I-Appliance BBS The Official Source for Internet Appliance Upgrades and Mods BBS Main List | Sign In | Sign Up | Search | Help | Linux-Hacker.net Reply to Thread | Printer |

Home / Web Pads / Epods One General Post Dead ePODS? How likely is a dead epod?

Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) SiliconICe I am seriously wanting to order one of these, but if ordered through Salton, can they be returned? How likely is it that, in a few weeks, I'll give it a hard boot and it will not boot at all? I have heard some have had to return theirs...should I be worried about this at all? I don't want to just toss $200 away if there's a good chance it might break in a short time... 01-11-2001 15:26:58

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) qazx From the bottom of the receipt for my Epods from Salton Outlet: "Returns only accepted for even exchange or in-house credit with our store receipt withing 30 days of Purchase" "30 day in-store exchange on any damage product with receipt. Balance of warranty (11 months) through our consumer service department." 01-11-2001 15:34:07

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Sinner Profile | Email CMI Worldwide is contracted to handle service. I don't think you'll have to much trouble, I didn't. 01-11-2001 16:43:16

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) jkgamer Saridnour and anyone else who's managed to 'kill' their ePods, I have been messing around with my ePods for about six weeks now. I have managed to trash the entire 'ePods System' folder and all of the 'copied' files in the Windows folder. (i.e. All the files that were copied from the ePods System\IFC folder). I have yet to totally disable the ePods. So this post has two purposes, the first being to inform others how to recover a 'dead ePods', and the second to get clarification on just how someone with a dead ePods actually went about to cause this condition. I have noticed a lot of posts that claim that a hard reset with CF cards seems to present problems, just for the record, I placed 10MB Sun Flash Disk (memory) in the CF slot and it hasn't been removed since. I have deleted files, hard rebooted, and hacked the hell out of the registry and have not experienced this problem. I am not saying that it couldn't be this, just that it may not be this. (Maybe it has something to do with the brand of CF card.) How to recover a 'dead' ePods: (Assuming you backed up your ePods System folder or have access to a backup) 1. Perform a HARD RESET - Press the power button, hold it in while pressing the reset button on the back of the unit. (You will need to use your stylus for this). 2. Go through the screen calibration process (If this screen doesn't come up after a hard reset, it may be possible that you somehow manage to erase the ROM (Since the ROM in the ePods are actually Intel Flash Memory chips) I don't know how likely or possible this is, but if you don't get the calibration screen, its not going to do anything. 3. Wait for the ePods to present you with the date and time dialog. DO NOT enter the date and time or close this dialog box or click the OK button for this box. Leave it on the screen. 4. Press the #3 hardware key at the top of the unit. This brings up the keyboard. The button has a little keyboard icon etched into the plastic near it. 5. Select ALT then TAB on the on screen keyboard. At this point you should be presented with the ePods ROM version of the task manager, allowing you to run an application. 6. Browse to the Windows folder and run repllog.exe (This is the application that starts up the connection to the PC) 7. After ActiveSync and your ePods makes the connection, restore the ePods System folder and do another hard reset. 8. You should now be back to a virgin ePods system. To those of you that have worked through all these steps and still have a dead ePods, and already know all this, I apologize. I just have not seen these steps posted as complete step-by-step instructions and thought it would be good to post it all for those who might experience the 'dead ePods syndrome' in the future. If none of this helps, I would really like to know what you think you did that caused the kill. Please feel free to e-mail me. jkgamer jeff@gamecreator.com P.S. Does anyone know of any place to buy Platform Builder 2.12, preferably as surplus software, I don't want to pay $3000 just to 'play' around on the ePods. I own PB 2.11 but things are just different enough to cause minor incompatabilities. If I manage to locate a copy, I will try an export a 2.12 SDK that all of the programmers out there could use. 01-12-2001 13:51:24

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Randy Jeff, this was brilliant. Thanks for making this easy. I suspect a few will be helped by this. May I post this to the Hack Your ePods site? Randy 01-12-2001 14:13:11

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Sinner Profile | Email Just for the record. I hard reset with 2 CF cards. I didn't get a date/time set dialog. I suspect Sardinour was in the same boat as me. Alt-Tab, Alt-Enter, CTRL-ALT-ESC, CTRL-ALT-chuck it across the room...nothing seemed to work ;) Your procedure should work as long as the ifc.exe is intact and accessible. 01-12-2001 15:14:20

