ROM Update - Infrared, ActiveSync, CF Card

rvdparis · 06-20-04, 06:03 AM

Hello - thank you in advance for any help or advice anyone might have...and sorry for the length...

The Problems are: How do I hard reset my Axim, when hard reset doesn't work? How do I get ActiveSync to work when it doesn't work on the Axim? How do I access files on my Axim through my IR port WITHOUT ActiveSync (not just sending files from my PC, but actually seeing files on the Axim, or telling my WinXP machine WHERE to send the files onto the Axim)?

I tried to update my ROM - I have an X5 basic ROM A02 and tried to update my ROM with the A04 update. I backed up my stuff on my CF Card beforehand. Yet, as with many people in this forum, I got to the 1/12, 2/12, 3/12 -STOP- issue. The Axim just couldn't go any further.

So I did the hard-reset, and now my Axim is back to the basics except for one grave issue: I can only get the Welcome screen with all the icons for basic programs, and when I hit ActiveSync, on the Axim, it doesn't work. In fact, only a few icons work: Infrared, Memory, Microsoft Reader (WHY?), and Solitaire. Importantly, File Explorer does not work.

Well, I tried to make PC ActiveSync see my IR port...it does, but it won't establish a connection (I deleted the old partnership, reinstalled ActiveSync). I disabled Norton Antivirus, and it still won't work. ActiveSynce is worthless at the moment.

I tried the hard-reset boot file option posted before - where you load the right file on the CF card and hit 4 buttons at once (mentioned in other threads). I sent the file over to the Axim via IR. But I couldn't send the boot file to the CF card, ONLY to wherever XP IR Wireless sent it: to My DOCs on the Axim. But I did it anyway, and of course, it didn't work, the message saying there was no bootfile on the CF card. How do I get this file on the CF card WITHOUT getting a card reader (which I should have anyway) - is the IR port useless? Are there no software programs that can access this port on my PC for 'file exploring' on remote PDAs / PCs ?

A restore of my previous backup only makes the screen go white when i reset it. So i need to hard-reset the Axim, and then only if I choose to delete my changes will it reboot.

I should mention, importantly, that it was a French language Axim, but I read in previous posts that it really doesn't matter. I don't think my Axim is dead, but I need some guidance to make it work. Thanks again!

Rich

Tom61 · 06-20-04, 05:36 PM

Your only option is getting a card reader for your CF card (unless you have another device that takes CF that you can put files on with a PC). If Activesync and file explorer doesn't work, there's no way to put a file onto the CF card, or install a program that could.

ikehiker · 06-20-04, 08:19 PM

Another point (besides needing the card reader for intalling the file to the CF) concerns your use of the A04 ROM on the X5 basic. The Dell website makes clear that A04 is only for the X5 advanced - probably because there is not enough space in ROM for the OS. I think before you'll be able to get the bootloader technique to work, you'll need to start with an A03 ROM image.

rvdparis · 06-21-04, 07:12 AM

-UPDATE- - and question...?

Thanks everyone...the bootloader on the CF card worked like a charm. In fact, it worked better than I anticipated.

Bought the CF card reader (15 euros, not bad, but still too much) and it took about 5 minutes to do the bootload.

I took ikehiker's advice and used the A03 update. The amazing thing is that the Axim is now totally in English, when it used to be a French machine. The Dell site used to say it wouldn't work to change the language. Well, unless there is something crazy going on, it worked. I took a chance...I guess I was lucky.

The question now is: Is my X5 Basic good enough for the WM2003 update?

Thanks again!

PS: THERE IS NO WAY TO GET A _FUNCTIONAL_ IR CONNECTION TO THE AXIM WITHOUT ACTIVESYNC. You can send files from your pc, but you can do nothing else. I have about 100 IR programs sitting on my pc...

Tom61 · 06-21-04, 05:37 PM

Quote:

The question now is: Is my X5 Basic good enough for the WM2003 update?

Yes, they include roms for both X5 Basic and Advanced on the CD. I'm fairly sure that the A04 Rom not working on the Basic has nothing to do with the Rom size, as it's the same size as A03. I forget the reason given for them not releasing the A04 for Basic.

rvdparis · 06-23-04, 03:44 AM

Just updated to WM2003. And it works. Great. But I can't get to the Internet to update my Journal Bar, etc., though ActiveSync works to synchronize my data. Not sure what happened, but maybe that's another thread...

Thanks!