Installation - A users perspective

This is what you'll need to get Linux up and running on your e750. Compiled on 30/06/2008.

1. Correct bootloader (http://www.mnementh.co.uk/eseries/drop/files/bootloaders/boot_e750.exe)
2. Kernel image (http://www.mnementh.co.uk/eseries/drop/files/kernel/zImage_20080626)
3. 'params' file (http://www.mnementh.co.uk/eseries/drop/files/params)
4. Correct modules (http://www.mnementh.co.uk/eseries/drop/files/modules/modules_20080626.tar.bz2)
5. Linux distro (http://www.mnementh.co.uk/eseries/drop/files/distros/Angstrom-x11-image-glibc-ipk-2007.12-r17-h5000.rootfs.tar.gz) or, if you fancy trying Opie, (http://www.angstrom-distribution.org/unstable/autobuild/h5000/Angstrom-opie-image-glibc-ipk-2007.12-r17-h5000.rootfs.tar.gz)

• Step 1 – Partition your SD card with 1 FAT16 partition (32MB) and 1 ext2 partition (remainder of SD card). The FAT16 partion will hold the bootloader and params file and enable you to transfer the kernel image to your e750. The ext2 partition will hold the rootfs for the linux distro. I accomplished this by:
  1. Mounting the SD card on my Linux PC and using 'fdisk' to create both partitions
  2. Insert the SD card back into the e750 for it to format the 32MB FAT16 partition
  3. Remove the card from the e750 and insert it back into my Linux PC
  4. Running 'mke2fs' against the second partition on the SD card to format it

• Step 2 – Copy the kernel image, bootloader, and params file onto the FAT16 partition.

• Step 3 – Unpack your distro to the ext2 partition.

• Step 4 – Unpack the modules tar and copy the '2.6.26-rc7-00059-g02309ad' folder to '/libs/modules' on you ext2 partition.

• Step 5 – On the ext2 partition of the SD card, navigate to '/etc/modutils' and create 3 files in '/etc/modutils' for the following modules: evdev, wm97xx-ts and snd-soc-e750.
  These are textfiles containing the name of the module and saved as the name of the module. Use the files currently in '/etc/modutils' as an example.

• Step 6 – Remove the SD card from your Linux PC and insert it into your e750

• Step 7 – From your e750, copy the 'zImage_20080626' file from the SD card to 'My Document' and rename it to just 'zImage'

• Step 8 – Back on the SD card, launch 'boot_e750.exe'. This should load up the 'zImage' file from 'My Documents', mount the ext2 partition on the SD card and start the loading of the Angstrom distro.

If all goes well, you should be prompted to calibrate your touchscreen, after which you should be asked to enter a root password. You should be able to do this if those 3 modules have loaded correctly.