Need Help with IPAQ H3835

ON FRIDAY 07 MARCH 2008 01:19, KW WROTE:
> I RECENTLY CAME ACROSS AN IPAQ H3835 WHOSE HISTORY AND
> CONDITION ARE UNKNOWN TO ME.
> I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE WITH THIS OR ANY TYPE OF POCKET
PC
> AND/OR PDA.
> THE CHARGING LED KEEPS BLINKING AND NOTHING WORKS
UNLESS
> IT€™S PLUGGED INTO THE AC ADAPTER SO I ASSUME THE
BATTERY WILL NOT HOLD A
> CHARGE. BEING A LINUX GEEK, I€™D LIKE TO RUN SOME FORM
OF LINUX (FAMILIAR
> AND OPIE PROBABLY).
I HAVE AN IPAQ IN SIMILAR CONDITION. I HAVE FOUND THAT
HAVING IT ON THE 
CHARGER FOR SOME DAYS ALLOWS ME TO TAKE IT OFF THE CHARGER
FOR BRIEF MOMENTS, 
BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT HAS TO BE ON THE CHARGER TO
OPERATE. IT DOES HOWEVER 
OPERATE JUST FINE, SO IT'S OBVIOUS THE ONLY FAULT LIES IN
THE BATTERY. I 
IMAGINE IF YOU ARE WILLING TO TRY IT OUT ON THE CRADLE, YOU
WILL QUICKLY SEE 
IF IT FUNCTIONS CORRECTLY OR NOT. I DID NEED QUITE A BIT OF
CHARGING TO GET 
MINE TO START UP CORRECTLY AT ONE POINT, SO I'D SUGGEST
LEAVING IT ON THE 
CHARGER A WHILE FIRST.
>
> MY QUESTIONS ARE HOW CAN I MAKE SURE THE UNIT WORKS
PROPERLY
> BEFORE INVESTING ANY MORE TIME AND EFFORT? ASSUMING IT
DOES WORK, HOW TO
> GET IT TO A KNOWN STATE AND INSTALL LINUX?
SINCE YOU ALREADY HAVE THE BOOTLOADER ON THERE, YOU SHOULD
BE ABLE TO FOLLOW 
THE OPIE INSTALL INSTRUCTIONS FROM HANDHELDS.ORG, BUT SEEING
AS THE 
BOOTLOADER IS ON THERE, IT'S LIKELY THERE IS ALREADY AN
INSTALLATION OF SOME 
KIND, IT MIGHT BE WORTH LOOKING AT THAT FIRST. THE BOOT
SEQUENCE SOMETIMES 
FAILS TO TURN THE SCREEN BACKLIGHT ON FOR ME, WHEN THE PDA
HAS SUCH POOR 
BATTERIES. I FOUND AT ONE STAGE I HAD TO TILT IT TO THE
RIGHT ANGLE TO READ 
THE PROMPTS ON SCREEN, SO I COULD REBOOT IT WHICH KICKED THE
BACKLIGHT BACK 
IN.
> OTHER SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHAT CAN USE THE UNIT TO DO ARE
VERY
> WELCOME. POINTERS TO OTHER FORUMS, GROUPS,
DOCUMENTATION, ETC WOULD ALSO BE
> MUCH APPRECIATED.
I THINK I FOUND ALL THE INFO I NEEDED (INCLUDING A STEP BY
STEP INSTALL 
PROCESS) LINKED FROM HANDHELDS.ORG. SORRY I DON'T HAVE ANY
PARTICULAR URLS 
HANDY RIGHT NOW, IT WAS A WHILE AGO I DID MY PIE
INSTALLATION. I THINK IT'S 
THE BEST PLACE TO POKE AROUND. ONCE I HAD IT UP AND RUNNING,
I FOUND THE VNC 
CLIENT TO BE VERY USEFUL FOR REMOTELTY OPERATING XMMS ON A
HEADLESS AUDIO 
JUKEBOX PC I HAD RUNNING...

> ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
IF YOU NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING SPECIFIC POST HERE, I'M SURE
SOMEONE WILL HELP.
> KWAT
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