Hi folks,
I got this used iPaq 5450 for relatively cheap (about US$ 200). It
came with PocketPC 2002, the default OS for this model. Now, I know
the 5450 is infamous for its buggyness, but I thought I could
alleviate the problem with the updates available from HP, so I decided
to shell out those ~ $200 and go for it - mostly because of wi-fi,
that my old iPaq 3850 (still alive and kicking with Windows Mobile
2003 that I upgraded it with) lacks. I was also hoping to be able to
upgrade it to WM2003, since I play around with .NET CF 2.0 sometimes
(that doesn't work on PPC2002), and also because of a few apps I use
that doesn't work on PPC2002, and was able to acquire that ROM
upgrade.
Ok, enough background, here's my problem - I can't update the ROM on
this 5450. I've tried the ROM update to version 1.11 (for PPC2002,
available here:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=0&prodSeriesId=322914&prodNameId=100786&swEnvOID=231&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=ip-47460-1).
Apparently the update application can't put the device into "flash
mode". As I've gathered after much digging around in the 'net, when
the message "Verifying the information on your iPAQ PocketPC" is shown
on the desktop by the update program, the device is supposed to reset
to flash mode: a screen with only a single HP logo on it - or so I
heard it's supposed to look like. I can get the equivalent of this
screen on my older 3850, except it is the Compaq logo with a red
background; I don't know how the HP screen for flash mode looks like,
but I'm sure from that earlier experience that it should look
different from the normal boot screen; and that's the problem: when
the device should be going to flash mode, instead it just reboots
normally - that is, it shows the normal boot screen and goes to the
today screen (also usually the clock is reset to 12:00 and the date to
01/01/1980), while in the desktop the "Verifying information..."
message stays up indefinitely. This happens the same when I try the
ROM upgrade to WM2003.
What I've already tried, based on what I gathered on the net:
- Putting the device into flash mode manually, by means of the magic
"keys", that is, press the CONTACTS + ITASK + POWER buttons
simultaneously and press reset. Also doesn't work, the device just
reboots as well. By the way, these same keystrokes work fine (that is,
the device is put on flash mode) on my older 3850, and yes, they are
supposed to work on the 5450 as well, from what I gathered on the
'net;
- Copying the file FUU.exe and FUU.bin to the device, and running
the .exe manually: Doesn't work, it just reboots the device as well
(when, I guess, that little executable would probably put the device
into flash mode);
- Uninstalling ActiveSync completely and reinstalling: tried initally
the lastest version (4.5), then uninstalled (including removing the
dangling ActiveSync install folder thereafter), and tried the older
3.7 version that some people seemed to suggest for compatibility with
older devices, but no difference;
- Hard-resetting: tried that many times, no difference. By the way,
everytime I hard reset this unit, right after the screen blanks out
after the procedure is done (CALENDAR + ITASK + RESET for 3 secs), I
have to remove the battery and put it back on. If I just reset the
device without doing that, the device hangs on the boot screen
indefinetely. I don't know this device enough, so I don't know if
that's how it's supposed to behave, just thought I should mention
that.
Well, anyway, I'm already dismissing this as a lost cause, probably
some fault in the ROM or bootloader of this unit (though the device
seems to work fine otherwise, it can sync with ActiveSync, etc.). But
if anyone have any thoughts or experience with this, even for
confirming my suspicions, your sharing would be greatly appreciated.
Too bad I've already thrown away $200 at this, I wish I hadn't already
found a buyer for my older 3850, otherwise I would just sell this 5450
and keep the older... Now I'll have to cope with this subpar unit, or
maybe try to sell it and stay empty handed until I can get something
worthawhile... And never touch a 54xx again thereafter...
Grettings,
Luiz Fernando