SOLVED!!

If you are suffering from the (1/13) update bug as I was, just remove both batteries (backup and main) for 10 minutes.

Then do the update! IT WORKED FOR ME!

Happily running A05 (which is much faster I must say)

Please post success stories here!!

SUCCESS

First of all, I was very suspicious about this ROM update and decided to do it just after I heard about the battery solution so --

1st Try:
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I hard-reset the system, checked that everything is deleted and then removed the backup-battery and then the main battery - left them out for 10mins like everyone else.

I put batteries back inside, put the Axim in the cradle and turn it on. ActiveSync pops up asking me to create a new relationship -
(a) I create a named relationship (not guest).
(b) I close all programs on desktop.
(c) I run the upgrade file.
(d) I use the manual backup option to save the current ROM A04 to the hard-drive.
(e) I go on with the upgrade - unmarking the ROM backup
(f) I don't touch the desktop or the Axim and get stuck at 1/13 !!!

The batteries removal is not what's wrong here...

Now I'm in a sitsuation where the Axim is halted so I remove backup-battery and then the main battery for 2mins. I re-insert them again and turn on the Axim. To my surprise ROM A04 is installed properly and working. I decided to try again...

2nd Try:
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One thing I noticed is that I had Mazingo installed (it showed up every time my Axim was synced) so these are the steps that I followed --
(a) I uninstall Mazingo from the desktop
(b) I remove backup battery and then main battery for 10mins
(c) I put the Axim in the cradle - ActiveSync asks for a relationship and this time I choose ***Guest***
(d) I re-run the upgrade again un-checking the backup (I already did it in the 1st try)
(e) I continue with the upgrade as before -- running 1/13, 2/13, 3/13, ... 13/13 ... Update successful!

Note that the 1/13 should pass within about 30seconds.

I have Axim 400MHZ with ROM A04 upgraded to A05 and it was perfectly legal from Dell.

I have several speculations about the buggy installer -
1) Mazingo may have interrupted it - probably not.
2) Relationship was set as Full instead of Guest - could be.
3) Running the upgrade for the SECOND time after removing batteries for 10mins - this is probably one of the main reasons that it worked.

I hope it helped someone, please share your success/failure stories as well.

Pardon my ignorance, I'm very new to PPC (I was a Palm user). Can you guys tell me wat is this 1/13 update about?

I just ordered the Axim Basic couple of hours ago after days of consideration and I hope it'll fulfil all my needs in a PDA.....However I know totally nuts about PocketPC so I'll be glad if there's any kind souls who can help me understand the platform better.

-Sig removed- Please dont curse

You don't have to worry about the update. The Axim you receive is supposed to have all the bugs worked out.

See, what happened is that the first batch of Axims Dell sent out with 2K3 were really slow and had other problems. So they figured out the problem and made a patch to fix it. I have been away for a few days, but from what I gather, the patch was getting hung up during installation. Sounds like some industrious Aximites have figured out a solution.

Xgrind, since the Axim that was shipped with WM2003 had performance issues, Dell released (for a very short time) a ROM upgrade - from version A04 to A05.

ROM is a memory area where the oprating system exists. It's like a firmware... Anyway, allot of people had trouble installing this upgrade and got stuck at stage 1 of 13 of the installation and this is what this discussion is all about - how to solve this or success stories

People are referring to a patch from Dell to update the operating system. There were 12 steps to setting it up, and for many people it would not get past 1.

It did not work for me....the install only ran if I changed my time zone from UK to US and then the split screen showed installed language as English otherwise it is blank and will not install.

Even with all the changes and tips tried I still get the 1/13.

MARTIN HIGGINS - MM3AWM
LICENCED AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR

DUNDEE. U.K.

**********************
Dell Axim X5 Bought 30/6/2003
Dell TrueMobile 300 Bluetooth CF Card
256Mb SanDisk SD Card
Tom Tom USB GSP System

Actually... 13 steps... but after this problem, a couple people in here are gonna need a 12 step program.

Sorry, simple typo .

i have tried them all as well from 2 different computers with different setups on 2 different networks (only commonality is my development tools installed on both which i know has nothing to do with it.)

last ditch attempt... i'm going to try before i leave work to do the update again from a 3rd computer. i took both batteries out 3 hours ago just in case. i'm not too hopeful but it's not like i can use the axim for much until i get the pacth anyway.

The battery method worked for me! Using the Axim Basic, I removed the batteries for about 40 minutes. Performed the update by creating a guest partnership and all was fine.

Wow.... sounds like it's kinda serious bug to me..... I really hoped that when I get my Axim, the issues are all ironed out....coz since I sucked at PPC, thinks any attempt to perform all these will only screw up the Axim...

Cheryl, BlastPC and Papajack, thanks for the enlightenment

-Sig removed- Please dont curse

if you're awaiting arrival of a new axim shipped in the past week or so none of this patch/update stuff is relevant to you.

2x SimpleTech Bonzai USB2 mini-drive/SD card reader
2x Lexar 1GB (Non-Hi Speed!) SD (USA): write speed = 5.5MB/sec (37.5X) Space avail. (formatted) = 975MB
1x SimpleTech 512MB SD (Taiwan?): write speed = 5.3MB/sec (36.4X)...... Space avail. (formatted) = 489MB
RMA'd: SimpleTech 512MB SD (Japan): write speed = 3.9MB/sec (26.6X)... Space avail. (formatted) = 491MB
Sold: Viking 256MB SD (Taiwan): write speed = 1.5MB/sec (10.2X)........... Space avail. (formatted) = 241MB
Sold: Viking 128MB SD (Japan): write speed = 1.5MB/sec (10.2X)............. Space avail. (formatted) = 120MB

The battery trick did not work for me.

Axim performance
RomA04 PPC2003

Hope that dell brings us a better update next week monday or wednesday

So, after trying the battery trick numerous times at home on different computers and having it fail, I was finally able to try it on it's original computer at work and... it worked! Not exactly sure why the battery trick would work on that computer and not on the others, but I'm happy it finally took. The speed increase is definitely noticable and appreciated.