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Win98 on GCT

New MessageWin98 on GCT (modified 0 times) Scan32
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Got Win98 to load on the Gateway Connected Touchpad, from a 2.5" laptop harddrive, using a "twisted" IOpener-style IDE cable (44pin). Booted without the CF Card installed. Set harddrive as master. Windows recognizes most hardware and installs the drivers for it. You will need the video and audio drivers, which I listed below. The only thing not working is the Touchscreen. No drivers yet.

Note: I did not have the Home Network card and the Mini PCI Modem installed at the time I booted to Windows

Audio driver: Audio driver for all ALi Southbridge chips with integrated Audio.
Look on the drivers page of www.acerlabs.com
You will find all chipset drivers on this site.
Video drivers: LynxEM+ PCI graphics chip driver on the www.siliconmotion.com site, under support, drivers.
The driver for WinME will work with Win98.

Tried to plug in CF Card after Windows had started, but the system freezes, until the CF Card is removed.

Also found some additional key functions on the original wireless keyboard. But was not able to use any of these to get into the BIOS.
Here are the "discovered" keys:
Alt = "Instant AOL" key
F1 = "Welcome" key with Caps Lock on.
F2 = "Read" key with Caps Lock on.
F3 is "Write" key with Caps Lock on and so on. You get the picture.

If anyone has any info on the touchscreen, please post this.

05-03-2001 15:45:08

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) yellow1
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Thanks, good work about the drivers !
How did you install ? Just made a bootable HD with a copy of a Win98 CD on the same HD ?
I'm wondering if the miniPCI modem couldn't be swapped for a miniPCI Wireless adpater, although I have a sense that these might be different connectors...

I'm worried about the touchscreen drivers...I really don't think they exist for Win98 (maybe CE?), so unless someone writes them and that's not going to be a piece of cake, well we're stuck

05-03-2001 16:48:00

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) Steve
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If we can find out who made the touchscreen we might be able to get sample drivers from the manufacturer or they might know someone who has written one. If we have to write them ourselves we will. I have no doubt with the talent on Ken's msgboard that we'll solve the problem one way or another.
05-04-2001 09:16:19

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) Scan32
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The same company (Action Tec) that make the modem and mini PCI Network card for the GCT, also makes a mini PCI wireless network card. Check out their Taiwan site.

The touchscreen is made by MicroTouch and driven by an ICS/MicroClock MK712R controller, integrated into the motherboard. The MicroClock MK712 is some kind of a parallel controller. I tried the TouchWare Win-drivers from MicroTouch, but the touchscreen works with non of them (Serial, USB or PS/2).

The perfect OS for this device would be Transmeta's own Midori (Mobile) Linux, because it has driver support from all the GCT hardware and also has usefull apps, like an MP3 player, Netscape browser, etc. The best thing is, it is free for download. All you (or some helpfull fella) need to do is "build" this into an OS for the GCT. It might even be build small enough to fit on the CF Card. The IDE can than be used for HHD storage or a CD-ROM.

Here is some very helpfull info on the GCT internals:

http://www.transmeta.com/crusoe/download/pdf/mobile_compute_0100_21-32.pdf

http://www.gateway.com/mes/specs/Gateway_Connected_Touch_Pad.html

05-04-2001 11:52:09

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) wireless
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Well I ordered mine... should be here in a week... I got the Ethernet option- not the HPNA.

I noticed that Sean32 had problems plugging in the CF card with the HD attached and having the touchpad freeze... this could be from the fact that the CF card may be considered the PRIMARY MASTER. There may be a jumper on the MoBo to make it not the PRIMARY MASTER.

I believe the Touchscreen is the MicroTouch Resistive Type with MK712 Touch Panel Controller
http://www.icst.com/products/mk712.html

For Linux hacks:

From articles I have seen Midori Linux from Transmeta ships on the Pad so getting other distributions to run may not be too dificult.
http://midori.transmeta.com/manual/

LynxEM+ would seem to be supported from what is said at
http://www.siliconmotion.com/eng/pageHub.html?band=highband&url=lynxemplus.html&title=LynxEMplus
and
http://www.xfree86.org/4.0.2/Status31.html

The ALI Sound Chip seems to be supported under Linux according to:
http://www.ali.com.tw/eng/support/drvaud.htm

I am unsure about the USB since I have not found any specs on the USB chipset used. It is likely the TouchPad uses a recent USB chipset which Linux supports... but this needs verification.

More TouchPad Specs at:
http://www.gateway.com/mes/specs/Gateway_Connected_Touch_Pad.html

05-04-2001 12:02:10

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) Greenspark
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More specs...

Note the keyboard in the first link has Fn keys in the main pic, but in the blowup pics, it does not.

http://www.gateway.com/support/product/netppliance/7002828/index.shtml


Also a more of info, didn't see this one posted yet, it differentiates ethernet/HPNA, but doesn't detail them differently.

http://www.gateway.com/support/product/netppliance/index.shtml

05-04-2001 12:27:09

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) BigDog
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From the ICS Tech PDF http://www.icst.com/pdf/mk712.pdf

It states that "the MK712 register set is designed to be compatible with the Gazelle pen digitizer allowing a software driver for the Gazelle digitizer to be used with the MicroClock MK712."

Anyone know were to find Gazelle pen digitizer drivers???

05-04-2001 12:56:09

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) yellow1
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Making progress !
I pulled mine apart today and tried to hook up my HD with the iOpener cable (I'm using one I got from Badflash that has two IDE connectors on one side of the cable), but it appears it's no getting power from the IDE connector , am I doing something wrong ?

