UPDATE 20th November 2012: Due to recent changes in the Arch Linux boot process, this tutorial is no longer valid. You can still download an old pre-built image and install it, as I explained. But with this old image, updating the distro (with pacman -Syu) will most likely throw some errors and maybe even break the system. Also installing applications without updating the distro (with pacman -S applicationname) will likely fail because of the not updated dependencies. If you have searched the net for a very cheap tablet, maybe you have seen a lot of 7' chinese ones featuring the WM8650 SoC. This SoC has an ARM9 CPU running at 800 MHz, a DSP, a 2D graphics accelerator and a lot of peripherals.
I don't like tablets at all, but I found some cheap chinese netbooks containing pretty much the same hardware, removing the touchscreen and replacing it with a keyboard + touchpad. I couldn't resist and bought one of these netbooks in Aliexpress. It costed me around 50€, shipping costs included. The specs of this machine are:. Wondermedia WM8650 SoC at 800 MHz. 256 MiB DDR RAM (I think it runs @ 800 MHz, but I'm not sure). 2 GB internal NAND Flash.
7' 800x480 pixels TFT screen. 3 USB Host ports. 1 Ethernet port. Headphones and microphone ports. Internal 7,4V 1800mAh LiPo battery.
9V 1,5A power adapter. Android 2.2. We are ready for the first boot. Unmount the SD card, insert it in the netbook and power it on. You should see the Android robot, and then the messages Loading Kernel.
And Starting Linux. Should appear.
In a few seconds, you should be able to see the boot messages, and finally get the login prompt. The first boot will take a lot of time because udev has some problems and eats almost all the CPU. We will fix these proplems in the next step.
Windows Ce 6 Upgrade
Default password for the root user is root. Udev needs the accept4 OS call, that is not supplied by the Android kernel I have built. To fix this, you have to install libaccept4.
Download and put it inside the SD card (for example in /root). Then start Linux, login as root and in the console change to the directory containing the downloaded package and type. Accept the installation of the library, and reboot.
Udev should be working fine from now on, and boot time will be a lot shorter. To extend battery life, power to the internal WiFi dongle is off by default. To enable it, you need to toggle the GPIO pin controlling its power. Download, copy it to the SD and install it with the following command: pacman -U wmt-gpio-1.0-1-arm.pkg.tar.xz Upon installing this package, to enable the WiFi chip, you have to input the command: gpio 1:6:d8110040:d8110080:d81100c0 And to disable the WiFi chip: gpio 0:6:d8110040:d8110080:d81100c0 You can create two scripts with these commands, or if you always use WiFi, you can add the first one to /etc/rc.local, to enable WiFi each time the system boots.
To read the battery charge level, use the following command. Echo 200 /sys/class/powersupply/wmt-battery/capacity You can also add this line to rc.local to set the screen brightness to your favorite level each time the system boots. Now you have a fully functional base Arch Linux install. It's highly recommended to update your system ( pacman -Syu). Then you can start installing your favorite utilities, window manager, etc., by following the instructions documented in. I'll give you some hints for Arch Linux newbies.
Skip them all if you are experienced with this distro. You can start by editing /etc/rc.conf. This file contains some basic configuration parameters, like for example the timezone (TIMEZONE), the hostname (HOSTNAME) and some basic network configuration parameters (that default to DHCP on the Ethernet port).
Very important in this file is the last line, detailing the services started when the system boots, and the order in which they are started. I usually remove netfs from the list, replace network with networkmanager (you'll have to install it first) and add dbus (you'll need it for the window manager and some more programs). If you use networkmanager instead of network daemon, make sure you put it after dbus. Allow all the users in the wheel group to use sudo. Run the visudo command, and uncomment (remove the '#') the following line: #%wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL If you don't know how to use the vi editor, press the I key to Insert text, when you finish, press ESC to enter command mode and write:wq to write the file and quit the editor.
If you mess something up, just press ESC to switch to command mode, and write:!q to quit without saving changes. Then try again the visudo command. And that's all for today. If you followed this tutorial to the end, congratulations! You should be able to launch GNU/Linux in your shiny WM8650 laptop, with the locale, timezone and (hopefully) Ethernet network properly configured. You should be also able to login as a non privileged user, and use sudo to run tasks as root. If you have questions, feel free to ask them.
You don't like the console? In the next chapter, we will learn how to install a graphical desktop environment. TROUBLESHOOTING: I have patched the kernel to make it compatible with the environment of the Android distro that comes pre-installed in some netbooks. You should be able to boot Android (without the SD card inserted) and GNU/Linux (with the SD card inserted). It works on my netbook, but it looks like there are different hardware revisions of these netbooks, and some of them, may require to change some variables in the environment stored inside the internal Flash memory. Typical problems that may arise are for example not being able to use the Ethernet port, or losing the ability to read the internal battery level.
