Psion 5mx not starting and strange message appearing.

[fetch]

Just yesterday I was given a Psion 5mx. Whoopy! Finally I've got one... It had been laying around for a while and I had to replace the batteries. Starting up was fine when that was done and as it still contained some old data on the FCard (20Mb) I did some cleaning up.

Shortly afterwards I had to take the batteries out again for some reason. As it had survived it the first time I reckoned the backup batt. was ok. Couple of minutes later I placed the batteries back and started up again. This time I got this strange message and wasn't able to get any further. Strange because it was in German while It was working in standard English before!

"Auf der aktuellen CompactFlash-Card wurde keinen gultige Datei Gefunden."
(No valid data found on actual CompactFlash Card)

After reading a bit I decided that perhaps I had removed too much and teh card could no longer be read. So I removed the card (after switching it off) and restarted. This time I got the message "Please insert CompactFlash card or reconnect serial connection" Again in German (I'll spare you this...)

I would have thought my Psion would work without a CF card? Sofar I can't get past this message.

I have tried a soft and a hard reboot and a total reset (removed batteries for extended time and then hard reboot).

I'm not getting any further! Please help if you can!

Fetch,

[MikeMcC]

That is very strange, though I have seen the problem mentioned before (actually on Ericsson MC218s) but not a solution. There is a model called the "5mx Pro", which has only been supplied to the German and Japanese markets, and this has its operating system loaded into an enlarged RAM from an image either on a supplied CF disk or the PsiWin CD. However, if you had got hold of one of these, it wouldn't have had an English language operating system - only the German / Japanese versions were supplied.

I can only think that either a failure of the ROM causes this message to appear, because only a German 5mx Pro would normally expect to find no operating system and this might be an error message built into all motherboards rather than using a different one for the 'Pro', or you have somehow got hold of a prototype never released on the open market which had its OS loaded into RAM using an English language OS not normally available.

In any case, it seems that removing all batteries has caused the machine to lose its operating system with no way to restore it.

Can you contact the previous owner to find out if there was anything "non-standard" about this particular machine? In the meantime, I will email an ex-Psion employee whose address I have and see if he can offer any insight.

[diem]

It is possible that it is a 5mx pro that had had an English OS installed. If so, then indeed it survived replacing the batteries the first time, but the second time it died, losing the OS from RAM and leaving you with a machine that will only boot from CF or from a serial line.

I have a friend in exactly the same position - if he gets hold of an English 5mx OS on CF then I'll let you know. Without this, you are totally stuck I'm afraid...

[MikeMcC]

This is the reply I received from my ex-Psion contact:

Pop out the flash card, hard reset the machine and the error should not occur. Leave the flash card out. Have this person tell you everything in the machine identifcation screen and memory info as well. This should clue you in whether he actually has a 5mx or 5mx Pro (german). Each country ROM is unique from the point of view that it contains no other languages other than the local language. A 5mx in UK English should of course have a UK English language ROM. Perhaps he has loaded a multi-language software program on the flash disk for his 5mx and the default reporting error is in German-because it can't find the files it needs in the 5mx.

If he made a backup that would be the first route taken after the hard reset. I've never heard of this type of error before outside of a 5MX Pro German model.

[fetch]

Thanks!

Well, it seems I'm in trouble. Just confirmed that it is a 5mx PRO. (never noticed the small print above the screen, it doesn't say so on the lid). The problem will be that I've received this as a contra deal for (ironically) repairing someone's PC andI haven't got a serial cable nor the PsiWin CD, which could have the operating systemn on it?

I've downloaded the latest PsiWin form the psion site. Now I'll need to find the os software.

I'll hunt around for a cable and anything else I need. If any of you can help it would be much appreciated!

By teh way, hard resetting without the card in the machine makes no difference. All I get is the message I mentioned before.

[bobbyr]

Hi Fetch,
I am sure that you have already tried this but, just in case you haven't---You seem to know some German or some one that does as you did some translation in your note. Do you think its worth surfing the internet for Psion 5mx Pro on some German Web sites. If you can to someone that you can converse with maybe they can help you get to someone with an English OS or put you in touch with a vendor of some sort.

No much but might be something to look at.

Thanks,

Bobbyr

[MikeMcC]

I am sure that you have already tried this but, just in case you haven't---You seem to know some German or some one that does as you did some translation in your note. Do you think its worth surfing the internet for Psion 5mx Pro on some German Web sites. If you can to someone that you can converse with maybe they can help you get to someone with an English OS or put you in touch with a vendor of some sort.
A post in the newsgroups would probably get help with a German operating system image, but the English OS image has never been publicly available. The machine may originally have been used by someone on the Psion staff who installed an English OS at the time when release of the 5mx Pro into other markets was considered.

[fetch]

Thanks bobbyr. Indeed I can find my way around in German (if I have to) ;). Did find the sys$rom.bin on a the offical german psion site, including instructions on how to get it into my mx5 pro.

http://www.psion-gmbh.com

Unfortunately I didn't find any mention of an english language version confirming what Mike had to say about it. So if there's anyone out there with an mx5 Pro with an english language sys$rom.bin PLEASE copy it and send it to me!

The missing serial cable will sort itself out soon somehow and I guess I'll be updating my German language skills for a while.

Thanks everyone for your help sofar.
I'll keep you posted on further developments.

[106112909]

Hi Fetch

You can find a serial cable at http://www.psionex.co.uk/ .

[bobbyr]

Your welcome, it was just a thought, I had forgotten like Mike said that it was only in German on the 5mx Pro. I remember when it came out.

Thanks,

Bobbyr

[fetch]

:D Well, I've managed to track down a copy of the English and the Dutch version of sys$rom.bin with the help of some excellent users on a dutch symbian forum.

I am once again a happy user!

Thank you all for your info and suggestions.

[bobbyr]

Thanks I am glad that you found it. I figured that you could find an English version someplace with one forum or another.

Thanks,

bobbyr

[Badass]

This is the excact problem that I have, on the other hand I have a german 5mx pro. I read through the posts but did not really seem to catch up on how fetch really fixed his problem.
Did he install a new operational system on the psion by using a serial cable? I have a cable but I cannot seem to get in contact with the psion through the psiwin program,
anyone?

[Badass]

got it working :)