Re: SOLUTION - Semi-Bricked h2200

On 6/5/07, David Waybright <david_at_iximd.com> wrote:
> This is a solution I found to what I like to consider a Semi-Bricked State.
>
> First, Background:
> What I mean by Semi-Bricked is things like booting Linux, it works!, then
> reseting and it freezing at either a white or DEAD (NO backlight on) black
> screen with ALL LEDs on along with the reset and power buttons NOT responding.
> Basically ANYTHING BUT a TRUE BRICKED state (flashing a bad image).
>
> SOLUTION:
> I actually came across this by accident (playing around while WinCE was still
> installed, deleted ALL data in WinCE, Opps!) and thought about trying it for
> this Semi-Bricked scenario.
>
> 1. remove the battery and reinstall the battery door (so the battery door
> switch
> is pressed)
>
> 2. Place the h2200 on the POWERED cradle or power cord (to give external power)
>
> 3. if NO LEDs light up OR the screen doesn't show signs of ANY activity
> (Backlight either coming on or flickering) tap the power button (at least
> holding it in for 1 second) [DO THIS STEP ONLY ONCE, it's just to kick-start
> the
> processor. Even if it still doesn't present signs of power up]
>
> 4. Now pull the h2200 off the external power or cradle (You've just offically
> pulled the power cord from the computer while it was in middle of boot up)
>
> 5. Install the battery & battery door and proceed as usual (You WILL need to
> press the reset button to restart - just like when you pulled it from the
> retail box)
>
> WHAT WAS DONE:
> the battery door switch is what tells the pda to use the backup battery when the
> battery is being removed. Without the battery installed and the switch pressed
> if the last remaining power is pulled (AC) the PDA crashes because the system
> code didn't tell it "On battery, AC Pulled, if switch released OR battery dies
> goto backup battery" it didn't have time to even think twice.
>
> WHAT'S NEXT:
> I think we should try to find out why this state happens. Did anyone try to use
> a serial console while entering the Semi-Bricked state to catch any error
> messages on the way in. I think it's using a power state the hardware doesn't
> understand like maybe POWER OFF.

I think what's happening is that the SRAM that holds the 16K
first-stage bootloader gets corrupted, which only a hard reset can
fix.

So another way to get a h2200 working that has all leds stuck on is to
do a hard reset: hold down the calendar and iTask buttons (leftmost
and rightmost) and reset for about five seconds or so until the leds
go out, and then press reset again. I don't recall whether this works
when AC is plugged in.

Matt
Received on Wed Jun 06 2007 - 08:54:53 EDT