Re: [iPAQ] Joining the 2210 porting effort!

Gday all,

Please excuse my absence for the last week or so (if you noticed:).
I have had to finish rebuilding my network for future projects (inc. hh.org
stuff) ... and have only just regained email ability (just sorting thru
400+ msgs now;)
(marcus34_at_iprimus is old address, can receive but cant send on it ATM)

Great to see two more on the 2210 bandwagon... WELCOME!!

On Sat, 06 Dec 2003 01:40:07 +0100
Ingo Hoffmann <ingo_at_hoffmann-augsburg.de> wrote:

> Michael, all,
> I'm really glad that there is another one to push Linux on H2210.

Me too!

> I've received my device about 2 months ago and besides the fact, that we
> have not yet a shell prompt I have to say, that the device is great! So
> far I'm using wince together with
> http://www.rainer-keuchel.de/software.html. This is definitely better
> then nothing (wince) but I'm awaiting eagerly a running linux on H2210.
> The strange fact in my opinion is that we have not even a real dicussion
> so far in this mailing list here.

Yes that's true, however there have been _some_ discussions in
#handhelds.org

> I'm afraid that people are focussing very much on those (partly really
> old) 3xxx versions and are missing obviously the presence (H2210) and
> the future (H4xxx).

Hmmm. Yes I noticed that too ... I guess it's a combination of unusual
(different) components, and that it is also a mid-range model. ie. 19xx and
5xxx both seem to have very active development (and also it's one of the
newest ipaqs)

> So far I'm not even able to trace the status. When we look to
> http://www.handhelds.org/projects/h2200.html: (BTW: Why isn't it
> possible to see this link when browsing http://www.handhelds.org/projects
> ?)

I thought that had been updated some time ago. Seems to work OK now anyway.
>
> See H22xx ASIC spec for info on the companion ASIC in the H2210.
>
> Assign new machine type to H22xx. Done. MACH_TYPE_H2200 = 341
> Update linexec to run on H22xx
>
> What are the problems here? What has to be done? What about a
> compilation environment? What is the status?

Status = joshua tells me that he expects that linexec should run on a 2210,
but as we havent even compiled a test kernel it's a little pointless trying
to use it:)

>
> Boot minimal kernel via linexec
>
> What do we need for a minimal kernel? Why can't we use the kernel of
> another device or can we? Which one?

No we cant do it that way. Other devices may have similar features, ie.
cpu, etc, but the h2210 has a number of differences like: different ASIC,
NAND flash, MediaQ GPU (with built-in USB) ... etc. What we need to do is
get a "just working" kernel (ie. minimal) to test under linexec (ie. in
wince). To achieve that, we need a toolchain to build the kernel (AFAIK).
That is what I am attempting to do (although time seems to be getting the
better of my efforts ATM).

>
> Port bootldr to H22xx.
>
> This seems to be low priority for me! Why not use wince for loading
> Linux? The risk with installing the bootloader could so be avoided!
> Why can't the old bootloader be used?

Once a minimal kernel has been built, we should have enough info to get a
proper bootloader going. I, for one, do NOT want to have to rely on wince
to be running so that I can run linux. HOWEVER, I would like to investigate
dual-booting (given enough memory, etc) ... to that end I have been
stockpiling (ie. 2) cheap mmc cards (64MB) from ebay in the hope that I may
be able to boot linux from the SDIO interface (one day:). This way, in
theory, I should be able to use both os's, and still take advantage of my
CF camera and 512MB CF card. I intend to move all possible CE progs onto a
128MB SD card.

>
> A lot of questions and unfortunately only a few answers!
>
> Regards Ingo
>
>
> Michael Opdenacker schrieb:
>
> > Marcus, all,
> >
> > I'm about to receive the 2210 device that I ordered. It's somewhere in
> > between the retailer and my home!

Know that feeling (and I bought mine from HP direct!!)

> >
> > Marcus, have you progressed on your plans to port Linux on this device?
> > I was surprised to read that "no one is currently working on it" on the
> > Familiar 0.7.2 release notes. Anyway, don't hesitate to share with this
> > list where you stand.

Yes I read that too, but wasnt offended .. as I'm a very slow worker (at
times;)) To date I have:
- finally got ADSL connected (static IP)
- (almost) completed my firewall & subnet plan (designed in June!)
- got a toolchain server up and running (minor tidying up req)
   specs: dual ppro200, 256MB RAM, 3x18GB in raid5, kernel 2.4.22-1-686-smp
   running debian-sarge. (Will that be OK jamey? or do I need a 2.6
kernel?) User-Mode_Linux is installed but yet to be completed.
- borrowed a domain name (intheloop.net.au) ... about to set it up

> >
> > I would like to join this effort too, and that's why I bought this
> > device. Here are my motives:
> >
> > * I should be a lot of fun and a great learning opportunity doing
> > this, all the more as lots of specifications are available from
> > the project page (http://www.handhelds.org/projects/h2200.html)

Handy, huh?

> > * This is a very attractive device in terms of features but above
> > all in terms of weight and size. It really fits in your pocket! My
> > Palm V was very small, but I felt very uncomfortable with its
> > proprietary software. I bought an iPAQ 3970 and then got freedom,
> > but it felt like going backwards as it was twice as big!
> > Similarly, I find the Zauri way too big (except the A300 which
> > looks tough to find and has very few expansion capabilities).

Yep, smallest dual-slot available (AFAIK)

> > * So, if we succeed, we will at last have the best of both worlds: a
> > small, powerful and expandable device running Free Software and
> > that's easy to get in a local store! Our work will be useful to
> > lots of Free Software enthusiasts.

I hope so too

> > * Doing this could could help with the porting of other devices, in
> > particular those with NAND flash.
> >
> > I really have a lot of time to dedicate to this effort in the next
> > months! By the way, I'm a heavy PDA user, and I will also try to
> > contribute to the Familiar, Opie and GPE projects.

Great.

> >
> > Marcus' idea to start a 221x Wiki sounds very good to me. Let's do it
> > if you agree. We could start by gathering information from past posts.

Great!
I've been filing info on this device for months (including posts, press
releases, tech docs, etc), funny thing is I reckon there are a few in the
hh.org community that could probably reel most of the info off the top of
their head! lol (my brain ain't that big:))(I've printed most of it out
:)) ... a: I like paper b: books dont need batteries c: I can scribble all
over them :) (yes I already know I'm strange). Strangley enough, I learn
better from paper, old habit I guess.

> >
> > Any new progress status is welcome! (No need to repeat things that were
> > already shared on this list).

I've already forgotten what happened 5 mins ago, so forgive me if/when I
repeat myself :))

> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Michael.
> >
> >

Regards,

Marcus.
Received on Sun Dec 07 2003 - 08:58:39 EST