# Palm zire and gentoo-sorces-2.4.20-r1

## petu

Hi!

I'm trying to get my palm zire to work with Gentoo. I got it to sync with kpilot but if I try to install any programs kernel gets stuck!! Keyboard leds start flickering and I can't even ping my box. 

Below is the logs I get:

 *Quote:*   

> 
> 
> Feb  8 13:12:42 [kernel] hub.c: new USB device 00:02.2-3, assigned address 3
> 
> Feb  8 13:12:42 [kernel] usbserial.c: Handspring Visor / Palm 4.0 / Clié 4.x converter detected
> ...

 

And then I must press the reset button. I'm using gentoo-sources-2.4.20-r1 and I patched it with boot splash patch (https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=26494). Anyway I'm pretty sure the problem is in kernel because I tried to install programs twice with the same result  :Sad: 

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## drakonite

I have no idea about palm pilots in linux what so ever.... but...

There is an option in the USB section of the kernel config that is something like "Long timeouts for slow responding devices" I would say that since you are getting a bunch of timeout you might want to try using that option and see if that is the problem.

...That is more or less just a guess so don't quote me  :Wink: 

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## petu

Thank you for your reply but unfortunately it didn't solve my problem. It seems that kernel version 2.4.20 is causing me many other problems than just palm-hanging(dvd and cd-r/rw aren't working). Sadly palm zire isn't supported in 2.4.19.

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## BradN

Have you tried any 2.5 kernels that might have that functionality?  Or else, maybe there is a source code patch to make it work with earlier kernels.

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## petu

 *BradN wrote:*   

> Have you tried any 2.5 kernels that might have that functionality?  Or else, maybe there is a source code patch to make it work with earlier kernels.

 

I don't want to use 2.5 kernels because they are in development and I want to keep a usable system. Perhaps I just need to wait until the the next stable kernel release.

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## JeroenV

Hi,

did you solve that problem yet?

I have a Zire conected to my 2.4.20-gentoo-r2 via usb, it seems to work partially, i.e. when I do:

```
$ pilot-xfer -b ./org.bak/
```

it sometimes works fine, but sometimes I get this:

```
May  8 20:48:01 [kernel] usb_control/bulk_msg: timeout

May  8 20:48:02 [kernel] usb_control/bulk_msg: timeout

May  8 20:48:02 [kernel] usb_control/bulk_msg: timeout

May  8 20:48:02 [kernel] usb_control/bulk_msg: timeout

May  8 20:48:02 [/etc/hotplug/usb.agent] ... no modules for USB product 830/70/100
```

 in my syslog, and syncing fails.

Anybody have an idea how I can make that USB less sensitive to timeouts or what causes it? (I am aware of that USB_LONG_TIMEOUT thing in the kernel, but I ve read it did not solve comparable problems for others, or maybe it s not related?)

----------

## petu

 *JeroenV wrote:*   

> 
> 
> did you solve that problem yet?
> 
> I have a Zire conected to my 2.4.20-gentoo-r2 via usb, it seems to work partially, i.e. when I do:
> ...

 

I get similar errors and sometimes no errors at all but the good thing is that zire haven't anymore caused kernel panics

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## JeroenV

I found some indications that it may be related to the delay that the usb-agent has   :Question: 

Correct me if wrong, but the execution seems to be:

```

<some pilot daemon monitors /dev/pilot>

<press HotSync on the pilot>

May  8 23:05:05 [/sbin/hotplug] arguments (usb) env (DEVFS=/proc/bus/usb OLDPWD=/ PATH=/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin ACTION=add PWD=/etc/hotplug SHLVL=1 HOME=/ DEVICE=/proc/bus/usb/001/015 INTERFACE=255/0/0 PRODUCT=830/70/100 TYPE=0/0/0 DEBUG=kernel _=/usr/bin/env)

May  8 23:05:05 [/sbin/hotplug] invoke /etc/hotplug/usb.agent ()

<delay of a few seconds>

May  8 23:05:08 [/etc/hotplug/usb.agent] Setup visor for USB product 830/70/100

<ready to do the work>
```

I think the problem is, that (e.g.) kpilot already tries to sync during the delay period. When I use pilot-xfer (console util) to up/download data a few seconds after I pressed HotSync it seems to work fine. When I do the same without waiting a few seconds, I get the described behaviour.

To solve the problem, there could be 2 solutions I can think of now:

1) hack the client (e.g. kpilot) to wait a few secs after it detects the first lifesign from /dev/pilot

2) speed up the registering of the visor module (?)

Any opinions? 

(Hmm, I might try to compile the usb-modules in my kernel instead of as modules...)

Anyway, since I like modules, I m still in for other ideas   :Cool: 

----------

## mb4guns

and how about jpilot ? seems to be longer in development.

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## petu

 *mb4guns wrote:*   

> and how about jpilot ? seems to be longer in development.

 dunno haven't tried but now my kernel panics again when syncing with zire. I guess the major problem exists in the kernel which is currently gentoo-sources-2.4.20-r4.

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## mb4guns

u should really try vanilla or development, now I read u posted for unstable system but u can easely test it by compiling and adding a second image to your grub/lilo.

Think your changes are good for development.

And apart from the not able to sync, means entering data trough pda inputs only and no software upgrades (wich I could do at work), is it worth buying a zire...?

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## petu

I tried vanilla-sources-2.4.20 and got no kernel panic or other errors but I didn't got it to sync either. I might try development sources too but I have had some problems with them in the past so I'm not certain if I can handle it. 

dmesg gives this with vanilla-sources:

```

usbserial.c: Handspring Visor / Palm 4.0 / Clié 4.x converter now disconnected from ttyUSB0

usbserial.c: Handspring Visor / Palm 4.0 / Clié 4.x converter now disconnected from ttyUSB1

```

For me this device works properly with gentoo-sources as long I don't install any programs but if I do kernel panics.

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## mb4guns

Well, give it a try keep in mind u need 

```

emerge module-init-tools

```

for the dev kernels and u need to mount devfs:

```

devpts                  /dev/pts                devpts          defaults       0 0

```

----------

## petu

I got dev kernel to work but didn't have any luck with zire. When I hotsync it kernel didn't show anything under /dev/usb/tts/ as it does with gentoo-sources.

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## mb4guns

well I just got back from the store bought my own Zire (blue edition), I post my findings.....

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## mb4guns

WORKS! I'm on gentoo sources

I founded this thread very helpfull https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=1579

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## petu

So can you install programs too?

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## mb4guns

Yes, using jpilot to sync data and install software...just installed Chess Tiger

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## petu

I installed that chess game too and I found and fixed one of the problems I had. My palm had an invalid user id so I had to run

```
install-user -p /dev/pam -u "petu" -i 1000
```

Then I installed Chess Tiger which went well but after that I tried to install DateUtil and got a kernel panic.

----------

## mb4guns

your user id must be 5 digits ea 10000

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## jarekr

Hi!

   I have gentoo-4.20 kernel. In visor.c , visor.h there are zire entries. After I plug my zire to usb - devfs recognizes it and creates /dev/usb/tts/0 1 devices. (with proper permissions) But still i can not sync my palm with laptop... 

jpilot-syn loads plugin [SyncMAL] but it says:

Can not create log file, giving up

What should i do to sync my palm?

Thanks

----------

