RE: [iPAQ] "Dual Boot"

Cool, thanks.

BTW, I'm actually more interested in a pure-Linux PDA, but I think that a
dual boot is tremendously useful in two cases:

1) There aren't any useful Linux PDA apps (yet), and
2) Make it non-threatening for WinCE users to migrate to Linux.

I imagine that someone would be able to "try Linux" by receiving a small
boot-loader via IR, then inserting a CF card. That would make it easy to
make converts.

-----Original Message-----
From: ipaq-admin@handhelds.org [mailto:ipaq-admin@handhelds.org]On
Behalf Of Dirk van Hennekeler
Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2000 8:03 PM
To: Laird Popkin; noel@devtech.com
Cc: ipaq@handhelds.org; france@crl.dec.com; jamey@crl.dec.com
Subject: RE: [iPAQ] "Dual Boot"

Yes, you probably saw Mark Crichton post, he is
working along these lines - allowing someone to
boot Linux from RAM on the iPAQ so that flash
remains unchanged.
We were more interested in having a dedicated
Linux pc so we didn't go down the boot from RAM
(too far) or the hardware based dual boot.

Regards,
Dirk
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Laird Popkin [mailto:laird@io.com]
> Sent: Friday, November 03, 2000 8:29 PM
> To: Dirk van Hennekeler; noel@devtech.com
> Cc: ipaq@handhelds.org; france@crl.dec.com; jamey@crl.dec.com
> Subject: RE: [iPAQ] "Dual Boot"
>
>
> What about taking the approach that BeOS took, as well as one
> Linux distro I
> recall seeing targeting users who run Windows but want to "try Linux" in a
> painless way, and have the machine boot into WinCE, then run a small
> executable to reboot into Linux? That way, you don't have to hack
> around in
> WinCE. And given that you'd only have to run the program on resets, and
> could have it auto-run in WinCE (I think...) it sounds reasonably simple
> from a user POV.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ipaq-admin@handhelds.org [mailto:ipaq-admin@handhelds.org]On
> Behalf Of Dirk van Hennekeler
> Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2000 6:13 AM
> To: noel@devtech.com
> Cc: ipaq@handhelds.org; france@crl.dec.com; jamey@crl.dec.com
> Subject: re: [iPAQ] "Dual Boot"
>
>
> Hi Noel,
>
> Pardon this intrusion on your conversation...
>
> > Jamey,
> >
> > You seem to be the iPAQ Linux bootloader wizard. And George
> > appears to be
> > the OSLoader wizard.
> >
> > And, since you two work for Compaq, and thus have access to
> > Pocket PC codes,
> > could please explain what it would take to be able to dual
> > boot Pocket PC
> > (aka Windows CE current edition) or Linux through your
> > boatloader? Why not
> > be able to dual boot to the OS of one's choice? Perhaps one
> > could store a
> > copy of the Pocket PC distribution on a CF chip, and boot it
> > when one needs
> > a Pocket PC application.
> Even without the code you can still deduce a lot by looking
> at the flash image that you saved a copy of.
> Two scenarious come to mind: dedicated Linux handheld which
> could boot Windows CE or dedicate Windows CE handheld which
> could boot Linux. Where dedicated means the image is in
> flash memory.
>
> An initial thought was that the first scenario would be more
> difficult. Windows CE is able to execute in place, so moving the
> image somewhere else (say a cf card) would likely be a high
> risk solution.
>
> The second scenario would be to get in before Windows CE boots
> by injecting the bootldr code (that George wrote)
> in the boot sequence. It could then determine whether to
> continue with the Windows CE boot or boot Linux or
> another OS from a cf card. The trick is putting the
> bootldr code in the correct place and fixing up the
> reset vector to jump to the bootldr first. Potentially this
> could all go wrong and it might take more than one iPAQ to
> get it right...
> With 32MB flash memory it would be simpler. Both OS's could
> fit in flash memory.
> Assuming you have the 32MB flash memory and the bootldr is in place I
> believe it would be a matter of compiling the kernel to use
> the correct physical address etc.
>
> I'm not sure how it would be booted from a cf card - that is unfamiliar
> territory. At a guess from past posts to this list, the bootldr
> would have to be modified to be able to read from the cf card. Once that
> is done I guess it would be like booting Linux from a disk.
>
> I like your idea.
> You are not alone with this thought, some others on this list
> have also suggested this.
>
> >
> > What do you think?
>
> > Is this something that you can do? It
> Ever thought of chipping in? Now's your chance...:)
>
> > would make the
> > jump to handheld Linux a lot safer for a lot more people.
>
>
> Regards,
> Dirk
> _______________________________________________
> iPAQ mailing list
> iPAQ@handhelds.org
> http://handhelds.org/mailman/listinfo/ipaq
>

_______________________________________________
iPAQ mailing list
iPAQ@handhelds.org
http://handhelds.org/mailman/listinfo/ipaq
Received on Mon Oct 9 21:43:47 2000