Currently, in order to install Linux on the Compaq IPAQ H3600-series, it's required that you have the following:
| iPAQ H3600 Install Pre-Requisites | |||
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This document assumes that the installation of Familiar v0.5.1 is occurring on an iPAQ that already has a version (any version) of CRL's bootldr installed in FlashROM. If this is not the case, please see [this] document on backing up WinCE, and installing the initial boot loader using BootBlaster. Please be sure to follow every step of those instructions before continuing. Also note that you do not need to install the bootloader as instructed below if those instructions had you install a bootloader that is at least as up to date as the bootloader discussed below. That sounds almost legal.
In addition, you must also have the following files:
| Familiar v0.5.1 Installation Components | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Make sure the terminal emulator is up and running, and is properly interacting with the bootloader. Proper interaction consists of being able to issue commands, and get responses (e.g. the help command should return the bootloader usage). Your terminal emulator must be set to 115200 8N1 serial configuration, no flow control. Failing to use these settings will lead to trouble, so double and triple check all settings.
If you cannot interact with the bootloader, make sure your terminal settings are correct, that the iPAQ is properly connected to the host computer, and that the iPAQ is actually on. If everything seems fine, try restarting the host terminal emulator, and toggle a hard-reset on the iPAQ (i.e. by switching the battery disconnect at the bottom off, waiting 10 seconds, and then back on again).
Some of the functionality of Familiar v0.5.1 (e.g. booting the kernel out of the root filesystem, not requiring a parameter partition) requires that you have a recent bootloader revision. In this case, the recommended bootloader for the iPAQ is OHH/CRL bootldr 2.18.01 or a later revision (see the above software table for locations).
If you already have bootldr 2.18.01 or later installed, you can skip this step. Before you start, be sure your iPAQ is well charged, and plugged into a constant power source. DO NOT, under any circumstances, reset the iPAQ during this process. There is a chance you could get your device into an unusable state, although CRL has graciously offered to repair "bricked" iPAQs.
Otherwise, upgrading is quite straight forward:
Here's an example:
boot> load bootldr loading flash region bootldr using xmodem ready for xmodem download.. BSD sum value is: 00000000 programming flash... unlocking boot sector of flash Protect=00000000 erasing ... Erasing sector 00000000 writing flash.. addr: 00000000 data: EA00008E addr: 00010000 data: E1A0C00D verifying ... done. startAddress :00000000 limitAddress :00018980 Protecting sector 00000000 Protect=00010001 |
Note: Don't panic if your numbers are different. The most important parts of the above example are the "erasing .. writing flash .. verifying .. done" steps.
At this point, using your stylus, hit the reset button at the bottom right hand corner of the iPAQ. You should now see the new bootloader splash screen. Hit your space-bar, in your terminal emulator, to get back to the "boot>" prompt.
One more time, make sure that both hardware and software flow control are disabled on the serial port. If the iPAQ is not accepting input from the serial port, most likely hardware flow control was enabled in the terminal emulator.
In order to properly boot the Linux, with the correct kernel arguments, the flash partitions need to be setup correctly.
The boot-loader should inform you that it has reset, and redefined the flash partitions. If you had any problems w/ the above step, make sure that you reset your iPAQ after upgrading to bootldr 2.18.01.
Here's an example:
boot> partition reset argv[1]=reset defining partiton: bootldr defining partiton: root boot> |
As an initial step, a root filesystem image must be installed using the
iPAQ's boot-loader.
You should see something like:
boot> load root
loading flash region root
using xmodem
ready for xmodem download..
Erasing sector 00140000
Erasing sector 00180000
Erasing sector 001C0000
Erasing sector 00200000
.
.
.
addr: 00360000 data: 781590DB
addr: 00370000 data: 642637AE
addr: 00380000 data: E0021985
addr: 00390000 data: 15DA97EC
Erasing sector 00FC0000
writing flash..
addr: 00100000 data: E0021985
addr: 00110000 data: E3BAD617
addr: 00120000 data: 0FA1F57B
addr: 00130000 data: 9343AEEB
.
.
.
addr: 00600000 data: E0021985
addr: 00610000 data: FFFFFFFF
addr: 00620000 data: FFFFFFFF
addr: 00630000 data: FFFFFFFF
verifying ... formatting ... done.
boot>
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Again, the important part of this process is that the bootloader successfully erased, wrote, and verified the filesystem image.
You should see Linux startup, and numerous daemons execute. If all goes well, you should be presented with a "login:" prompt.
The next step is to configure the iPAQ for access to the Internet. If you're using DHCP and a PCMCIA/CF networking card, everything might work out of the box. If not, consult one of the following URLs:
Verify that everything is operational (e.g. by ping'ing familiar.handhelds.org). Be sure that there is at least one nameserver entry in /etc/resolv.conf (if you are using pump for DHCP, this will be taken care of for you).
At this point, it's useful to set the time on the iPAQ. The easiest
mechanism for doing this is using "ntpdate" to retrieve time information
from over the network. An example would be to enter ntpdate clepsydra.research.compaq.com on the command line.
In order to proceed using Familiar's packaging tools, the available package list must be updated. Execute the following at a shell prompt: ipkg update.
At this point you have a booting iPAQ. In order to make it useful as more than just a kernel and a running shell, it helps to install new packages. The easiest way to do this being ipkg.
In order to see a listing of available packages, simply execute: "ipkg list". The Familiar Project provides several meta-packages, in order to make it easiers for users to get a useful environment:
| Meta Package Name | Description |
| task-complete | A "complete" set of packages installed. Creates a usable
X environment to work in. Please see the postinst FAQ below if you're going to be installing this meta-package. |
| task-x | All the required bits to get a working X server, and clients up. |
| task-wireless | The utilities for configuring 802.11b cards. |
| task-mp3-player | Sound configuration and MP3 playback utilities. |
In order to install any of the above meta packages, simply execute " ipkg install meta_package_name". ipkg will download and install all the proper packages to meet the required dependencies.
Most likely, the terminal emulator has hardware flow control enabled. Disable both hardware and software flow control. If you are using Hyperterminal, sometimes it consumes all CPU cycles and needs to be restarted.
The "familiar-postinst" package provides a mechanism for performing a couple common operations that people are interested in:
Simply install the "familiar-postinst" package (this is not required if you installed "task-complete"), and run /root/postinst. It will take care of the rest.
The problem is that Linux doesn't know what timezone you are in, and so it is defaulting to GMT. To correct this, install an appropriate timezone file on the iPAQ at /etc/localtime. You should be able to find a link to such an appropriate timezone file at /etc/localtime on your desktop Linux system. After you have installed /etc/localtime, to get existing time displays to update (like the blackbox time), you may need to stop and start the appropriate process. You may find that /etc/init.d/x stop then /etc/init.d/x start done via a serial console or over a ssh session on the iPAQ, will provide the desired results.
Familiar is getting to the point where it is quite dependent on access to the Internet. task-complete was put together so that people did not need a full net connection to their iPAQ to check out the full feature-set of Familiar,.. with some of the new changes/dependencies (e.g. TrueType fonts), this really isn't possible.
Please follow the provided instructions on configuring net connectivity for the iPAQ.