For anyone who did what I did, (mess up the ROM image on your IPAQ) I would consider this procedure before sending it into a company to be re-flashed.

The problem is that when your ROM is corrupt, you cannot boot the device & run the ROM update software via ActiveSync in the normal way.

My IPAQ was well and truly screwed. Just a white screen, that’s it. I tried hard resetting loads of times; the unit was DEAD & fit for the BIN.

You can solve this problem. I discovered & documented a method, which works for my IPAQ 3970 and enables you to re-flash the ROM without having to use ActiveSync, so you don’t need to spend £40 to have a so called 'specialist' re-flash your ROM.

All you need is a computer with a USB connection, and the ROM update software from HP. Be sure to follow these instructions carefully.


Cheers Peeps!

Attached Files

	Compaq ROM RE-FLASH INTRUCTIONS.pdf (24.1 KB, 1110 views)
	Compaq ROM RE-FLASH INTRUCTIONS, UPDATED WITH ILLISTRATION.pdf (25.2 KB, 1186 views)

Anyone who has tried my method, please feel free to document how you got on with the instructions & feel free to make suggestions/ crititisum.

cheers

Hey...

I have tried to follow your guide, but I cant get the screen with the compaq logo you are talking about.

It doesnt do anything at all... Do you know another way?

is your compaq the 3970? as these instructions are specificly for that model.

to get the screen you need to turn on the unit first, if your unit wont power up I suggest you connect it to a power scource.

hold down the power button & button number 2. keeping these buttons pressed in, reset the unit with your stylus.

you should get a red screen, with no backlight working. You will need to hold the screen up to a light scorce to see it.

good luck, it works for mine, but yours might be a diffenet model

Just to make sure, on this version of the ipaq you have two buttons on the left hand side, and two on the right with the crosspad in the middle.

you want to be pressing the higher button on the left hand side with your power button in order for this to work.

Its possible that i may not of documented it clearly enough, if not I will update it for you..

Kind Regards

Marc

please see my updated document which should make it a bit better ( i am not as articulate in english as i could be so pics are always handy mate)

Attached Files

Compaq ROM RE-FLASH INTRUCTIONS, UPDATED WITH ILLISTRATION.pdf (25.2 KB, 194 views)

Hey... Dont worry about your english... My english is not that good either (I'm danish )

Well... I tried to complete the operation, but again with no succes. My problem is, the PDA cannot power up. Also, when i hook it up to my computer, my computer cannot recognize it... I cannot do anything. Is that normal?

I can get my backlight to shine when i put it into the sync/charging cable, and that's it.

The pda is a 3970 just like yours, with the reset button on the buttom right side.

But when i try to perform the task, it doesnt do anything at all... It just keeps shining...

You said that you cannot get the unit to power up, maybe your problem lies with your battery.

However, you said that the backlight comes on, so this seems to be a contradiction here.

Tell me, does the unit power on when attached to an external power supply?

Well... If i attach the pda to the sync/chargeing cable, the backlight begins to shine... But nothing else happens...

So i dont think that it is the battery... It is more likely the flash rom which is totally broken... or empty...
But the funny thing is, i cannot get my computer to syncronize with my pda... When i plug it into the usb, it just says Unknown device found....

I have tried this method and while am sure it works in sime cases it does not in mine. I have got to the unlit, red, USB screen and run the ROM upgrade exe but the iPaq is not recognised. I get Error 116, identification failure. Obviously my ROM is so corrupt that this method is not going to work.

I am nearly resigned to sending it away for repair.

GhostPXS,

Welcome to this superb website and forum.

Marc,

It's a very good document you have compiled.

I think in the section of "If ActiveSync is still running, close it", if you can also mention how to end this, it will be helpful (say, press ctrl+alt+delete to call up the task manager, and end the process "wcecomm.exe").

Also if you could attach couple of pictures more pictures to show the 1) Actual 3970, identifying the buttons to press to enable the engineering mode; 2) 3970 in engineering mode (red background + Serial on top + 0.48 in the bottom); 3) Screenshot of going to the last screen before updating, (Current ROM version is not detectible, but the new ROM is shown on the screen).

Yours is already very good, really appreciate it. Well done.

TY for the welcome Paul.

I got my 3970 to sync via serial but the USB is dead. However the ROM upgrade now returns an error telling me that my iPaq is not a 3900 series...

<bangs head on desk>

I wasn't even upgrading the ROM when this happened I was updating the Bluetooth drivers so I could try getting the 3970 to talk to my P800 phone. Bluetooth manager has now disappeared!

Tried the serial connection with Engineering mode also... no joy. I guess I could work my way through all the ROM upgrades on the HP site till it finds one it likes! LOL!

Correct me if I'm wrong,

for H3970

Enginering mode > Power button + Contact button + iTask (press together) and insert stylus on reset button

Flash mode (?) > Power button + Contact button (press together) and insert stylus on reset button

What the different if both procedure can give acces to the device via usb or serial ?

Man you're god! I had that apocalypse feeling when I forgot to plug USB out and ActiveSync switched on during PPC2002 SP4 update, then the device reset and denied to work...
It's restoring ROM right now! Thanks!