Re: Linux iPAQ HOWTO and hx4700

On 10/31/05, Stephen Strowes <sdstrowes_at_gmail.com> wrote:
> I too would be interested in this, if anybody has any information.
>
> On Sun, 2005-10-30 at 22:59 +0000, Bill Baily wrote:
> Hi,
> >
> > I've been following the Linux iPAQ HOWTO found at
> > http://mstempin.free.fr/linux-ipaq/html_nochunks/Linux-iPAQ-HOWTO-1.1.html
> > This HOWTO makes sense for me, as I have only a Linux
> > host machine and don't have a SD/CF memory card for
> > transferring images etc.
> >
> > I realise these instructions are different to those
> > found in
> > http://sdgsystems.com/pub/ipaq/hx4700/starterkit/current/,
> > and so I pose the following question: How do the
> > instructions in the HOWTO relate to the readme.txt in
> > this directory? Specifically, the HOWTO refers to a
> > bootloader image, and yet I don't see one with those
> > hx4700 images. Is there a way of using these hx4700
> > images without the use of an SD card or two?

What is special about the hx4700 is that the sdgsystems bootloader
(bootldr-1.1.9.rom is the latest bootloader image, I think) does not
replace the original htc bootloader but instead is placed after it in
flash memory, flashed by the htc bootloader itself.
The advantage is that you never lose the original bootloader and thus
it is impossible (highly unlikely?) to brick the device. The
disadvantage is that the dumb htc bootldr only knows how to flash from
sd card, afaik.

--
Philipp