[olug] Damn Small Linux install on WYSE thin client

Mon May 19 01:53:23 UTC 2008

i've never made it to an installfest, but i'd really like to see what it's
about. i have thought about going to one for a while.
if i don't get this figured out by the next one, i'd be honored to bring a
couple in to mess around with.

i've tried using a compactflash reader to access the CF card, but as the
first poster mentioned, they are either locked or have some wierd format.
there is no write-protect switch on it, it may be permenantly write
protected for all i know.
one hope on this front is finding a 64 MB CF that is not locked and putting
a bootloader on it. there is the grim possibility that it will not boot
anyhow if the CF is not locked to the key the mobo provides.
i.e. i may have to lock the replacement before using it...that would suck.

when the compact flash is attached to my workstation....
linux, in general, crawls with it attached. windows explorer crawls with it
attached.
i can't access it in windows "please insert disc", i can not mount it in
linux (PHLAK).

do you think there might be a BIOS configuration to enter on boot of the
thinclient?
that may allow me to tinker with boot sequence/options.
On 5/17/08, Rob Townley <rob.townley at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Sat, May 17, 2008 at 10:07 AM, Rob Townley <rob.townley at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > On Fri, May 16, 2008 at 8:56 AM, Brian Roberson <roberson at olug.org>
> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> Hey J --
> >>
> >> That's a doozie! I have seen similar setups to this NT4 (embedded) thing
> >> from HP, notably their older "Previo" Disk2Disk backup Vaults. The
> compact
> >> flash was on board, and there was a front panel display hooked through
> the
> >> floppy controller, I spent a few hours trying to figure out the boot
> >> sequence,
> >> but got side tracked by work ;-) In any event, I think that would be the
> >> first thing to figure out, as in, what *exactly* is the boot process. I
> >> would think from there, you could figure out a way to get a (linux
> >> friendly)
> >> boot loader shoe horned into the process to take over. Once that was
> >> figured
> >> out, the next step would be to sort out how to unlock the on-board
> compact
> >> flash to allow yourself to load a DSL-type linux solution on the flash.
> >>
> >> If you have a few of these, how about bringing it into the installfest
> >> tomorrow
> >> and we could try to figure it out together? No promises, but I would be
> >> happy to assist in the hard core hacking of this thing!
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On Fri, May 16, 2008 at 01:31:22AM -0700, DYNATRON tech wrote:
> >> > hello everyone.
> >> >
> >> > i've got a pyle of wyse thin clients that i'm trying to convert into
> >> linux
> >> > boxes (basically for web browsing, maybe simple office apps).
> >> >  ideally, i'd like to install linux on the on-board compact flash so i
> >> don't
> >> > need a thumb drive for each box.
> >> > i decided to use damn small linux (good choice?), and after formating
> a
> >> > thumb drive (thanks jay) for FAT32, i used syslinux to make it
> bootable.
> >> > i then unzipped the embedded version onto the thumbdrive as instructed
> >> by
> >> > the DSL-USB drive tutorial....
> >> >
> >>
> http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki/index.php/Installing_to_a_USB_Flash_Drive
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > everything went well as far as preparations, but when i put the USB
> >> drive
> >> > into the thinclient, it doesn't even light up.
> >> > i boot the thinclient and rather than the thumb drive booting up, it
> >> boots
> >> > from the on-board compact flash card into the crapfest that is windows
> >> NT
> >> > 4.0.
> >> > even worse, i can't use my NT password crack on it (no CD drive, can't
> >> boot
> >> > USB), so i have a useless OS (even with the password), and i can't get
> >> into
> >> > any bios configuration. i've tried all of the usual hotkeys, but to no
> >> > avail. i tried checking out wyse's website, but they only have
> >> support/docu.
> >> > for items less than 2 years old. this model was built april 2000. the
> >> > tutorial suggested trying to format FAT16 instead of 32, but if the
> USB
> >> > drive isn't even powering up, then i don't think the file system would
> >> be
> >> > the issue (not yet anyhow).
> >> >
> >> > i've been without a permanent linux installation for about a year now.
> >> all
> >> > i've got is this PHLAK liveCD from 2005 that i'm using now to send
> this
> >> > e-mail, so i'd really like to get these thin clients up and going. i
> >> plan on
> >> > donating a couple them to the library down the street for web
> browsers,
> >> as
> >> > they currently only have a couple crappy P2 boxes right now.
> >> >
> >> > i'm open to any suggestions, but i usually just get flamed or ignored
> on
> >> > OLUG.
> >> > i guess i don't hate M$ enough or something...
> >> > if anyone has some constructive advice, i'd be greatly greatful.
> >> >
> >> > the thin clients have a 64MB compact flash instead of a HD, a single
> >> stick
> >> > of laptop RAM, one USB port, onboard sound/ethernet/video, PCMCIA
> WiFi,
> >> and
> >> > some wierd processor that might be a cyrix or some off brand like
> that.
> >> the
> >> > thumb drive is a 64MB.
> >> >
> >> > thanks for taking the time to read this.
> >> > thanks even more for taking the time to respond.
> >> >
> >> > -j
> >> > _______________________________________________
> >> > OLUG mailing list
> >> > OLUG at olug.org
> >> > http://lists.olug.org/mailman/listinfo/olug
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> OLUG mailing list
> >> OLUG at olug.org
> >> http://lists.olug.org/mailman/listinfo/olug
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > Is the CompactFlash card removable?  Do you have an external USB Compact
> > Flash reader?  If so, try putting the CF into a workstation.
> >
>
>
> Further, many of these types of devices look for a tftp server on bootup or
> upon bootup and holding down a special key.  For instance, Linksys routers
> will look for a tftp server.
>
> A search for WYSE Compact Flash got this admin manual.  All my SD memory
> cards have a physical write protect switch, does compact flash?
>
> http://www.wyse.com/products/winterm/quickstart/admin/pdf/0a342.pdf
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