5500 Error - Will No Longer Calibrate?

[victorhooi]

heya,

I just dug my Z-5500 out of storage after a long hiatus, and flashed it with Qtopia 2.1.2.

Upon starting up, I tapped the screen once to start the setup, then went through the calibration procedure. However, no matter how many times I performed calibration, it simply repeated all over again.

Thinking it was a problem with the ROM, I flashed it again with OZ 3.5.4 as well, with the same result (calibration kept on looping).

This is a very strange error, but hopefully the machine is usable somehow - any suggestions?

Thanks,
Victor

[Cy1clown]

Mine is doing the same thing. Looping through the calibration screens.  I however have been using only the Sharp ROM.  
Anyone have an idea what is going on here?

Thanks
Jon

[sdjf]

Mine is doing the same thing. Looping through the calibration screens.  I however have been using only the Sharp ROM. 
Thanks
Jon
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=153357\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Jon,
 
I don't know why it won't calibrate, but am wondering if your internal memory is full and renderng your Z incapable of registering any new settings?
 
If your console works, do a 'df' to see how many bytes are left.  The System Info tab tells you there's no space left long before it's 100% full, and df is more informative.
 
I would look for corrupt files that may have gotten oversized.  Any memory of what you last did before the problem?
 
Look in /tmp/ and what ever directories you might have just worked with.
 
The two things that most frequently whack out my space are tkcMail indices that can get corrupted during a crash, and elvis temp files in /tmp/elv___.
 
Also, strange things happen if the Zaurus overheats...if it feels hot, put a cold pack on it.
:-)
 
Victor, I don't know OZ at all.   If you just flashed it, memory shouldn't be full unless something is corrupt.

Will your collies work okay otherwise, except for calibration, like if you tap on a big GUI, will it open an app?  

sdjf

[Cy1clown]

When I turn the unit on it goes into the calibration mode and won't come out.  I have tried a hard reset and it does the same thing. It will not do anything except cycle through the calibration.

Thanks
Jon

[sdjf]

When I turn the unit on it goes into the calibration mode and won't come out.  I have tried a hard reset and it does the same thing. It will not do anything except cycle through the calibration.

Thanks
Jon
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=153410\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Have you tried booting into the console instead of going through all the run levels?

You can do that by pressing the slash key during the run level countdown 5 4 3 2 etc. and then choosing, I think it's level a.  You need your password if you have one.

That puts you in console and do a df to see your space.  I'm hoping it's full and you can enter standard kernel commands to find the corrupted file if there is one and rm it.

Then to get into qtopia, I don't remember, I think you do an exit command.

This can be done in soft reset...but did you say this was with  a hard reset?  Have you removed all memory cards?  They could be doing something whacky I suppose.  After a hard reset does not sound good.  I hope someone else has some ideas.

I hope it isn't totally broken.
sdjf

[sdjf]

Another thought.  What are you using as a power source?

I'm wondering if your internal battery (different than the EA-BL06) might be run down or the EA-BL06 be running down and somehow the Z, even if you're on AC, might not be able to save data?

Just a guess...wish a hardware expert would say something.

If you didn't charge for a huge amount of time, like when you first got it (isn't it like 20 hours for the first charge?) maybe that's a factor.
sdjf

[Cy1clown]

sdjf
I can press / at the boot and get the menu.  I then press a and it asks for a login and then a password.  I have never set any of this, do you know what the defaults are?

Jon

[sdjf]

sdjf)
I can press / at the boot and get the menu.  I then press a and it asks for a login and then a password.  I have never set any of this, do you know what the defaults are?

Jon
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=153481\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

I never used the defaults as I had already made a password for authentication at the point I had to use this.

On sl5500 2.38, I think we are root, but I don't know if it will take a blank password.  I guess won't hurt to try.

I'm very busy today thru Saturday but I could research further Sunday if no one else has answered.  Did you say which ROM you're using?  It's different on 3.xx than 2.38.

You could try entering an 'r' or an 'e' and see if those require a password.

I think there's hope if you can get the console.  You also might do searching on your own for the default password...I think the password file is in /etc/password but needs intepreting.  If I have time to fetch a copy from my early backups, I'll post it here in case it might help.

Wait...just located email from a friend...if you're on 2.38, select 'a', login as root, and there is no password.

Try that...sdjf

[sdjf]

Hey, I got curious and entered "boot into console" in the search box here, and a bunch of stuff popped up.

No time to read them soon...lemme know which look the best!

sdjf

[Cy1clown]

I successfully booted into Linux Console, root with no password.  I did a df and I believe I have 25 used 19 available with a use % of 57%.  The odd way it displays makes it kind of hard to read.

As you can tell I am not very knowledgable about Linux.  

It looks like this function is working but I still can't get past the calibration screen.
Any Ideas on what to check next?

Thanks for all your help.
Jon

[Cy1clown]

Oh I forgot I am using version 2.78.

Jon

[dougeeebear]

Oh I forgot I am using version 2.78.[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Why don't you install [a href=\"http://www.myzaurus.com/ROMupdate5.asp]version 3.13[/url]

[sdjf]

Oh I forgot I am using version 2.78.[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Why don't you install [a href=\"http://www.myzaurus.com/ROMupdate5.asp]version 3.13[/url]
[div align=\"right\"][a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=153522\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Jon,

Are you sure it's 2.78 and not 2.38?

dougeeebear, can he flash without access to the GUI?  I've never flashed so I don't know.

Jon, yeah the display is kind of wierd, but I found it kind of trippy, like the old days when I logged in remote to a mainframe from a terminal.

You can enter simple console commands.  To see what you last did after the hard reset before the trouble, enter
history | tail     or look at the logs for clues:
more /var/log/dmesg
     or
 more /var/log/wtmp_
sdjf

[Cy1clown]

When it boots up it shows the INIT 2.78
Actually I have flashed the 3.13 from the sharp site.
This confuses me.
Is there a list of the commands and what they do for the console(busybox) somewhere?
I think I may try to flash to OZ and see if that works today.

Thanks
Jon

[sdjf]

Wh--en it boots up it shows the INIT 2.78
Actually I have flashed the 3.13 from the sharp site.
This confuses me.
Is there a list of the commands and what they do for the console(busybox) somewhere?
I think I may try to flash to OZ and see if that works today.

Thanks
Jon
[div align=\"right\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a][/div]

Didn't know there was a 2.78.  Hope flashing works for you.  You can check your ROM version with:
 
 cat /proc/deviceinfo/revision

Sounds like a good linux tutorial might help.  Check out the resources I've listed at [a href=\"http://sdjf.esmartdesign.com/new.html]http://sdjf.esmartdesign.com/new.html[/url], especially the first two.  Next thing I would run is fsck but I'm not an expert at using it.  It checks the file system and theoretically corrects any errors.  

Also, are you on the AC adapter?  A low battery could mess things up.  

Busybox is really just standard kernel commands and I use the standard man pages I find on the web.  Difference is some of the options are missing, but the basics are there.

sdjf