ipaq 3760, linux, trouble booting new kernel, possible brick?

From: Ilja Hallberg (iha@regexp.se)
Date: Tue Jan 22 2002 - 08:57:57 EST


Hello!

I recently bough a ipaq 3760 to run Linux on it. While installing
the kernel and the root file system i ran into some trouble which seems
to have turned my ipaq into a brick :-( While reading the information
on handhelds.org you mentioned this address, <bootldr@handhelds.org>.

I managed to install the bootloader and use minicom to communicate with
the ipaq. When the bootloader was installed it was possible to run wince
and pressing <space> while <resetting> i got the Tux spash screen.

I followed the instructions for installing Linux at
http://familiar.handhelds.org/familiar/releases/latest/install/H3600/install.html
I have attached the full output from minicom in this mail.

Fetching kernel and root with xmodem seemed to work fine, except for one detail:
when typing "params save" I only got the answer:
     bootldr: set linuxargs "noinitrd root=/dev/mtdblock/3 init=/linuxrc console=ttySA0"
and not the full message about programming the flash as mentioned in the instructions:
programming flash...erasing ...
 Erasing sector 00040000
 writing flash..
 addr: 00040000 data: 646C7470
 verifying ... done.

I assumed that the lack of message above had something to do with the instructions
being written for an older model of the ipaq. I therefore (dumb perhaps?) continued
with "load kernel" and "load root".

After this loading i got back to the promt "boot>", and I typed "boot". After this it
did not look fine:

/* CUT */

boot> boot
                 
booting wince...
                
Disabling LCD controller
                       
U§¢F
                                                                                                                    
00089DF4
                                                                                                                    
01BFE028

/* CUT END */

Now the ipaq seems to be a brick. If I insert the power supply then the LED will blink and
indicate that the battery is charging, but that is all. Resetting does not help.

I guess that I must have done something wrong during the installation, but I cannot figure
out what.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated :-) Would it be possible to reflash the bootloader
with an external utility or programmer?

When looking at the attached log, please note that the original "sx" command in my
Suse-linux installation was linked to an SGML application. This explains the failed first
xmodem installations of the kernel and the cryptic xml-messages.

Greetings, Ilja Hallberg (Stockholm, Sweden)



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