Cheapest car pc ever. - Page 8

ik632 · 08-01-2006, 02:37 PM

Just got my card reader and now I need to get another CF card. I'm going to try one that's larger than original but copy the original partition structure over to it and see what happens. Hopefully I can go with the last partition being larger and then put the new and improved file system on there.

Still debating whether I want to turn it into a Myth frontend or a NAS.

kevincad · 08-01-2006, 10:45 PM

is this actually useable for a linux pc?what distro does it run?i havent seen much updated with the msntv2 hacking lately.i would be happy to just add a hd if i could and run it from my tv in my house.

nice for internet browsing.

also,here is another forum i found about msntv2. http://www.smittys.pointclark.net/rm4100/index.php

i dont believe it has been updated for awhile,but,maybe we can get this project back up and running.

agashka · 08-02-2006, 01:27 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by kevincad

nice for internet browsing.

There i dont really agree since the msntv2 have only composite or svideo, witch kills the quality, meaning text is not THAT easy to read.A 1080p 52" tv might help, not sure :P

im not registred to the forum, so i cant post, but you cant solder a Hdd there.... only use a USB hdd.

ik632 · 08-02-2006, 01:18 PM

Some people have soldered the IDE header to the board and it's functioning. The board apparently has a two channel controller so it will support another drive. I'm not sure if they are following naming convention and if the board has one controller that supports a master and slave, or if the board has two controllers that support master/slave on each. My guess (again, based on what others are telling me) is that there's one controller that supports master (the current CF card) and slave (whatever drive you plug into the header).

The VGA header doesn't work because it's missing some resistors and capacitors that would need to be added.

There are also bios issues to finish working out. The current bios is set to boot the windows ce image off of the card. There is a modified bios out there some where that tells it to boot the linux kernel off of one of the partitions.

This is about all that I know about the device so far.

kevincad · 08-02-2006, 02:12 PM

i have another question,if any knows.how would i go about extracting the bios and editing it so i can make it so it will just boot from the hd first?anyone tried that yet?as far as the onboard video and soldering resistors,anyone have a clue how to fix that?

agashka · 08-02-2006, 04:07 PM

and huh, while connecting the serial port and setting the baud rate, i dont get up to service menu, but update menu... should i update?

edit:

i really need help ppl, ive been trying make this work for 4hours, i cant get up to the service menu

agashka · 08-02-2006, 08:50 PM

argg plz help me its really ****ing me off, ive been trying all the day on this

edit:

the question is more like, how receive the # and send the $

ik632 · 08-04-2006, 12:40 PM

Quote:

kevincad
i have another question,if any knows.how would i go about extracting the bios and editing it so i can make it so it will just boot from the hd first?

I did some searching on Google and there are supposedly bios editing software programs out there. I was going to look into the windows ce stuff and see about setting that up to tell it to boot from the hdd.

Quote:

agashka
and huh, while connecting the serial port and setting the baud rate, i dont get up to service menu, but update menu... should i update?

I don't have a ttl cable yet so I can't answer that. From what I understand on the RM4100 site there is supposedly a string of commands you send so it will update the bios with the new one. Based on the instructions it looks like you just turn on the RM4100 and then send a $ as a key stroke.
I'm guessing you've already looked at:
http://www.smittys.pointclark.net/rm...wtopic.php?t=1

kevincad · 08-04-2006, 07:24 PM

do you know the name of the programs used for the bios editing?thanks

ik632 · 08-05-2006, 08:47 PM

There is an award bios editor and an nvidia bios editor available but I think they are actually meant for video card bios editing. It looks like md_27514 has figured out a way to get it to load from an external usb drive and a larger internal CF card. I posted a message on the RM4100 forum to hopefully hear how he did it.

pandy · 08-06-2006, 03:13 PM

Still waiting on my cable

ik632 · 08-06-2006, 06:13 PM

Did you end up buying one of the premade ones or did you order the parts to do it? I'm trying to find a cell phone cable (usb or serial) that I can use by cutting the end off. I also have an old Handspring Visor cradle (a serial one and a usb one) that I think already has the level shifting stuff in it. So, I need to look into the cradle first to see if it has what I need before I buy anything.

agashka · 08-06-2006, 08:42 PM

ive buy the pre-made on ebay, but doesnt seems to work

Chris31 · 08-06-2006, 10:19 PM

Cut your lost...get rid of it now.

turbocad6 · 08-06-2006, 10:33 PM

this is like the "special olympics" for carpc's..... I don't get it.... how can this be worth it to save $60 or $80.... you can get real pc's for dirt cheap..... faster pIII's are a dime a dozen... real decent stuff is only a few bucks more....

I can understand hacking & rengineering to try to acheive something that couldn't be achieved otherwise, but what's the point of hacking something into something that is otherwise easily available? why choose to be handicapped, aren't there enough challenges in installing a sucessful carpc?...

someone please splain to me