Laptop chose a helluva time to dump memory

jpfe8851 · 04-08-07, 09:56 PM

Hi Guys,

I got some problem after my laptop crashed while backgrading to 2003. Here's the story...
I installed WM5 and the A02 patch on my X50v a few weeks back and was reasonbly happy but Oziexplorer doesn't seem to like it. So I went back to WM2003SE last week. All went smoothly. Well I decided to see if WM5+Ozi just had a conflict or was it A02 or what ever so installed A01 again and quickly found they don't like each other, so I installed A02. Tried it with that and seemed to be okay but the speed slowdown said to me go back to 2003. So I started the backgrade procedure. About 70% through writing the image to my X50v, my laptop crashed with a memory dump (message wasn't on screen long enough to read) and rebooted. Laptops fine but I thought the Dell would be trashed.

To my surprise, when I hard reset the Axim, it booted okay but to WM5 so I assumed the ROM had been left intact. In fact it seemed faster, so I installed all my usual programs including Resco Explorer + Reg editor, SPB Pocket Plus, SPB Backup, Garmin Mobile XT GPS software, etc... Everything seemed fine. Reset a few times through this and it all seemed good. So I ran SPB backup but on the restart, the progress bar stopped at less than 10%. Tried to hard reset, but every time the bar stops at the same place. Couldn't get to a splash screen... Bummer.

Thanks to Axim family, found the SD Image loader tip, ran that and can get a working WM2003SE going BUT my Built-In Storage has vanished. Tried A03 Rom, no luck. Looked through the site and tried a couple hints but so-far nothing has worked.

I've tried to go back up to WM5, but after writing the image, the progress bar stops at the same under 10% place. SD Image loader goes back to 2k3SE but still no BIS. I wonder if the BIS ROM part of memory is trashed which is why the WM5 just won't load now. To me the laptop crash was unrelated seeing as the Axim did restart after that.

Any guru out there with something to try??? Anyone know how to get the BIS back? Appreciate any help to get my Axim back to normal.

John

aximbigfan · 04-08-07, 10:06 PM

well, you made a few mistakes here.
first, before updatign you axim you should have:
*stopped all unesental prosses (antivirus, ect)
*plugged laptop in
*plugged axim in
*plugged axim into laptop
*hard reset axim
*enter all the info into the axim to get it on to the today screen.
*soft reset the axim
*updated.

now, another mistake you made was that it was a blessing that yiu were even able to boot up the axim, but you should have reflashed it again as soon as you got it up again.

i guess you could try the sd card reflash method, not sure if that will even work though.
i cant find the link to that procedure, but im sure if you do some searching yo ucould find it.

chris

jpfe8851 · 04-09-07, 02:04 AM

Thanks for your advice Chris, however I did follow all these precautions except stopping processes on my laptop. Have to admit in the past twenty years, and I have been using PC's since 1984 and written a few programs myself, I've rarely done that unless specifically warned to do so. In every other respect, eg power on, hard resets, etc, I followed the procedures. The only thing I did not do was the reflash straight away. In hindsight, that might have been wise but everything seemed to work immediately after the laptop hitch. That was totally unpredictable and I've only seen it maybe 3-4 times in 10 years of laptop usage. Like the old BSOD from Win95 days.

Been through the SD flash routine and have tried both WM5 and WM2003SE. The latter works but without the BIS. WM5 does not. It loads the image okay, but stops responding while "erasing storage area". This seems to be a hint to the problem.

But here's something new. I've reinstalled Resco Explorer and it shows the BIS!!! But it doesn't show up in standard explorer. It's properties show it's hidden, but unchecking that has no effect. And the old files that I wrote to the BIS are still there, so they have not been disturbed by the upgrade process. I've tried restoring A03 and back without success.

Right now, I should be happy as I have a working Axim WM2003, but I would really like this back to normal.

John:

help:

purcy · 04-09-07, 09:08 AM

Not sure if you tried this, but have you done a backup of your system now (you say your files are there but hidden from Explorer) and put the back up file on your desktop; then do another hard reset of the Axim and re-install that backup file. Also, I have never checked this myself, but when you do an ActiveSync and then click Explore, can you see your files that way in Explorer and if not, is there a menu that says Show Hidden Files?? Good luck

jpfe8851 · 04-09-07, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by purcy

Not sure if you tried this, but have you done a backup of your system now (you say your files are there but hidden from Explorer) and put the back up file on your desktop; then do another hard reset of the Axim and re-install that backup file. Also, I have never checked this myself, but when you do an ActiveSync and then click Explore, can you see your files that way in Explorer and if not, is there a menu that says Show Hidden Files?? Good luck

Yep... Tried that already.