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) jkgamer Profile Since I posted the above message from memory while at the office, I thought it best to recreate things and perform it when I got home from work. It seems that if the ePods System folder is completely empty, it does not come up with the time and date dialog. So step 3 needs to be changed to... 3. You should see a brief flash of the ePods starting up box followed by a blank desktop with what looks like an empty menu bar across the top of the display. NOTE: If you attempt a warm or soft reset before restoring your ePods Systems folder, you will be presented with an error dialog box stating that it can't run IFC.EXE. If this happens, you will need to start over from step one. Randy - Sure feel free to post the above message, just be sure to change step three and add the NOTE above. Dead Epods owners - Getting home and recreating the scenario got me to thinking about how the ePods starts up. I had assumed that the Time/Date dialog box was in the ROM image (not DOC - Flash image). Since it is not, it appears that it is initiated by one of the executables within the ePods System folder. This also means that it is executed before step three appears (The empty desktop with the naked menu bar). I suspect that the 'dead' systems have either a scrambled DOC chip (flash memory) or it still contains just enough files to cause the system to go into a software lock up when it can't find the next file that it needs to continue booting. Having multiple CF memory cards, or even a specific brand CF card, may have caused the DOC chip to become scrambled. A Suggestion... Since it is not possible to remove the DOC memory board and keep the system running, (it doesn't run because the ROM resides on the chips on the other side.) You might want to try and put a toggle switch across the chip select (or power) pin to the DOC chip. By breaking the circuit, the standard 16MB ROM image should still be present and able to boot up, but when it attempts to access the ePods System folder, it will find nothing. Now provided that this simply causes DocBootCpy.exe to abort, you should be presented with the blank desktop screen. At that point you may be able to toggle the connection back on (As long as the ePods isn't trying to access the DOC chip, and it shouldn't be, at the time you toggle the switch, it may come back up. If toggling the DOC switch causes the system to lock up or you don't want to attempt it this way, just follow the above recover procedure but instead copy the files in the IFC folder directy to the Windows folder. Then shut down, toggle the connection closed so that the DOC chip will appear and restart the ePods, then perform a SOFT reset. Sorry I can't try this out for you, (I don't want to risk my ePods), but if you feel comfortable working with this kind of small circuitry it just may work for you. If you do try it and it does work, please post some information. It could be real handy during the hack process by providing a way to truly RESET the ePods and allow us to restore it no matter what kind of software changes/hacks we perform on it. jkgamer 01-12-2001 18:17:17

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) jkgamer Now see what you went and me do! I just couldn't give it a rest. I've now managed to 'kill' my ePods. But let me tell you how I did it, and as soon as I figure out how to get it back, I'll post it. Started with an empty ePods System folder and did the hard reset which removes all files from the windows folder except the rom files. Created an IFC directory within the ES (ePods System) folder and copied over the three wceload files. Did the hard reset - Files were not copied to Windows. Soft reset resulted in Error 2 - Can't start IFC.EXE Next I compiled the win32®egistry sample from the Embedded ToolKit - Renamed the program ifc.exe and copied to the IFC folder. Performed a Hard reset and now I get an error box stating that it couldn't copy the files from the \ePods System\Dialer. Worst of all, while I can access the keyboard ok - I CAN'T ACCESS THE TASKMANAGER ANYMORE. It also does not appear to have run the application either, unless its running in the background (hard to tell without being able to connect via ActiveSync) So it appears that DocBootCpy.exe attempts to execute IFC.EXE and then starts copying files over. If it does not find IFC.EXE it simply goes to the blank desktop. Stay tuned for further info... jkgamer 01-12-2001 18:54:15

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) chewy Yo jkgamer, this may not be the perfect solution as it is not 2.12, but here you can order a 120 day trial of the CE 3.0 platform builder on dvd for $29.95 on cd and $9.95 on dvd. NOTE!!!!! as i am familiar with these tools, to actually rebuild an entire os you must know more than just it's cpu, you need to know interrupts, mem info, hardware info, and assembler for mips for the HAL portion of the kernel. i dont wanna scare you away from trying stuff or even playing just wanted most to know that it's a little more difficult than telling it i have a mips or sh4 or whatever processor your compiling for and it making a brand new os for ya. if it's 2.12 you are looking for e-mail me at h_2_o@hotmail.com good luck 01-12-2001 20:37:52

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) swan Profile What is the configuration setup like? Is it a wizard/fill out form type interface? Between the technical folks here, we must be able to come up with the needed config info for this puppy. Once we had a config file, then those that want to could order the demo and try it out on with their own ePods. The bonus with this is I'll finally be able to get a copy of calandar & contacts programs! 01-12-2001 21:55:35

