This is VERY difficult to read but Ill try...

Actually, I had made significant progress installing to mtdblock NANDs but made a couple of 'stupid-hurried' errors...
Still working on making the 'definitive boot script folder' to replicate it too...
also, different versions of u-boot have different 'abilities'... one has to check the help to find what it has...

/dev/sda is the 1st 'attached' USB device... multi-partitioned drives will be sda1,sda2,etc. That is how I attached a completed DEBIAN-based system before...
the SD cards get attached as /dev/mmcblk0X... 0p1,0p2, etc. WHY these are not called SD is not my doing...

With the SOFT BRICK, the INTERNAL,REMOVEABLE 'drive' becomes the 1st USB device and is NOT seen as mtdblock-anything but as sda1... My current focus is getting the SOFT BRICK (with the REMOVABLE USB-BASED 'flash drive') operational again as I am trying to put a 4GB unit in now, and hope to make it operable with an 8 or 16Gb internal 'drive'. This is one (and the HARD BRICK too) that claimed to have a 16MB SPI flash (128Mb -bit-) which is too small for my programmer to 'hold onto'...
It is also the one with the GND pad damage (tho a substitute location has already been found... just have to DO IT!)

Took a look at that slackware site but did not discern a way to get it 'installable'. No worries tho. Still have to get them back to u-boot chat mode first.

Yo, you still around?

Got mine in bits in front of me, and wondered how you were getting on

Oh yes, Im still here...
Have been on something of a hiatus with car/motorcycle/work/life problems... but Im still here!

Patiently waiting for the f-ing world to 'come to order' so I can breathe again!

A question!
Since before your sun burned hot in space, and before your race was born, I have awaited... a question!

I got my screen working... Briefly. I tried to install Debian to the hard drive, and wiggled the backlight cable, and it worked. The install locked up, so I rebooted, and now wiggling it doesn't work, nor does it boot into Debian (the caps lock light doesn't flash any more).

Looks like it's bricked this time

IF I recall correctly, the debian install DOES NOT WRITE the wload OR u-boot, so that should not be causing your problem...

Try making a new script card.... and if youre still not getting backlight, try using a flashlight to see if 'things are happening'.

A reassembly may be in order as well...

Of course, if you were attempting an android load or some scary shyt like that (got the T-shirt!) it might truly be... well... paperweight material.

The best!

Been out doing everything else but this, and now have an Android tablet I wanna try to 'linuxify' with X...

Made the mistake of allowing an Android install to hose a(nother) netbook's wload/uboot so Ive ebayed YET ANOTHER ONE with the plan to make an image of the SPI for loading to the other(s).

Funny how most of them are Sylvanias... (SYNET7WID)
It seems they have a smaller SPI than the first two, so their wload/uboot are in different locations.
Thus the 'hosing' mentioned above.

Preparing to get an image of the 2nd machine's removable USB 'drive' (which will soon have a replacment SPI, temporarily)...
It SHOULD have a full X-window system on it (compliments of the now-defunct BENTO-linux.org) and if so, it will also end up imaged for use...

But tonite is 'put the new touchscreen on the tablet' nite.
(I dont like Android for 'serious' stuff... but I guess its okay to read books and play Mahjong! )

Well, the Android tablet is taking priority over the less-capable netbook, and
the 'original brick' and another of the Sylvanias have been cannibalized for their NAND chips...

I fully intend (and eventually WILL) restore the 'USB-NAND' unit (with the bad ground pad) and have NOT allowed that USB-card to be sacrificed for the tablet(s) (yes, 2 of them now...). In fact, work with the tablets has helped me develop the patience and focus to get the too-small-for-my-eyes SMT chips done right!

Once I get it running again, I have a 4GB USB-'drive' ready-and-waiting to become the replacement!

Perhaps then, the Debian build on the 2Gb 'drive' can help me get 'real' Linux on the Android tablet!

Can always hope!

I have finally gotten the 'replaceable nand' unit running again!!!
It sucessfully boots with a 512KByte SPI flash... tho it is reported as an 8MB...
The original 2GB usb 'drive' still contains the full e16 X-window system I had on it before the flash was lost...

