Can SPEAKUP run on an IIPAQ?

JONATHAN CREASY jcreasy at aph.org
Thu Jun 21 08:09:18 EDT 2001 

There is a linux distro that is made to run on the IPAQ. 
iPaq H3600 Linux Installation Instructions - v0.20
iPAQ H3600 Linux Installation Instructions - v0.20
WARNINGS:
  a.. If this installation fails then your iPAQ could become
(temporarily) unusable.
  This version is less likely than the previous installation processes
to result in an installation failure. We are trying very hard to make
this procedure bullet proof, and we think we're very close with the boot
loader. The boot loader can not get over not get overwritten by accident
now. Some additionial bug is certainly possible, but we think it is
unlikely. If you have not upgraded your boot load to version 2.14.8,
please do so immediately.

  Compaq Research will ensure that you do not permanently turn your
iPAQ into a paperweight, but it is very inconvenient for all of us if we
have to fix a unit that was rendered nonbooting by a failed installation
(or WinCE restoration).

  b.. Windows CE Restoration
  If you save an image of your Windows CE software as described in the
WinCE restoration instructions then you will be able to restore it again
after installing Linux. 

  The restoration process is not simple. It is error-prone. But it is
available. We will help anyone who has trouble with it. 

  We are working on an improved process, but it is not ready yet. 

  WinCE has been successfully restored by many people on many different
iPAQs. The current status of the save / restoration of WinCE is
available at http://www.handhelds.org/projects/wincerestoration.html.

  c.. Errata
    a.. Some web browser's default download settings is 'ASCII' mode
instead of 'binary' mode, this will make the downloaded files corrupt.
For example, Netscape requires that you hold down the shift key when you
click on an item for downloading in 'binary' mode. 
    WARNING: Please verify the 'md5sum' of any file before using.


    b.. If you are going to be using minicom, there is a timing issue.
If minicom starts to NAK repeatedly, stop the download Wait for the
second '.' to print, then type ctrl-c. Retype the command at the boot
loader prompt followed by a <cr>, then ctrl-a, z, s, select xmodem, ,
<cr>, <cr>. This will restart the down load very quickly and avoid the
timing issues. 

    c.. Unless you really really know what you are doing do not mix
kernels, ramdisk and cramfs files from different V0.?? releases. Each
V's can have different memory mappings. 
Requirements:
  a.. A computer that runs Windows 95/98/2000/NT. A few people have
installed Linux on the iPAQ using a Linux computer. There are Linux
conectivity instructions at
http://www.handhelds.org/minihowto/wince-link/index.html and
http://www.handhelds.org/pipermail/ipaq/2000-Auguest/000061.html 
    a.. Install the ActiveSync application (Async) from the iPAQ H3600
Pocket PC distribution CD that came with your unit onto your Windows
system. 
    b.. You will also be using HyperTerminal (or other terminal
emulator capable of the xmodem protocol, such as minicom on Linux. 
  b.. The following files from
ftp://ftp.handhelds.org/pub/linux/compaq/ipaq/v0.20/: 
    a.. bootldr-0000-2.14.8 
    b.. bootldr-0000-2.14.8.md5sum 
    c.. osloader-1.3.0.exe 
    d.. osloader-1.3.0.exe.md5sum 
  c.. iPAQ H3600 with a serial cable (USB is NOT supported at this
time). For those of you that can not wait for a serial cable, Peter
Monta has instructions for a home made cable which invalidates the
warrenty on the base station at
http://www.handhelds.org/pipermail/ipaq/2000-Auguest/000061.html 

Installation:
  1.. Plug your iPAQ into the serial port of your Windows machine using
a serial cable. 
  2.. Configure your iPAQ to use the serial port for ActiveSync. 
    a.. Select settings from the Start Menu (the Microsoft flag icon) 
    b.. Click the Connections tab, and then double-click the PC icon. 
    c.. Ensure the Automatically synchronize when serial cable is
connected using is checked. 
    d.. Change USB to 115200 Default. 
    e.. Click OK (top right of the screen). 
  3.. Use the ActiveSync application (the file name is Async.exe) to
connect to your iPaq 3600 from you PC. 
  4.. Copy osloader-1.3.0.exe to your iPaq from your Windows machine.
Ignore the "may need to convert" message you will get. 
  5.. On your iPaq H3600, find osloader-1.3.0.exe wherever you put it,
and then execute osloader-1.3.0. 
  6.. Select the Tools->Flash->Save to files.... Four (4) files, 4MB
each in size will be created. After each file is created, copy the file
to your computer, then delete the file from the iPAQ to make room in the
WinCE ramdisk for the next file. The current status of the save /
restoration of WinCE is available at
http://www.handhelds.org/projects/wincerestoration.html. 
  The files will be saved in the My Device folder -- the root folder on
the device. They will have filenames: flash_00000000.bin,
flash_00400000.bin, flash_00800000.bin and flash_00c00000.bin. 