Above, I reported that I could see the BIS. This is not true. In fact what I have got is when I restore from an earlier backup, SPB must create a "folder" named "Built-in Storage" in the availble memory. This does not show up from a hard reset and reinstallation of programs. Only after I restore from an earlier backup.

I've also tried the PSMformat.exe utility which runs through but so far not restored my BIS. Seeing as the upgrade to WM5 nor the SD image loader of WM5 gets past the reformatting stage (halts after about 10%), I'm inclined to believe I've fried that part of memory, but why?? And why can I reinstall WM2003SE (with SD loader, cause I thought that this was part of the memory where the rom image resides for a hard reset???

I can live without the BIS in WM2003 but I really want WM5 back and I cannot get it to work now. :realmad:

John

jpfe8851 · 04-10-07, 06:48 PM

Had a breakthrough of sorts yesterday. Managed to get an update to WM5 working and all the memory was there! So I immediately downgraded using the Dell download, but it still didn't format the BIS when 2k3 came back. I'll keep trying that.

But my problem is fixed anyway. Purchased a used X51v off ebay and loaded up last night. Runs everything like a charm. Far fewer than the X50v at its best. So happy except for the expense. Still better than blowing money on Dell service IMO.

Cheers,
John

aximbigfan · 04-10-07, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by jpfe8851

Thanks for your advice Chris, however I did follow all these precautions except stopping processes on my laptop. Have to admit in the past twenty years, and I have been using PC's since 1984 and written a few programs myself, I've rarely done that unless specifically warned to do so. In every other respect, eg power on, hard resets, etc, I followed the procedures. The only thing I did not do was the reflash straight away. In hindsight, that might have been wise but everything seemed to work immediately after the laptop hitch. That was totally unpredictable and I've only seen it maybe 3-4 times in 10 years of laptop usage. Like the old BSOD from Win95 days.

Been through the SD flash routine and have tried both WM5 and WM2003SE. The latter works but without the BIS. WM5 does not. It loads the image okay, but stops responding while "erasing storage area". This seems to be a hint to the problem.

But here's something new. I've reinstalled Resco Explorer and it shows the BIS!!! But it doesn't show up in standard explorer. It's properties show it's hidden, but unchecking that has no effect. And the old files that I wrote to the BIS are still there, so they have not been disturbed by the upgrade process. I've tried restoring A03 and back without success.

Right now, I should be happy as I have a working Axim WM2003, but I would really like this back to normal.

John:

help:

ok, so i take it you are one wm3se? if so thats good, persistant mem has been disabled.follow these steps:
1. hard reset
2.take the main battery out
3. wait at least 4 hours. put main battery back in.

this should force a hard(er) reset.

chris

jpfe8851 · 04-10-07, 10:50 PM

Did try that once, but not sure how long. Certainly the backup battery was exhausted (I think). I'll try again...

At least I can get WM2003 working anytime so far by installing off SD Image Loader. WM5 is another matter. Got it up and running on A01 twice yesterday. Reverted to WM2k3 but it didn't reformat the memory. Tried to install A02, but it stalls while erasing user storage. This is the only consistent thing that happens apart from (gratefully) being able to retreat to a working (albeit missing BIS) WM2k3.

Least now I've got a working Axim with the X51v. There just isn't a better PDA out there.

John

jpfe8851 · 04-13-07, 08:23 AM

AximBigFan: Been away on business for 2 days. Left the battery out of the X50v to fully discharge. Just inserted battery and it cold booted, but still no BIS. I've found some references on the Dell Axim fourm but none of these have resolved the problem that i've tried.

It reports the full ROM of 128mb and Ram of 64mb, but can't see the BIS still.

Oh well, now I have a X51v, I'll just keep playing with the X50v until I lick this thing or destroy the thing...

Pfeff

jpfe8851 · 04-20-07, 02:19 AM

Just for those who may have this problem in future...

Okay, found the method to change to a Japanese ROM (A01) by changing the header and then restoring to an English ROM. Supposedly the Japanese ROM reformats the ROM (which I don't understand bacause I thought RAM could be formatted but not ROM).

Well, while the change to Japanese and Back worked fine, neither restored the built-in storage. Bug*er. Being a persistent type, I've once again loaded the Japanese ROM and left without the battery in for a day. NO LUCK!

So now I have restored the English ROM and without hard resetting, I am leaving with the battery out for 5 days while I go away on a business trip.

I'll report back what happens.

BTW the X51v is as stable as a rock!!!! And Garmin Mobile XT works like a charm on it....Love my Axim!

John