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) chewy OK, again i will explain in as simple terms as possible, and trust me this is a way simplifide version of what you need to do, and it's definately NOT this simple. you must know interrupts, mem addresses, hardware used etc.... you must write assembler for the cpu that is in your CE device. if a piece of hardware is even a little goofy, you are also stuck with writing your own device drivers for it (not sure if the plum drivers are public or (not so we might be stuck there). This is not for the meek. 01-12-2001 22:08:54

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) jkgamer Profile Ok first I would like to state that I am not an electrical engineer. So if you want to try and resurrect your dead ePods with the following method, don't blame me if you cause your entire state to vaporize (or your ePods). That being said, here is how I resurrected my dead ePods.... 1. You will need to be comfortable with a soldering iron and mucking around inside complex electronic components. 2. Disconnect all power from your ePods, AC adapter and Battery. 3. Open up your ePods, there are no hidden screws, just be aware of the one holding the battery in. (Wait you already removed the battery right? So its already out.) 4. Remove the four screws that hold the LCD in place. 5. Disconnect the LCD power connector to the upper right of the LCD display. 6. Carefully fold the LCD over on top of the top half of the shell and locate the ROM/DOC board, mine had a proctective black sheet covering the DOC side. You will need to remove two screws to remove the board. 7. Carefully peel off the black sheet and expose the DOC chip. 8. Using wire wrap, solder two wires that are long enough to lead outside the case. One to pin 22 of the DOC chip, and the other to pin 32. 9. I connected the two wires up to a simple switch so that I could close or open the circuit, but you could just as easily twist the two wires together for now, especially if this will be temporary for you. 10. Now put the ROM/DOC board back in, screw it down if you wish. 11. Place the LCD display back on its mounts and reconnect the LCD power connector. 12. Reconnect the battery. 13. Plug in your AC adapter, turn it on, and go through the calibration process. 14. You should now be presented with the 'BARE' system blank desktop with imaginary menu bar (see previous posts). 15. ALT-TAB your way to the taskmanager. 16. Run repllog.exe in the Windows folder. 17. Now using the backed up 'ePods' system folder, copy 'Dialer\epods.exe' and the entire contents of the IFC folder into the windows directory. 18. Do a soft reboot just to make sure everything comes up now. 19. Next, either open the DOC chip connection, or remove the temporary wires (While power is off BUT battery is still connected - The last thing you want to do at this point is a hard reset) 20. Power up the epods, do a soft reset, and look for the ePods System folder to have reappeared. 21. Delete the entire ePods System folder and hard reset. You should now have the bare desktop, the ability to ALT-TAB to the taskmanager, and an ePods System folder (empty of course). 22. Put your ePods back together (be sure to replace the protective tape on the DOC board.) 23. Follow the 'non-dead' system restore method to get everything back the way it was. I just finished doing this after 'killing' my ePods and it worked just fine. I have the wires going out to a switch so that I can toggle the DOC on or off (We are pulling the CE-Chip Enable signal to VCC (high) so that the chip won't be detected or seen by the ROM) With this switch, I can mess around with the ePods System folder all I want without worrying about making a paperweight out of my ePods. I hope this same method will work for those of you who have killed your ePods. Obviously if your ePods doesn't even come with any kind of display or any power LEDs, then you've done more than scrambled a few files. But if it was done just by modifying files and directories, this method should work. jkgamer 01-12-2001 22:53:33

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) swan Profile jkgamer: Wow, good save! I think that and an edited version of a couple of your other notes in this thread needs to go on Randy's site. If that's ok with you, please let him know. chewy: I know it's not a trivial task, but I was hoping there would be a number of drivers in the wince distribution. I don't have that, so I don't really know. I've not worked with wince, but I have done BSP's (ports) for VxWorks, and other RTOS's. I've also done some BIOS work (got release 6 from BIOS vendor "P"? That setup engine is mine (with help from other fine engineers)). So I think I've a rough idea. There seems to be a few skilled SW/HW engineers on here pretending to be hackers. I'm wondering if we put our heads to it if we might have a shot at doing something. 01-13-2001 00:46:20

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Glitch Profile jkgamer, Thank you, thank you, thank you!! I can hardly wait to try this myself. I've been wanting to try to set up the ePods to hard reset to the WinCE shell. My lumpophobia (fear of paperweights) has hampered this effort <g>. Your method enables a whole new range of posibilities. Has anyone looked into what it would take to build a flasher for the Intel ROM? Glitch Electronics run on smoke, if you let the smoke out they won't work 01-13-2001 02:38:58

