Installing Linux on an iPaq 3765 from Linux

Overview

What you need

• Compaq iPaq 3765 (I got mine from electrified.com, $459 before the $50 Compaq rebate)
• Serial cradle or cable (I got mine from Circuit City in Mountain View for $32. They had about 10 on the shelf when I was there Jan 13, 2002)
• Linux PC with:
  • A serial port (/dev/ttys0 assumed herein)
  • pppd installed

What To Do

• Turn off AutoSync! This step kept me from getting anywhere for hours. Programs, ActiveSync, Tools Menu, Options, Uncheck 'Enable Synchronization when cradled using:'
• Setup Connection on iPaq:
  • Start Menu, Settings, Connections Tab, Connections
  • Set 'My network card connects to:' to 'The Internet'
  • Under 'Internet Settings' on top, choose 'Modify...'
  • Create a new connection by clicking on 'New...'
  • Set baud rate to 115200
  • Click on Advanced
    • 8 Data Bits
    • No Parity
    • 1 Stop Bits
    • Hardware Flow Control
    • Check 'Enter dialing commands manually' but uncheck the 'Use terminal' commands
    • Go to TCP/IP tab
    • Select Use server-assigned IP address
    • Uncheck 'Use slip'
    • Check 'Use software compression', and 'Use IP header compression'
    • Go to Name Servers
    • Select 'Use server-assigned addresses'
    • Click OK
  • Click Next
  • Uncheck 'Wait for dial tone before dialing'
  • Click Finish
• Setup pppd on your Linux box
  • Create a script called pppsetup.csh:

    #!/bin/csh
    
    # pppd script for Windows CE ppp connection on serial port
    pppd crtscts lock noauth persist 192.168.1.1:192.168.1.2 /dev/ttyS0 115200 &
    

• Login as root and start the script
• On your iPaq, click 'Connect' on 'Internet Settings'
• In the Terminal program that appears on the iPaq, Tools Menu, Continue
• The connection should be established and an 'arrows' icon should appear in the iPaq task bar at the top.

Download Bootblaster, Bootloader, and ftpserver

• Run httpd on your Linux box
• Put Bootblaster and Bootloader on a page on your web server
• Put FTP Server, unzip and place it on the web page
• Launch Internet Explorer and visit your web page on 192.168.1.1
• Download all three programs
• Launch ftp server

Backup Windows (Optional)

• Launch BootBlaster from File Explorer
• Flash, Save Bootldr .gz format
• Run ftp, connect to 192.168.1.2
• Download saved_bootldr.gz
• In Bootblaster, Flash, Save Wince .gz format
• Download saved_wince.gz

Install new Bootloader

• In Bootblaster
• Flash, Program
• Pick the bootldr image you downloaded earlier
• Click OK
• It should report after 15-20 seconds that the image was saved OK
• Flash, Verify
• It should again report that the image was installed OK

Restart with the new bootloader

• Hold down the center button on the arrow keypad
• Reset the iPaq by pushing the stylus into the hole on the lower right

Install Linux

• Follow the Familiar 0.5 instructions

Setting Up PPP

• Use pppd to establish a PPP connection
• On your host, setup IPv4 forwarding:

  echo "1" > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward

• Setup the default route on the iPaq:

  route add default 10.1.1.100