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Linux on the Psion 5MX/5MX-PRO HOWTO

DEPRECATED!

This HOWTO is now deprecated. The new 5MX HOWTO is 5MX HOWTO. It is a translation of this howto into a more portable format, and it is undergoing revision and update. A PDF of the HOWTO is available there.

Please update your bookmarks and links accordingly.

The PsiLinux Project, www.psilinux.org

Last modified 9 February 2003
(Updates to X installation procedures, X applications, minor html fixes, octave/gnuplot screenshot)
This document contains brief instructions on how to get a Psion 5MX or 5MX PRO to boot into the Linux operating system and subsequent system configuration issues. This document is fairly new and will probably continue to undergo revisions.

(c) 1997-2002 The PsiLinux Project. All rights reserved.

1. Disclaimer

2. Credits

3. Introduction

  • 3.1 What Works, Generally
  • 3.2 Psion Series 5MX Specifications
  • 3.3 A PsiLinux Screenshot

4. How Does It Work?

5. Preparation

6. Copying Files to the Psion and Making Partitions on the Compactflash Disk

  • 6.1 Serial Ports, Minicom, and Comms
  • 6.2 PLP Tools
  • 6.3 Partitioning the Compactflash using initrd
  • 6.4 Partitioning, Formatting, and Copying to Compactflash using a Desktop Computer
  • 6.5 Using RSH/RCP and PPP Between the Desktop and PsiLinux

7. Compactflash Comments

  • Compactflash Benchmarks

8. Booting using ARLO

  • 8.1 Installing ARLO
  • 8.2 Getting a Kernel
  • 8.3 Getting the Kernel Booted from EPOC
  • 8.4 Autobooting ARLO from Reset
  • 8.5 How Do I Get Back to EPOC?

9. Using your New System

  • 9.1 Mounting /proc and Compactflash Partitions
  • 9.2 The Keyboard and Setting Keys
  • 9.3 Setting the Font
  • 9.4 Setting Framebuffer Depth
  • 9.5 Pointers and Things that Work
  • 9.6 Serial Connections: Wire and Infrared
  • 9.7 Setting up PPP
  • 9.8 /etc Adjustments
  • 9.9 Keeping Time between Reboots
  • 9.10 Installing New Packages
  • 9.11 Sound Support

10. Installing PicoGUI Windowing

11. Installing X11 Windowing

  • 11.1 An X11/Blackbox Window Manager on PsiLinux Screenshot!
  • 11.2 Prerequisites
  • 11.3 Packages to Install
  • 11.4 Configuring the Blackbox Window Manager
      Screen shots of WindowMaker and IceWM window managers.
  • 11.5 Mouse Issues
  • 11.6 Memory Issues
  • 11.7 Keyboard Issues
  • 11.8 Useful X applications

12. Rolling your own - Cross Compiling a Kernel for the 5MX

  • 12.1 Prerequisites
  • 12.1 The Cross Compilation Environment
  • 12.2 Compiling a Kernel

13. F.A.Q.

  • 13.1 Please see the FAQs on the main PsiLinux page.
  • 13.2 Q: Which Psion 5MX model do I need (5MX, 5MX-PRO (24MB), 5MX-PRO (32MB))?
  • 13.3 Q: How come after PsiLinux boots up the text is faded so as to be illegible?
  • 13.4 Q: My disk gives errors when my psion wakes up from sleep mode, or otherwise?
  • 13.5 Q: Can I have a dual boot system (EPOC and linux)?
  • 13.6 Q: How come when I turn my psion off for the night, it turns itself back on again?

14. Resources

  • 14.1 The PsiLinux Website
  • 14.2 Plp Tools
  • 14.3 ARLO
  • 14.4 Precompiled Kernels
  • 14.5 Initial Ramdisks (initrd's)
  • 14.6 The Mail List
  • 14.7 The Psion PDA Graveyard (sob.)

15. Cleaning up Your Disks, Freeing Up Disk Space

16. Future Plans

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