If you experience these problems, I can provide you with a modified wmtscriptcmd that changes some variables of the environment stored in Flash, to make the broken things work. But I'll not post it here unless someone asks for it, because if you overwrite some variables, you may break things in the Android kernel (i.e. You can loose the battery level information in Android). And if you didn't back up that variables first, you might not be able to fix these problems. Other problem that may arise, is that WiFi may not work. WiFi in these netbooks is implemented using an internal USB WiFi dongle. The one used in my unit has a Realtek RT8188CU chipset.
I had to search the net for a compatible driver (rtl8192cu) and merge it into the kernel drivers. If your netbook uses a dongle with a different chipset, WiFi may not work. Enable WiFi with the gpio command, run lsusb and show me its output.
I'll try to help you to get the dongle working. Of course you may find a lot more problems. Feel free to ask for help! You can also read the follow-up to this post:.
WARNING: Using the script attached to this comment, could make the Android distro unable to use Ethernet port. As this scripts overwrites a variable stored in the nand flash, it's HIGHLY recommended to backup variables first. To do so, you can follow this tutorial I wrote on Slatedroid: Once you have made a backup, follow these steps: 1.- Download the modified script: 2.- Replace the default wmtscriptcmd in the BOOT partition of the SD with downloaded one.
3.- Start Linux on your netbook, Ethernet port should be working now. 4.- Power off the netbook and restore the original wmtscriptcmd to the BOOT partition. If you fail to do this step, everything should continue working, but each time you boot Linux, U-Boot config will be overwritten (with the same configuration, but overwritten anyway) and in the long run, you can damage the flash partition used to store U-Boot environment. Please let me know if the script works, and if is compatible with the Android distro in your netbook. It is probably just an UART for debugging purposes, so if you want to mess with uBoot, you just probably need to hook that to a transceiver and to a serial port in your PC (If you have any;) ). The boards i've seen use to comunicate at 115200 bauds.
If someone is trying, remember the transceiver part, or you will probably fry the netbook. PS (Mine arrived yesterday.
Have ARCH up & running, with LXDE, and just need to compile a driver for wifi (Came with RT5370) See you, and thanks for all, Doragasu! Updated kernel and kernel modules. Changes to the kernel: + Patched Ethernet initialization to support devices with wmt.eth.param=1, without having to use a modified wmtscriptcmd. Changes to modules: + Added modules for common USB to RS232 adapters: FTDI, CP210x, pl2303 and garmingps. + Added modules for Bluetooth devices. Downloads: - Kernel: - Modules: I'm planning to put this in a new blog post, when I have time to write some more things. Are you using the kernel from John Williams?
I had that problem with his kernel. I had to disable the UOR chip in the kernel configuration, and patch the battery reading code. You should not have that problem with my kernel build.
For battery readings, these two variables must be set like this: wmt.io.bat=3:2:1000:db1:b8b:db1:d7a:d43:d0c:cd5:c9e:c67:c30:bf9:bc2:b8b wmt.gpi.bat=0:0:00020000:d8110040:d8110080:d8110000:d8110480:d81104C01:1:00000020:d8110040:d8110080:d8110000:d8110480:d81104C02:0:00010000:d8110040:d8110080:d8110000: d8110480:d81104C0. If course I'm planning to share it, but I wanted first to fix some things. Right now there are two problems inside the kernel I have not been able to solve: 1.- Bogomips count is not properly calculated in /proc/cpuinfo. It should be about 800, but is reported as 299.
I know the CPU is working at 800MHz because the programs take the same time with my kernel and with the Android one (that properly reports bogomips near to 800). 2.- The terminals lack cursor. Cursor is working in virtual terminals inside X-Windows, but text terminals lack it. I have tried several hacks, but I can't switch it on.
Anyway, I have not much time to continue investigating the sources, so I think I'll release them as they currently are, and maybe somebody will be able to solve this problems. Hi Thanks for all the help so far out put from lsmod Module Size Used by vfat 8632 1 fat 43955 1 vfat output from lsusb Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub Bus 001 Device 003: ID 05e3:0608 Genesys Logic, Inc. USB-2.0 4-Port HUB Bus 002 Device 002: ID 04d9:2ba0 Holtek Semiconductor, Inc.