I am a happy camper!
Immediate plans include:
1) Getting the 4GB usb 'drive' setup and working in the netbook...
.. To this end I am building a USB-to-4pin adapter so that I can utilize the 'regular' USB connector to prepare it.
2) Putting a proper-sized SPI back into the beast... and getting it RIGHT!
3) Rebuilding the self-boot that I lost when 'it happened' so I dont need to boot from SD anymore.

All-in-all, Im quite happy with this.



EDIT:
The adapter works fine... unfortunately I need to build a new 4GB 'drive'... this one failed (and lost connection pads )
Guess I'll have to get another one... maybe an 8!

Having separated parts now for who-knows-low-many days/months, I still have to transfer the filesystem from the 2GB 'drive' to whatever I end up getting to replace it, and I have come up with a sudden brilliant idea!

Gonna CUT A HOLE in the bottom of the case to allow easy replacement of the 'replaceable drive' USB board.

GAWD, Im good!!!

Tonite Im gonna use my Ubuntu system to image the usb-drive onto my 80gb HD, and then create an img backup that can be used to start the 4gb usb-drive once I get one... (8gb is still too much $$ to immediately dismember!)

Have a pattern created to make the access hole in the case... and looking forward to cutting myself IOT get the hole made! (kidding, of course!)

Actually found a version of Android (I think!) that comes up and runs on this board! May actually look into using it part-time (once the hole is made) as the overall 'design' will be somewhat flexible..



EDIT:
Found an 8GB stick at Target for $13... hope it works!
Happy boy!

The 8Gb seems to be working fine... but the X-windows takes a LOOOONG time to load up.

Dunno if I need to 'make adjustments' IOT get things running better!

Once I get the hole-in-the-bottom done I'll transfer the goodies into the new case!

I have to tell you, I find this thread more intresting the the last three Grishem novels I have read!

Not that I am thinking of trying this, I don't much care for bricks but I do have had a very long love affair with Linux dating back to the mid 90's when I was introduced to Unix in College.

The reason I came upon your thread is that I was considering trying to put Linux or Android on a small touch screen device I picked up off Ebay called the Nova5000 it's one of those school devices that is supposed to take care of the educational needs of students. Has CE5 on it, and works fairly well. I have taken it apart and find that it does have an internal USB device that I assume has the OS on it. It is soldered in so removal is not for the faint of heart, not a chore that I think I will attempt any time soon, but the idea of running Android on it does sit in the back of my head. I do have an android (made in china by cheap inc.) coming from an Ebay Auction that is currently locked up after the owner decided to mess with the settings to such a point it will no longer run any apps. Hope I can get that one working, the prior owner said he had it only one week before screw it up. I am looking at flashing it with Uberoid

Hey! Thanks for the review! I might even become an author someday!

A friend gave me a chinese SUPERPAD/android and Ive been... fighting... with it most of the time lately. Well, that and the job/car/lack-of-life...

The linux idea may be worthwhile, but honestly, I do NOT LIKE android. Someday I might attempt commandeering the PAD's 'bios' and get it out of that... trash...

The netbook still needs its SPI changed so that it can boot itself... there is no room with the smaller one I have installed right now.
Other than that, and the previously mentioned X-window startup delay it does alright.

Lee B

This week I went to looking at the original 2gb 'insert'... to determine if it could be used as a starting point for Linux on my Android tablet...
(At one time I even made a '4-pin-to-USB' connector JUST for this purpose!)

and my Ubuntu laptop couldnt find anything on it!

I have long-since lost the original image I made of it before the modifications, so it looks like I may have to pull the replacement out of the netbook and start with it.
One thing I will need to do is get an ext2 module, as the running linux core for Android apparently does NOT talk its native language.

Yes, I am aware that Im taking the thread off on a tangent... Once I get another image from the netbook I will force myself to complete the task whilst beginning one anew!

I found out today that the company that makes my (blackcat) SPI programmer
HAS AN ADAPTER for the smaller-size (150mm) chips now!!!

I ordered one w/o a 2nd thought!

That should allow me to completely free the 'micro-bugger' from its need for the external card!!!

Happy happy Joy joy!!!

I may actually be able to consider this thread closed!! What a thought!


On a sadder note...
the tablet Ive been working with is considered a vegetable at this time... I loaded up the wrong U0 (u-boot) IOT attempt getting it to accept Linux independently of Android...
I have 2 others now to work with, but they are different designs and will require their own 'finagling' to get it right...