And yes, the HPNA thingy is on the miniPC and it's not the black thingy as previsouly reported in a previous post:
http://y42.photos.yahoo.com/bc/micvy/vwp?.dir=/Touchpad&.src=ph&.dnm=Connected+Touch+Pad.jpg

Need to figure that HD problem now !

05-04-2001 12:59:24

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) Greenspark
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Hold on a sec, that pic says 32MB. Isn't it 64?
05-04-2001 13:08:51

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) yellow1
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you mean the CF ? Well mine is 32 and I imagine none is 64 since the extra 32megs would be wasted and they cost a lot !


SCAN32 - Do you have a link for Actiontec's taiwanese site ? Can't find it referenced from the US site.
TIA

05-04-2001 13:20:37

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) yellow1
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Still not clear on what the miniPCI format...it seems that miniPCI modems have 16 pin IDE style connectors, while miniPCI ethernet/HPNA has a 124 pin PCI style connector...

Don't know if anyone needs this (standard W98 install works?), but these seem to be Actiontech miniPCI modem drivers:
http://support.dell.com/us/en/filelib/download/index.asp?fileid=R18303

05-04-2001 13:25:27

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) Greenspark
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No, the SODIMM in that pic is labelled 32MB. All the specs I've seen for the GCT have said 64MB.
05-04-2001 13:27:31

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) Greenspark
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Also, whats the Volt/Amp rating on the DC power input?
05-04-2001 13:32:40

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) yellow1
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This is what we need for the GW a wireless miniPCI adapter !
ftp://ftp.orinocowireless.com/pub/docs/ORINOCO/BROCHURES/MiniPCI.pdf


1) oh 32/64 for the SODIM ? I thought you meant the CF
I looked at it and there's no marking for 32 or 64, it has 4 chips though on it.
It says:
" V43644Y04VCTG-10PC
PC100U-222-612-A"
Which according to this http://www.moselvitelic.com/sec4/V43644Y04V(C)TG-10PC.pdf is a 64MB module !

2) DC - 19V - 2.4 amps

05-04-2001 13:43:02

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) yellow1
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Scan32, did you have to do something special to activate the Instant AOL key as ALT ? Mine doesn't seem to work
05-04-2001 18:08:37

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) Scan32
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First: Sorry about the mix-up between the network and the modem card, in the pic I posted earlier.

The "main" keyboard pic of the GCT wireless keyboard on the Gateway site, does show function keys and those are their positions. I accessed them by using Caps Lock. My "Esc" key is on the bottom row, right of the "Space" key.

The link to the Taiwan Action Tec site is here:

http://www.actiontec.com.tw

On the issue of the memory module: There are some specs of the machine listed on the bottom of the stand, it comes with. They list 64MB Onboard and a Mosel 32MB SODIMM. If you look at the specs, on the following Gateway webpage link, you will find that Gateway lists the same thing and that the also list a max. memory of 96MB. If anyone has a 64MB or 128MB PC100 SODIMM available, plug it in and see if it works, because the northbridge is integrated into the Crusoe processor and according to the Transmeta site, the nortbridge for the Crusoe TM3200 can handle upto 256MB SODIMM.

http://www.gateway.com/mes/specs/Gateway_Connected_Touch_Pad.html

yellow1,
I believe on the BadFlash IDE cable, you should use the two middle rows of pin-holes. He does not twist the wire on the cable, instead uses two connector against each other. The two middle pin-holes have the same position as the "twist".
On my keyboard, the "Instant AOL" key has the "Alt" function. Nothing special to do here, just press.

05-05-2001 05:33:34

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) BigDog
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While looking for touch screen drivers, I found this:
http://www.touchcontrols.com/16plasma50.htm

Wouldn't this be a great display upgrade ??

05-05-2001 07:32:28

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) yellow1
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Thanks SCAN32.
ALT still doesn't work here ! Maybe it's a bad keyboard ?

Did you look at the Transmetta chip, wonder if it's socketed or sldered on the board

05-05-2001 11:57:06

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) Scan32
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Yellow1,
The Transmeta chip is soldered, :( so no upgrade here. The performance might improve some more, if we can get more RAM on this thing, because the Code-Morphing software takes up a good deal of RAM, once the system has started. That is why it already comes with 64MB onboard and an extra 32MB SODIMM socketed.
05-05-2001 14:47:10

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) Greenspark
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OK, I'll ask again:

That is why it already comes with 64MB onboard and an extra 32MB SODIMM socketed.

According to yellow1, the SODIMM is 64MB.

Now, the specs I've seen ( http://www.gateway.com/mes/specs/Gateway_Connected_Touch_Pad.html ) also say 64MB onboard and 32MB expansion, and a max memory of 96MB.

So, is it even possible to expand the memory in these things?

05-05-2001 15:57:26

New MessageRE:Win98 on GCT (modified 0 times) yellow1
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Took a close look at the board and yes the CPU is soldered on...
I'm pretty sure this is a 0.18 process, so it should be able to run MUCH faster...
Can't see any useful jumpers or clock generators there though
unless, yes ! http://www.winbond-usa.com/products/winbond_products/pdfs/8-bit/w78e52b.pdf
There are four of these under the SODIMM. At first I thought they were the onboard memory, but it's probably on the other side of the board.
Wonder of SoftFSB has drivers for these clocks...

A for the SODIMM, if you look at the exact reference I posted on another thread, there appears to be 64megs !

05-05-2001 17:55:06

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