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 148f:5370 Ralink Technology, Corp. RT5370 Wireless Adapter. Well, the ethernet is working now, thank you for your help, but WiFi seems not to be working, but that's not that bad at all. There are another problems, LXDE is working, but only if i start x manually. If i type my login into slim lxde won't start, i have to press ctrl + alt + F1, then i see the standard terminal which is asking for login. I did everything what you mentioned in your tutorials. After i configured to autoload the module at startup and toggle the GPIO to activate WiFi, it seems to work, with 'iwlist ra0 scan' i found my router.
So now, the wlan device seems to work. I put the line '@nm-applet' to the startup file, but it doesn't start the nm-applet, so i can't use the network manager. Rc.conf is exactly like yours except of the netfs daemon.maybe i could delete this one. And slim won't start lxde at all, but one thing at a time. ArchLinux is exciting, of course, and the last days i read a lot about it, but a little bit help at the beginning isn't that bad:D. Unfortunately I have not a laptop like yours to test. Some weeks ago, I patched the kernel to improve Ethernet compatibility.
Download patched kernel and modules: - Kernel: - Modules: And repeat steps 2 and 3 of the tutorial, but with these files instead of the original ones. I hope this solves Ethernet problem. I'm not sure how we can get the complete amount of RAM working. Maybe we only need to pass the right value to the memtotal variable in the boot script. Have you installed other Linux/Android distros to your netbook?
If you did, maybe other bootscripts could have overwritten the right value. In any case, you can try getting the values stored in the Flash. Repeat the steps depicted in this post (and post the results. The wmtscriptcmd file I uploaded must be copied to the FAT partition. Failing to copy files to the EXT3 partition could be because of a lot of reasons.
Windows Ce 6 0 Wm8650 Update 2017
I/O error sounds to me like a filesystem or hardware problem. Maybe there's a problem with the SD/MMC card reader, maybe the filesystem and/or the partition table got corrupted. Or maybe the SD card is one of that fake/counterfeit chinese SD cards that rise all kind of problems (did you buy the card at eBay?).
You can try clearing the partition table and creating again the partitions from scratch. If that doesn't solve the problems, my guess is that either the SD or the SD/MMC card reader is damaged.
With Archlinux this netbook is what I was looking for! A smart device, just for programming on the go:D I looked at aliexpress for the netbook and found this one and this one, that has a bigger screen but a slower processor, the description says 600Mhz. What do you think, will it run slower than the one with the 7inch screen? I suppose both netbooks should work as long as they are WM8650 based, but maybe you will have to do some tweaks to the 10.1 inch one to get the right video mode and the front camera working. It's difficult to know without having one to test. About the 600 MHz CPU clock, I don't know if it will make a big difference.
Maybe the 600 MHz CPU speed is a typo. These WM8650 based netbooks and tablets usually have a small board with the CPU + Memory soldered to a bigger PCB with the peripherals. It would be a bit strange if this netbook wouldn't use this 'standard' CPU board with the 'standard' CPU speed.
Hi, jup, this will install windows to wm8650. It's 'Windows Embedded Compact 7' formally known as Windows CE. Keep in mind its in Alpha stage. Audio does not work for me and neither does youtube.
Touchscreen support is limited and i think your good (ts working) if your tablet uses option 1 in uberoid 12.1. Personally i love it, but android (specially uberoid ) is more complete and there are a lot more android apps available then apps for this OS. I guess it depends on what you wanna use the device for.
Heck, its alsways fun to try right? Hi, Thank you for your work! I have already tested android and wince 6 firmware on my wm8650 laptop.
For me uberCE7 is the best firmware for my use: editing text and spreadsheet and surfing Notice that works perfectly with 10 inches screen (choose the option 4 (9.7') in changer.bat), azerty keyboard (just change your regional preferences and reboot). I used some programs provided with WinCE6 firmwares like Notepad, SpreadCE without problems. But I had some problems with the browser internet explorer which is very slow to load some web pages. I tried Iris Browser but it was not very good.
I found this link which explains how to install a version of the famous browser Opera mini on wince. It works perfectly and quickly! Hi, Thank you for your work!
I have already tested android and wince 6 firmware on my wm8650 laptop. For me uberCE7 is the best firmware for my use: editing text and spreadsheet and surfing Notice that works perfectly with 10 inches screen (choose the option 4 (9.7') in changer.bat), azerty keyboard (just change your regional preferences and reboot).
I used some programs provided with WinCE6 firmwares like Notepad, SpreadCE without problems. But I had some problems with the browser internet explorer which is very slow to load some web pages. I tried Iris Browser but it was not very good. I found this link which explains how to install a version of the famous browser Opera mini on wince. It works perfectly and quickly!