Turning MP780 into MP790

[acravero]

Does anyone know if this can be done? Is it as simple as taking a 790 ROM chip and putting it in a 780? All other specs seem to be the same. Is the ROM removeable/upgradeable?

Would the same apply for a 750 or for 770 (can they be upgraded to 790)?

Thanks,
Anthony

[mazonservices]

Sorry, Can't be done.
Totaly different OS


I have a mp790 for sale if you want one

Byron
mazonservices@aol.com

[Pilot]

I think that HPC2000 (which is the OS on the MP790) requires a Strong arm processor, right? Anyway, NEC has provided no upgrade path to HPC2000 for the MP780 or below, claiming that HPC2000 requires a completely different hardware platform.

Don't think that your method of thinking is flawed though, because I used to own a MP700 running CE 2.0 and then bought a MP750c also running CE 2.0 but also purchased the CE 2.11 upgrade ROM chip. I tried the CE 2.11 upgrade ROM in the MP700 (yes, it fit!), but no dice. The unit wouldn't even turn on with the upgrade ROM in it. The RAM memory upgrades were compatible and worked fine, but not the ROM upgrade.

[acravero]

Pilot,

The MP790 has the exact same specs (same exact hardware) other than HPC2000. That's the main reason I was thinking of attempting to replace the ROM--but, I don't want to blow 1 or 2 hundred bux on a dead 790 just to find out that it won't work. I think HPC2000 is actually "leaner" than HPC "Pro" 3.0. Just like the PocketPC 2k OS was far faster/leaner than the previous, more "windows-like" 2.11CE OS.

The ROM in the 780 is supposed to be upgradeable, too (I thought). Just like how you can put HPCPro (3.0/2.11 shell) on your MP750 by purchasing the upgrade ROM, so too should you be able to put an HPC2k ROM in the 780 for upgrade.

But, like I said, I'm not willing to risk damaging my 780 or wasting precious $$$ on a dead 790 unless I *know* it will work.

Thanks,
Anthony

[geniv]

Originally posted by acravero
Pilot,

But, like I said, I'm not willing to risk damaging my 780 or wasting precious $$$ on a dead 790 unless I *know* it will work.


hmmm.. as far as I know there's no actual HPC2k upgrade rom for the 780. but I never thought of removing the rom chip from a dead 790 and slap it on the 780...

hmmm, interesting... gotta check it out... sounds so tempting.

[thcrw739]

I asked someone about this the other day, taking a rom out of a dead 790 and putting it into an 780 since the hardware specs are exactly the "same"

The hpc 2000 os was made for mips & strong arm, but assuming that you need atleast the 168 mhz mips chip to run it wich is the same proccesser in both the 780 & 790


the only thing i can forsee about the theory not working, is if the mother boards are built diffrent , say the chip is a diffrent size or shape or ram is removable but rom isnt.....I know on my 770 ram and rom are seprate and both removeable.....

This would be good news for 780 owners, cheaper way to upgrade, if you could find broken 790's and a 790 owner that broke their unit and could find a cheap 780..........

[geniv]

the RAM/ROM chips on the 780 is separate also.

I'm not much into electronics but the 790 have an 16meg internal flash drive while the 780 doesn't.

I don't know how that will factor in.... maybe autodetect and a "storage card" directory?

[geniv]

here's a stupid idea...

why don't someone email NEC technical support concerning this ?

[xe1ufo]

Several people have told me it CAN be done. The only thing is you will not have the flash part working. Everything else is the same. And e-mailing NEC tech support does NOT work.

[seebeexee]

There's a lot of speculation in this thread and I'd like to try to put some of it to rest based on my personal experience. Okay, first of al, it IS possible to "upgrade" your 780 to a 790, but let me explain.

I have a 780 and I got a hold of a 790 ROM chip. I swapped the chips and fired up the new 780/790 machine and all worked fine. Upon further investigation, I found that the 16 MB Flash storage area is UNAVAILABLE, although all other functions work fine.

One problem, though: All non-Microsoft utilities bundled with the 790 (like bFax, bUSEFUL backup, etc.) were pre-loaded into the 16 MB Flash storage area. So, even though the OS loads fine and apps can be installed without a hitch, you don't have any access to any of the bundled apps. That was a little disappointing because what you get after the "upgrade" is a device without a built-in backup application.

There is a program that you can access after the upgrade that supposedly inspects the 16 MB flash storage area to tell you how much storage space you have left, but when you run it, it immediately finishes and tells you the inspection is complete, but it offers no report as to what it finds (probably because it doesn't find anything).

I hope this little bit of insight helps all of you out there. FYI, I currently have the 780 ROM back in my device and I'm checking out the possibilites of copying the utilities unaccessable under the 790 ROM to my desktop from the 780 ROM. I'll then probably reinsert the 790 ROM and copy the programs and files from my desktop to the MP and see what happens. I'll let you all know.

--seebeexee

[JMEicher]

Thanks for the good info!

Since I have no use for the non-MS apps (bFax, bUSEFUL backup, etc), this would be a workable solution for me.

Anyone know of a good source for a 790 ROM chip?

-JmE-

[jhbj]

If the MP770 and MP780 are essentially identical, except for processor speed and display quality, I'd like to know the technical reasons why the 770 can't be upgraded directly to the 790, while the 780 can.

Would appreciate any enlightenment on this matter.