Go and take a coffee.
6. When it's done it will say "Restore... OK" and the bottom  bar will
be green - you can now reset.
7. You will reboot in command line mode. Type "root" to log it.
Shift + Power will scroll up, Shift + Rec will scroll down.
A long press on Record will open a new login shell if needed.
8. You need a Qtopia in /mnt/card/ (that's because this version lets you
choose between Qtopia 1.5 and 2.1) : simply pick up which one you want
and uncompress it in your SD card formatted in ext2. If you want to put it in
your CF instead, change the symlinks from /opt and /home to
/mnt/cf/QtPalmtop

This is the first and experimental release, therefore no Qtopia was
selected for you.

2. If you want to do that again at home
#######################################

Read tweaking-parts.txt, create-jffs2-initrd.sh ; create your own
zImage1 and initrd1, put them on a Compact Flash and use updater.sh

In the next version, the application keys will be used to change between
virtual consoles, along with other small modifications.

4. Roadmap
##########

Version 1.0 : stable with Kernel 2.4.18-guylhem, Externe distribution (based on Embedix hard float), Qtopia 1.5 Sharp included in the flash

Version 1.2 : Kernel 2.4.18-guylhem, Externe distribution (based on Embedix soft float or OpenEmbedded), Qtopia 1.5 Sharp included in the flash

Version 1.4 : Kernel 2.4.18-guylhem, Externe distribution (based on OpenEmbedded soft float), Qtopia 2.1 TrollTech

Version 2.0 : Kernel 2.6.xx, Externe distribution (based on OpenEmbedded soft float), Qtopia 2.1 TrollTech

5. Helping
##########

Donations to paypal@externe.net are welcome if you like that ROM. If you
prefer donating Zaurus hardware, that's fine too. I'd be especially happy
if I could get a spare SL-6000 battery...

Technical help is welcome, especially to integrate Qtopia 2.1 to OpenEmbedded

If someone could find me a Toshiba 128Mb Nand chip TH58100FT or a Samsung
128Mb Nand chip K9K1G08U0M to replace the 64 Mb of flash by 128 Mb, I'm
also **very** interested.

[gab74]

Ok i try :
I follow your instructions.....

Using :  QtPalmtop.rom.tar.gz on my SD CARD , Qtopia starts but fonts are corruptet and when i try to  set TIME AND DAY.....even if fonts are corrupted...it hangs....and the clepsydra remains...

Using: Qtopia-1.5.tgz when rebooting Zaurus Hangs the screen remains on "

CG SILICON ....Please wait for approximately 30 seconds......

Any helps, i'm very interested in your rom !

[guylhem]

the tgz is faulty. The corrupted fonts is normal : go to appearance (desktop) icon in the settings menu and uncheck "use bold fonts" - voila, normal fonts

You then have an empty qtopia that can receive applications from cacko feed.

Regarding the clock app problem, I've no clue at the moment :-/ Any help is appreciated. I'm still waiting for someone to send me C1000 files to fix the Fn/A problem

[adf]

very cool. it makes me wonder how hard a deb bootstrap would to setup given the less crazed filesystem.  I guess woody would be the most convenient target--gcc 2.9 and all----. but real native woody on a z would be pretty powerful.

what would be needed?
an x server that handled the interfaces correctly--how hard would that be--what would be the problems?
what else? dpkg, debconf ? wget?. the idea that this setup can become largely "os" swappable is interesting

[guylhem]

the rom was made like that on purpose. no gui - use whatever you want. pdaxrom, cacko etc - most of the time just copy the binaries and that's it.

[adf]

now, of course, the issue is to get some more binaries together  (though cacko is a good pick to start with, I think)

maybe if you posted a very detailed and explicit how-to on getting useable binaries on externe more people would work at it?
I'll play with that some this weekend. Have to check out the new OZ too.

[gab74]

the tgz is faulty. The corrupted fonts is normal : go to appearance (desktop) icon in the settings menu and uncheck "use bold fonts" - voila, normal fonts

You then have an empty qtopia that can receive applications from cacko feed.

Regarding the clock app problem, I've no clue at the moment :-/ Any help is appreciated. I'm still waiting for someone to send me C1000 files to fix the Fn/A problem
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Sorry , but i do not understand what qtopia tgz i have to use ....
on [a href=\"http://www.externe.net/zaurus/guylhem-rom/]http://www.externe.net/zaurus/guylhem-rom/[/url] i see 2 qtopia
 QtPalmtop.rom.tar.gz
 Qtopia-1.5.tgz

What is the right one ? Thanks for your patience.....   I follow your README ....

When i use QtPalmtop.rom.tar.gz  qtopia starts but it is too too slow and  Zaurus hungs on set Time and date screen...

2..applications from cacko feed. ? Where can i download these applications ?

Sorry, but i'm new for this.....

[kmeaw]

Hi, guylhem! Very good work. Here are my suggestions:
- add kernel patch, that makes framebuffer console faster (as in OpenZaurus)
- remove non-working apps (fbvnc)
- remove qtopia (or somewhat, it says to wait xx secs) autoloading
- add external usb keyboard support module

[adf]

Hi, guylhem! Very good work. Here are my suggestions:
- add kernel patch, that makes framebuffer console faster (as in OpenZaurus)
- remove non-working apps (fbvnc)
- remove qtopia (or somewhat, it says to wait xx secs) autoloading
- add external usb keyboard support module
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=75126\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

there is a working fbvnc to be found from the pocketworkstation site.  maybe put that in?
surely there is a usb keyboard module in there? maybe t isn't loading?

I think the idea here is that the gui tarballs and the QtPalmtop.rom dirs are kind of extraneous--- it is a pick and choose situation right now.

I am interested in the possibility of using OZ gpe in the way that cacko is being used here (or pdaxrom)  
suggestions (since obviously tthere will be no qtopia to load....)?

[zipmaster]

great now im gonna have to go out and get another sd card to play with this proper  how big is Qt untared?

[adf]

great now im gonna have to go out and get another sd card to play with this proper  how big is Qt untared?
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=75180\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

it will untar to /opt.  can't be all that big if it fits there.

[offroadgeek]

I will create a dedicated page and forum on externe.net which was attacked last week :-([div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=74388\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

I hope you don't mind but I created a dedicated forum for you here and made you moderator.  Let me know if you need anything else.

Regards

[adf]

I was wondering how long this thread would get before it got moved

[guylhem]

thanks offroadgeek - feel free to move that thread and the fast kernel thread to the new forum.

However I may still try to fix my forums anyway (if only to say f*ck to the cracker :->)

Don't take that personally - I'm very happy you provided such help, but I'm also strongly attached to ibiblio and I'd best like to have my work hosted there. [I am concerned about long term hosting, and ibiblio is king there]

This doesn't mean I won't participate to oesf forum - in the last months my forums where up and I was here anyway - I'll be happy to participate to both :-)

Thanks again for your assistance with my rom for the 6000. I hope it will help fellow 6000 users.

Now let's work on a better rom !

Guylhem

[guylhem]

kmeaw, OZ 2.6 kernel is planned, but not immediately (cf roadmap)

fbvnc is here by mistake. I though it was on /opt. However it should work - I'm using it often.

Regarding external usb module, if ppl here say which module they need, maybe adf and me could compile them? That's simple - just say what you miss, and we'll make it.