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) swan Profile As it happens, I'm doing a small project at work to interface to flash memory (In my case I2C memory) but was thinking it'd just be a few extra traces to add a pad for the flash card connector :). Only problem is getting some of the connectors. I've had my epods open, but didn't look for brand/model number on the connector. Anyone have that info? Before anyone asks, the project will be a few months before I get boards, and I don't know if I'll be able to have extra made that I can buy and then resell to folks. I'll post if it happens. 01-13-2001 03:34:41

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Glitch Profile swan, The only identifying marks on the connector are "A810 SIVN". It is a 100 pin with 0.5 mm lead spacing. Glitch Electronics run on smoke, if you let the smoke out they won't work 01-13-2001 10:46:04

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) saridnour Profile Good call on the mod. I got mine back up after wroking in the switch and pulled a few files from my external compact flash, then I was able to turn back on the cf card and pull the rest of the shell from the internal Cf. What screwed me up was that I did not have the dialer in the epods system folder (I modified my epod system file so it would restore the ce shell (less the reg just needing to be merged) after a hard reset.) It loked for the epod.exe in the dialer and when it could not be found it died. May play with that one a bit as to including all the correct files after a reset. But thanks for the switch idea!! Now it leads me to ask, where and what gave you the idea to do that. I am always curious as to where people get there insperation/ideas. Also if you have the specs on the chip could you post the link or up them to Randy for posting.. thanks. -saridnour 01-13-2001 20:33:18

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Groch Yea! Saridnour! Welcome back to the land of the living. We wouldn't want to lose one of our founding fathers. Looks like JKGamer has found a way to make Epods nearly indistructable. Very impressive. 01-13-2001 21:09:26

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Sinner Profile | Email Any chance of getting a pic of this completed mod? I want to do this on my new epod and I am 99.9% sure which pins to use. I'd like to be sure. I am going to run the switch around so it is inside the battery compartment. Easy to access but not easy to accidentally flip. 01-14-2001 10:11:17

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Randy Sinner, that is a fantastic idea. That's the way I'll do mine now! Randy 01-14-2001 10:53:07

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) gt6872c I some how managed to kill (rather wound) my ePods relatively quickly. it Froze up on me after performing a hard reset after installing the handwriting recognition software. I did have a compact flash card in when I did the reset, but I don't know if that contributed to the problem. The other distinction is that I'm running Atcivesync with Windows NT, so I'm not sure if there's any distinction between it and the Windows 98 version( for instance the files that need to be placed in the windows directory). I attempted to revive it via the jkgamers first method (the one that does not involve solder)and I am able to copy the original virgin system files (obtained from Randy's site)to the epods. After a hard reset my epods loads up to the default shell. My problem is that the power/battery charging light no longer consistently works (it will flash on occasion) and the battery indicator doesn't consitently either. Also the sound no longer works and I hear an occasional popping sound from the speaker. I have not adjusted any of the registry settings, and save for the handwriting software, I have not tried to install anything. Has anyone experineced problems similar to this? Thanks in advance for your help. 01-14-2001 11:32:26

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Glitch Profile gt7862c, Is your CF card 3v, 5v or automatic? The CF card voltage may provide a clue to the scrambled DOC. My cards are all automatic. I haven't had any problems. Glitch Electronics run on smoke, if you let the smoke out they won't work 01-14-2001 11:51:44

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) saridnour Profile you want ot hear a weird one? After fixing my unit (switch method) I no longer get the date and time after calibration but get the sound profile instead... weird. I am using the virgin epods from randys site, I originaly had the one not requiring the pasasword (I have on of the original 300 from epods) so that could be the case, but its still weird... not that its a problem. :) 01-14-2001 14:21:25

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) gt6872c I was using an old 16 MB ATA Compact Flash (Kodak Picture Card from a digital camera). I cant find any info regarding its voltage, though. I have since removed the compact flash card and performed a hard reset but I still get the problem with the sound and power leds. What actually happens when I do a hard reset? It seems like my system locks up after every hard reset & I end up having to reinstall the virgin ePods system files & do another hard reset in order to get it going again (even if I haven't installed any new software to the ePods). Should I delete the files in the ifc folder before replacing them with the virgin files via activesync? What about the windows files? Thanks! 01-14-2001 14:29:19

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) jkgamer Most definitely erase all of the ePods System folder before restoring the original files. It might be possible that any corrupted or modified files are not being overwritten by the ActiveSync transfer. Or if there are extra files in there, it could be that they are causing the problems. jkgamer 01-14-2001 15:06:56

