ZipIt Serial Flash
You can upload new firmware via a serial port connection to the Zipit's flash memory from a Windows PC or Linux box. First you have to modify your Zipit to add a serial port. See Zipit Serial Mod
To begin, perform the following instructions.
//If someone would like to add instructions for Linux instead of Windows, it would be greatly appreciated.
What you need:
- Windows PC
- DB-9 Serial port or equivalent (such as a USB to Serial adapter)
- Zipit with serial mod performed (preferably 5-wire mod); Zipit Serial Mod
- Zipit Software Tools; http://www.aibohack.com/zipit/zipit_tool_extras.zip
- Extract the Zipit software tools to a convenient location.
- Connect your modded Zipit to your computer through the serial port. Make sure that the debug pin (DBG) is grounded.
- In your extracted folder, open the folder named SERIAL_5.
- Run the file named up.bat. You should see the following below:
Transferring bootstrap program Transfer complete Switch to 57.6kbps Echo + upload commands Decide what to upload
'A' - allrom.bin upload (2MB)
'a' - loader.bin upload (8K max) 'k' - zimage.dat upload (581K max) 'u' - ramdisk.gz upload (1.5MB max) Follow changes with 'WYes' to write Other commands 'R' - grab ROM
ZP< .02 - 57.6Kbps new cmds
Loader addresses: 00002000 00090000
OK >
- Now you need to type a lowercase "a" and press enter. You should see the text below.
OK > a //Uploading 8032 bytes from loader.bin // done upload OK >
- Type in a lowercase "k" and press enter. This step may take a few minutes.
OK > k //Uploading 573300 bytes from zimage.dat // done upload OK >
- Type in a lowercase "u" and press enter. This step may take quite a while, SO LET IT WORK! In my own personal experiences, it has taken 7 to 12 minutes.
OK > u //Uploading 1372343 bytes from ramdisk.gz // done upload OK >
- Then, you need to type a capital "W". Wait a few moments until 'PWD' shows up, then type 'Yes', with the capital Y.
OK > [type W, wait for PWD, then type YES] E+W PWD?ERASING,ERASED,WRITTEN! OK >
- Finally, type a question mark, and press enter.
OK > ? GPIO: 80 FF 28 02 UNIQID: 902FDA7F RANDID: 007C1C60D37FEA1F59606150902FDA7F FLASHROM: 1EFDE9D2 BURN_SRC: 1EFDE9D2 OK >
Congratulations, your Zipit now has Linux!