Axim WM 5.0 - CF issues may require WM 5.0 to WM 2003 SE downgrade

[Zax]

After upgrading our Axim X50 running WM 2003 SE device to WM 5.0, we have discovered that the Compact Flash serial adapter we have been using, a Quatech SSP-100, no longer works. The application using the driver GPFs when attempting to use the serial port.

I have been informed of the following regarding this and other CF issues people are experiencing on the X50/X51:

We have now been able to demonstrate that the non-function of the CF232 in Windows Mobile 5 on a Dell Axim is due to a problem with the Dell PDA. The Windows Mobile 5 ROM has set up the XScale's interface timing registers to generate non-compliant CF/PCMCIA timings. The CF/PCMCIA standard specifies 165ns wide; the IO cucles on the Dell are 200ns wide These bus timings are set using 3 processor registers, and these registers have not been set correctly and apparently not tested.

While there is no fix at this time, and it appears most CF peripherals are toast under WM 5.0 on the Axim X50 as a result, I did find a WM 5.0 to WM 2003 SE downgrade available on the Dell website.

Passing it along...

-- Eric

[mindtune]

This would explain alot of my headaches just after the upgrade I did this passed weekend. I still can not use the GPS, which I loaded onto the CF card. Dell tech support has put me thru every possible reboot, reset and reformat I care to do for a while. Not mentioning having to pay $100 for the maps to work with the upgrade. I may try to put the GPS maps onto a SD card and cross my fingers befor i downgrade to 2003.
Kevin

[Zax]

I'm surprised more people havn't latched onto this. Supposedly you can write to a couple of registers on the XScale processor and correct the PCMCIA timing. I'm hoping someone will post a patch to do this so the CF slot on the X50 running WM 5 can be used.

[bluevolume]

I'm surprised more people havn't latched onto this. Supposedly you can write to a couple of registers on the XScale processor and correct the PCMCIA timing. I'm hoping someone will post a patch to do this so the CF slot on the X50 running WM 5 can be used.

Hopefully Dell has someone reading these forums. Hidden among the many "this sucks" and "this rules" threads, there are some very good technical discussions. Some of us here have identified problems with the upgrade that Dell obviously missed -- the severity of the problems go far beyond acceptable for an actual release.

Dell: Thank you for the 0.5 WM5 upgrade. Now please let us know when you will have a 1.0 release.

[sachin_n]

I upgraded to WM 5.0 sometime back on my Axim x50 and after that it randomly fails to recognize my CF card (which was always working on 2003SE). The CF card is always in the slot (i never take it out) and I only use it as a storage device. Generally, this happens if I don't use my axim for more than an hour and the only way to make WM 5.0 recognize it again is to do a soft reset. Dell Customer Care made me do a hard reset too but that didn't help either! Has anyone else also faced the same problem and are there any known workarounds this?

Thanks,
S

[tallshorty]

I upgraded to WM 5.0 sometime back on my Axim x50 and after that it randomly fails to recognize my CF card (which was always working on 2003SE). The CF card is always in the slot (i never take it out) and I only use it as a storage device. Generally, this happens if I don't use my axim for more than an hour and the only way to make WM 5.0 recognize it again is to do a soft reset. Dell Customer Care made me do a hard reset too but that didn't help either! Has anyone else also faced the same problem and are there any known workarounds this?

Thanks,
S

Do a search. there are plenty of topics on this issue. As far as I'm aware, no permanent fix as of yet.