  7.. Select the "Tools->Bootldr->Run" menu entry. The iPAQ screen
should go blank. 
  8.. On the PC disconnect the ActiveSync application (it is holding
onto the serial port you need). 
    a.. On the PC, right click on the ActiveSync logo in the tooltray.

    b.. Select the Connections Settings. 
    c.. Deselect Allow serial cable or infrared connection to this COM
port. 
  9.. You may have trouble getting ActiveSync to free your serial port.
You might want to use some more friendly operating system to run minicom
or eterm or,... 
  10.. Run your terminal emulator on whatever machine can talk to your
serial port with the settings of: 115200 8N1 (115200 baud, 8 bits, No
Parity, 1 stop bit) and Flow control: 'None'. 
  11.. In your terminal emulator, hit the enter key on your keyboard on
your machine: you should see a 'boot>' prompt. You can type 'help' at
the bootloader at the 'boot>' prompt to get a list of commands. 
  12.. This step is dangerous: make sure you perform it exactly
correctly. At the 'boot>' prompt, type 'load bootldr', then start an
xmodem download of the file bootldr-0000-2.14.8. A bootldr tarball
corresponding exactly to these boot loader bits is available. 
  13.. Your iPAQ will say "verifying ... done.". The loader program has
a simple sanity check in it to try to ensure that only a bootloader can
get installed into flash at the iPAQ's bootloader's address. If there is
an RXSTAT error, you can ignore it if there "verifying ... done" was
printed. Otherwise, repeat the 'load bootldr' step. 
  14.. At this point, the new bootldr is installed in flash. You can
spot check the bootldr installation before rebooting by executing the
command peek flash 0x0, which should print EA00008E. Also check peek
flash 0x20, which should print 646C7462. If either of these prints
FFFFFFFF, then the bootldr is erased. Be very careful. Do not reset the
unit. Do not power cycle it. Make sure it is plugged in. Reload the
bootldr. If there are any error messages email ipaq at handhelds.org or use
IRC to connect to irc.openprojects.net channel #ipaq or #handhelds.org
for assistance. 
  15.. Reboot or power cycle your iPaq H3600: the boot loader should
come up. Don't be scared about the message "Corrupt kernel image",
because you don't have a kernel installed yet. Whew! You are through the
risky part of the procedure. a
  16.. Now sure the bootldr flash sector is protected! If 
    a.. qflash 2 
  does not print 00010001 then protect the flash sector manually. It is
safe to perform this step even if it was already protected. 
    a.. pflash 0 0xffff 1 
  17.. At this point you have a working bootloader and you are ready to
install a Linux distribution. The latest Linux distribution for the iPAQ
H3600 series is available at http://familiar.handhelds.org and can be
installed using the instructions at
http://familiar.handhelds.org/familiar/releases/latest/install/H3600/install.html.
The older Handhelds.org Linux Distribution which was last updated in
March of 2001 and is not likely to see any further updates can be
installed by following the instructions at update.html. All future
effort will be directed towards building the Familiar Distribution. 
Note: if you need to get back into the boot loader after you have Linux
running, restart the iPAQ and quickly hit the space bar a few times
during the boot process. You can restart the iPAQ with the Linux command
shutdown -r now.


If you have any problems, please post to one of the followig lists:

General problems with setup, installation, user-land software or
configuration: ipaq at handhelds.org.

Issues believed to be related to the kernel: linux at handhelds.org.

Thank you.


Modified Friday May 25, 2001

Please send comments on this document to Jamey Hicks
(jamey.hicks at compaq.com).



>>> cpt.kirk at 1tree.net 06/20/01 02:15PM >>>
I really doubt it. The IPAQs have macroslop burned into rom. But
first,
you probably want software speech. If you could get speech from a
pcmcia
card (with speakup) then you might look into overcomming the macroslop
os
loading and play.

=======
Kirk Wood
Cpt.Kirk at 1tree.net 

Nothing is hard if you know the answer or are used to doing it.


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