Also titled: Only ONCE have I ever been THIS stupid!
***WARNING!! RANT in progress!***
A friend gave me one of those 'smartbook' netbooks that he had bought on a whim. It had Windows CE (a.k.a. Windows Mobile now) and it was too 'limited' for his needs...
After some goofing around I decided to try installing the Android system on it, and had tracked down info about 'how'...
It didnt work.
Found out that the unit REQUIRES a 2gb 'card' IOT respond to any 'update/upgrade' software on it.
YAY!!! progress!
But, after a while, I realized I had used a 'defective copy' and had to reacquire it...
While doing that, I attempted to rerun the 1st copy and...
tried to power-down before it 'got going'....
The problem?
The FIRST THING the Android install does is (for the PC-familiar users reading) is basically WIPE OUT the 'BIOS' and install a new one.
It got to wipe it out... but POWERED DOWN before it re-wrote it!
SO...
I now have this nice, small, battery-powered paperweight. Due to its design I see no way to do anything but, possibly, send it back to China and see if they can 'boot' it again.
I havent done anything THIS stupid (computerwise, at least) since I first attempted to get CP/M to do more than 'DIR'...
I dont have a 'smiley' for **fuming** so...
will have to do.
/rant
Cliffs:
Wanted to get fancy with cheap netbook
Messed up install software on first try
Wiped brain of netbook 'playing around'
Using netbook as fancy paperweight
Those Windows CE Netbooks usually had what, 7" screens? So in other words it's not really a small underpowered computer as it is a large oversize phone, with out the ability to make phone calls! It's likely not worth as much as the paper you use it to hold down so if I were you I would take it out front and see how far it will fly!!
But if thats not your plan the what desslok said!
"When one gets in bed with government, one must expect the diseases it spreads."
- Ron Paul
"The more corrupt the state, the more it legislates."
- Cornelius Tacitus
"A liberal is a man with both feet planted firmly in the air."
Those Windows CE Netbooks usually had what, 7" screens? So in other words it's not really a small underpowered computer as it is a large oversize phone, with out the ability to make phone calls! It's likely not worth as much as the paper you use it to hold down so if I were you I would take it out front and see how far it will fly!!
But if thats not your plan the what desslok said!
Actually, it is a NICE screen for only 7"... just right for viewing while in bed...
Yes, I know... in the grand scheme of things, it makes for a passable 'clay pigeon'.
What bothers me is the fact that:
I made a mistake I KNEW I SHOULDNT and still allowed myself to do it.
SUCH a rookie-brained thing to do...
At least I have an excuse to try some 'frankensteining' now! Perhaps I can 'improve' it!
“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” Newt Gingrich
Failure is not on the field of battle- its between one's ears.
This game teaches us discipline, desire, dedication, determination, perseverance, and then hinges all of this on the simple basis of patience.- Meatpants
Have you tried searching for the mobo or chipset maker rather than the netbook builder?
O35 5'8" Crew
O35 Rep 9 Crew- Rock on, SM!
http://www.iron-sanctuary.com/forums/
“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” Newt Gingrich
Failure is not on the field of battle- its between one's ears.
This game teaches us discipline, desire, dedication, determination, perseverance, and then hinges all of this on the simple basis of patience.- Meatpants
Have you tried searching for the mobo or chipset maker rather than the netbook builder?
Well, I DID manage to find a 'homepage' for Elovo and now have an email address I can correspond to... perhaps it is possible to get it 'jumpstarted' at a reasonable cost...
Which better be PRETTY DAYM CHEAP considering the machine itself!
I HAVE been able to find Android OS s/w for it (which is where this circus started) and its WM8505 (ARM) -based hardware...
Once I get home (from work) I'll blow them an email & see where it leads....
One other thought- I believe there a bunch of "live" Linux distros which will boot and run off of a memory stick without the need for installation. I think that pretty much taps my knowledge database- mobos are not my field of expertise.
Good luck!
O35 5'8" Crew
O35 Rep 9 Crew- Rock on, SM!
http://www.iron-sanctuary.com/forums/
“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” Newt Gingrich
Failure is not on the field of battle- its between one's ears.
This game teaches us discipline, desire, dedication, determination, perseverance, and then hinges all of this on the simple basis of patience.- Meatpants
One other thought- I believe there a bunch of "live" Linux distros which will boot and run off of a memory stick without the need for installation. I think that pretty much taps my knowledge database- mobos are not my field of expertise.
Good luck!
Therein lies the other problem...
That being, there (now) is no firmware to recognize/read the stick/SD slot...
Well good luck with the manufacturer. I've had luck recovering corrupted BIOS on Acer, Intel, and Asus netbooks, but never that brand. If they can't help, next best bet I can think of is a forum for one of the ARM specific linux distros. Good luck.
I found the info regarding the 'normal system' BIOS recovery...
Once I get home I will attempt the 'CTRL-HOME' technique to see if it is similar...
I will be 'cautiously optimistic'...
EDIT:
I am now aware of an ARM flash programming method that I can acquire, once I confirm that the board has the required connector. I dont remember seeing one the 1st time I had it open, but I wasnt concerned about that at the time...
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My battery-powered paperweight....
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