ROM access, Need some help guys, please?

[nozy]

I asked a legitimate question on the HP iPaq forum. The question got removed and then I got a nasty letter from someone in customer service at HP. Basically they presumed from my question that I was trying to do something illegal. Believe me I was not and I told them very clearly in my response how I felt. Anyway, I digress. Is there any aftermarket or outside source software or utilities out there that will enable me to access the 32 MB ROM that is basically unusable to me and always has been. I have a H3650, it is way out of warranty so I don't care about that. It has 32 MB ROM in it because Compaq chose to do that to get it out the door. I know that with a series 37XX ROM file that I can access my ROM and move my Reader, Media Player, Avantgo, and other stuff into ROM to free up RAM. But apparantly you cannot buy that and I do not want it illegally. I have already upgraded to PPC 2002 and EUU 1 thru 3.
So do I have any other options to get to that ROM?
Thank you
Doug Lowe : :evil: :?:

[Jason Dunn]

I won't delete your post, but what you're asking to do is essentially illegal, so it doesn't surprise me that hp deleted your post. When you bought your iPAQ, you bought the hardware and the software that came on it, not the never-ending right to upgrade it. :wink:

[Janak Parekh]

A useless but legal answer: installing Linux on the device will enable you to access the 32MB. :D

Sorry, your only other choice is, as far as I know, illegal. There just isn't enough demand for a 3rd party to create a File Store-like application for the 36xx units. I feel your pain, I have one too - and I'd love to have a 16MB File Store.

--janak

[Kati Compton]

I won't delete your post, but what you're asking to do is essentially illegal, so it doesn't surprise me that hp deleted your post. When you bought your iPAQ, you bought the hardware and the software that came on it, not the never-ending right to upgrade it. :wink:

I don't think that what he's asking to do is illegal. He's saying that he knows of an illegal way to do what he wants, but doesn't want to do the illegal thing. Then he asks if there are any LEGAL ways to do what he wants. Asking for a legal way to do something isn't illegal. It's not like he said "if there's no other way I'll have to do it the illegal way". Frankly, I don't see why they deleted the post if it was worded similarly to this one. Asking if there's a way to access ROM similar to other iPAQs seems like a very valid question to me.

[nozy]

Exactly Oracle. I beieve it would have been different if Compaq had slipped me a note in the box when they shipped my unit explaining why I had 32 ROM instead of 16 ROM and that I would never be able to access the 32, then that would be the end of it. But I asked questions on several forums, mainly theirs and no one gave me an answer until now. If I had purchased a unit that was capable of accessing and asset that I wasn't using, I wanted to no how I could access the asset. They automatically assumed I was talking about illegally. I was very upset at how presumptuous and offensive that was. I am not a proud man, but I am proud of my integrity. Anyway. That is over. I sent messages out on several forums. I am now looking at a lot of utilities just to see if any of them will do it. And on one forum the suggested I look into BooBlaster or Bootloader. I am going to look into that also. Thank you.
Doug :)

[Janak Parekh]

It's not like he said "if there's no other way I'll have to do it the illegal way". Frankly, I don't see why they deleted the post if it was worded similarly to this one. Asking if there's a way to access ROM similar to other iPAQs seems like a very valid question to me.
It's a complicated situation. HP intended for all iPaq 36xx units to have 16MB ROM, but the very early units had 32MB because there was a shortage of the 16MB modules. I should know, I have one of the originals. :) HP prefers to ignore that, and say that all 36xx units have 16MB, and attempts to use the remaining 16MB are not legitimate in their eyes. I don't think it would hold up in court, but it's probably against their EULA/TOS/whatever. :?

--janak

[Kati Compton]

I think the point, though, is that there shouldn't be anything wrong with ASKING about that extra ROM. Sure - Compaq/HP can say "Sorry, we don't support accessing that 16MB", or even (but lamer) "I'm sorry, but any attempts to access the 16MB is a violation of <blah blah blah>". But there shouldn't be anything wrong with asking, and getting a nasty letter in response is very poor customer relations in my opinion.

The above is *without* even getting into whether or not I think it's fair to make it illegal to access ROM that's there. I'm just saying that I think they were wrong to villify nozy for asking a simple question.

[Steven Cedrone]

I would tend to think that if the original question was not worded just right, the post would easily be confused with someone trying to obtain an illigal copy of a ROM image...

And from a "moderator" point of view, that post would be either edited or deleted. And (I'm just guessing here) from a "moderator who worked for HP" point of view, the post would probobly be sent to someone in the legal dept. (although in this case, customer service) for further action...

Steve