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) shad jkgamer: thank you for the excellent epods revival recipe. i do well until steps 18/19 (soft reseting after removing the jumper from the 22/32 pins. After I soft reset all I get is the arrow curser in the middle of the screen. Keyboard can come up, but alt-tab fails to do anything. Any ideas? 01-19-2001 17:07:33

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Citizen+Kane newbie, lurker and proud owner of an epod... this is my first post so please be gentle. looking at the problems that the compact flash is causing during a hard reset, along with the secret Ctrl 3 + 1 + 4 + 1 + 5 password set me thinking .... "maybe booting off of the compact flash is the entry point for a backdoor mechanism to boot up in case the illiterate end user has screwed up the entire file system (possible to do even on a virgin system). Maybe a compact flash with a virgin epods file system on it may do the trick." what say ? 01-21-2001 02:28:06

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) epoder That has already proven to not work, please read the older messages. 01-21-2001 02:36:55

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Shlepr Hello, This is my first since I just received my Epod. I got it yesterday, did the ctrl-3-1-4-1-5 to get in, created the three files in epods system\dialer, got ActiveSync working and replaced the epods.exe screen. I have a 32m CF card in. This morning I go to startup my epod and it is dead. The greeen light is on when plugged in, but I get nothing. I tried a soft reset and a hard reset and when I push the power button, I get nothing. HELP!!! Anybody run into this? Any suggestions to reset my epod. I don't even get the calibration screen. Thanks in advance for your help. This board is GREAT! Shlepr 01-21-2001 07:13:12

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Sinner Profile | Email This happened to me once. I thought the epods was well and truly dead. However, to be sure I unplugged it, removed the battery and left it for about an hour. Then came back and reinstalled the battery and plugged it in. Worked ok after that. It would probably only need no more than 5 minutes, I just happened to be doing something else at the time. Getting absolutely nothing would be a hardware problem not a software one, you'd be getting error messages if you wrecked the software on the epods. 01-21-2001 07:56:31

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) Shlepr Sinner, Thanks for the suggestion. However, it didn't work. I have a totally dead epod. I'm going to try and call CMI this morning and see what I can do about getting it fixed. 01-22-2001 08:34:22

RE:Dead ePODS? (modified 0 times) bcrobt Profile Here's how I recovered my epods from a "Hard Reset": Look around in your epods various folders & files and find the Tascal registry editor program and the V204.reg file.(They won't be in the same place) Use the registry editor to import the V2.04 file and boom....All will be right.....Apparently the hard reset tries to restore the old reg file but something goes wrong. Good Luck. P.S. If you never had the Registry editor program you can download it from the Hack Site onto a compact flash card and get the job done that way. 06-15-2001 15:00:26

Reply to Thread | Printer | All times are PST Powered by UltraBoard v1.62

I-Appliance BBS General - NEWS, Breaking NEWS - linux-hacker.net BBS on CD Questions - User Groups in Your Town - E-Bay, Yahoo Auction LINKS ONLY (MODERATED) - Jokes & Humor - usdtv box I-Opener Areas - I-Opener General Posts - I-Opener Technical Stuff - I-Opener Technical Info Reference (MODERATED) WebSurfer Areas - WebSurfer General Posts - WebSurfer Technical Stuff - WebSurfer Technical Info Reference (MODERATED) Other I-Appliances - Virgin Webplayer - WebPal - MailStation - 3Com Audrey - ThinkNIC / Oracle NIC - Gateway/AOL Connected Touch Pad - Philips/AOL-TV - ACER NT-150 STB - MSN Companion - Compaq IA - Emachines IA - IBM NetVista IA - Intel dot.station - MSNTV2 Network Computers - Fujitsu-Siemens Scovery Linux Net Computers - GallantWeb Server Consoles - Dreamcast - xbox hacking Web Pads - Epods One General Post - Panasonic CF-01 - Fujitsu Stylistic 1200 - Cybiko Thin Clients - Thin Clients DigitalVideoRecorders - DTV Recorders, Replay, TiVo, Etc... - Tivo Hacks Linux - Midori Linux General Board - ITX MotherBoards Single Board Computers - Earth Computers mARMalade Elite Member Area MISC Areas - The Swap Meet WE TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY TRANSACTION HERE AND NO COMMERCIAL POST PERIOD !!! - Wireless Net - Cameras - Robotics - Routers/Gateways - Mattel JuiceBox