Dell Axim X51/X51v ROM Update Released

[Darius Wey]

<img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20051121-X51v.jpg" /><br /><br />Dell has just released a ROM update for the Dell Axim X51/X51v series. A list of updates can be found below.<br /><br />1. Support Windows Mobile V5.0 Adaptation Kit Update 1.1.<br />2. Enhance PEAP network function.<br />3. Enhance Power Management function.<br />4. Marathon OpenGL driver update. [Axim X51v only]<br /><br />Note this ROM update only applies to the Axim X51/X51v. It is not designed for Axim X50/X50v devices which have been upgraded to Windows Mobile 5.0. As always, when performing the upgrade, backup your data and be sure to follow the upgrade instructions carefully.<br /><br /><b>Links:</b> <a href="http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R112653&SystemID=PDA_AXIM_X51&os=PPM&osl=en&deviceid=7638&devlib=0&typecnt=1&vercnt=1&formatcnt=1&fileid=147489">Axim X51 ROM Update (416MHz and 520MHz)</a> / <a href="http://support.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs&releaseid=R112544&SystemID=PDA_AXIM_X51&os=PPM&osl=en&deviceid=7643&devlib=0&typecnt=1&vercnt=1&formatcnt=1&fileid=147229">Axim X51v ROM Update (624MHz)</a>

[krypticide]

Nice. Maybe an X50 WM5 update won't be too far off?

[ctmagnus]

Oh, to experience the joys of being an early adopter again... :(

[Darius Wey]

Nice. Maybe an X50 WM5 update won't be too far off?

Let's hope so. It seems like the AKU is the big fix in this ROM update, which I'm sure will make its way to the X50/X50v soon enough.

[rodkar]

If I remember correctly, please correct me if I am wrong, one of the benefits of WM5 is that the application of a ROM update won't erase existing data and programs, is that correct?

Although I have just hard-reset my x51v yesterday and reinstall everything, I am on my way to install the update.

Wish me luck.

Roderick

[surfer]

Is anyone else getting "page not found" by pressing download now?

[Darius Wey]

If I remember correctly, please correct me if I am wrong, one of the benefits of WM5 is that the application of a ROM update won't erase existing data and programs, is that correct?

That's correct, but it applies to battery depletion since the flash ROM is non-volatile. However, if you hard-reset your device (which a ROM update will initiate), your data will still be wiped since it needs to copy the image and write it to the flash ROM.

[Darius Wey]

Is anyone else getting "page not found" by pressing download now?

I just tested it and everything seems to be working okay. Try again in a few minutes, or perhaps try another browser.

[rodkar]

Strange. I just tried using both IE and Firefox without success. Got page not found error. The page with the download links could be found, but not the links themselves.

[OneAngryDwarf]

I'm getting the same thing... seems that it is down

[Darius Wey]

I'm getting the same thing... seems that it is down

Okay, now it's down. Crud - this always happens whenever I post on a Dell ROM update. Let's hope it comes back later in the day.

[dhpss]

Dell is bringing it down to add the X50v ROM! :roll:

[EvilOne]

If I remember correctly, please correct me if I am wrong, one of the benefits of WM5 is that the application of a ROM update won't erase existing data and programs, is that correct?

That's correct, but it applies to battery depletion since the flash ROM is non-volatile. However, if you hard-reset your device (which a ROM update will initiate), your data will still be wiped since it needs to copy the image and write it to the flash ROM.

Whenever someone gets the update installed, could you tell us if it did indeed need/do a hardreset therefore forcing you to use a backup (which at times doesn't work, at least for me).

[kiwiruss]

I can download it but the files onl;y 1.59kb , not the advertised 31mb and doesnt work. so I guess its not working yet.

[bvkeen]

Yup, it's down. Good to see that it's on its way, though. Actually a bit sooner than I expected we'd see it. I boxed my x51v back up a couple of days ago, deciding it'd stay there until MS and Dell worked out some more bugs. Hopefully this will fix the key problems many of us have had (white screen of death, power-on problems, and so on). While many of the problems can be overcome with registry or other hacks, it's best to have a system that does well without hacks.

[PPCRules]

Dell is bringing it down to add the X50v ROM! :roll:
Uhmm ... I wouldn't expect that.

They aren't going to post the X50 updates on the Internet. They learned that from the X5 PPC2003 update; there everyone was getting a free update until they shut it down and mailed CDs a month ot two later. They never did update the X5 ROM again after that, because it wasn't worth the hassle/risk.

More likely, you'll have to wait until they are confident enough to press a new CD and mail it out.

[Typhoon]

What is the Marathon OpenGL update?

[ChrisW]

What is the Marathon OpenGL update?

Vaporware, as Dell's download page shows. :(

Seriously, I wonder if it's more generally-optimized drivers so that more software will benefit from the accelerated display?

Any word on whether installation is equivalent to hard reset? I've only done this twice before, on my Jornada 567, and it wasn't so extreme on that device.

[PPCRules]

The links are working now.

Please report on level of success installing/fixing problems.

[mclark]

PPCRules,

You beat me to the punch! (I was out most of the afternoon)

Thanks for giving the heads-up.

[Typhoon]

What is the Marathon OpenGL update?

Vaporware, as Dell's download page shows. :(

Seriously, I wonder if it's more generally-optimized drivers so that more software will benefit from the accelerated display?

Any word on whether installation is equivalent to hard reset? I've only done this twice before, on my Jornada 567, and it wasn't so extreme on that device.

Huh...do you know what Marathon OpenGL is supposed to be?

[mrfrog]

Used R112544.EXE to update my Axim X51v.

*Installation Note for non-IE users:*
The EXE files extracts some files to a C:\DELL directory, and spawns a browser to launch "AximUpdate.exe". If the default browser is Firefox, it cannot run programs directly and prompts to save the .exe file. The installer won't work outside of the directory created by R112544.EXE, so just quit the browser and run C:\DELL\Drivers\R112544\AximUpdate.exe.

Once installed, Axim requires a hard reset.
Press the top power button while pressing the back reset button to do so.

After a reboot, you need to go through the intro stuff (why is click tutorial mandatory!?). Seems like all settings are wiped including the Program Files folder contents in the static memory. "My Documents" folder contents was not wiped, though.

Meanwhile, the Sync Wizard comes up on the PC side.
Performing the first sync restores all the PIM data.

Trying to restore the backup, the backup app complains that the image is from Windows Mobile 2003, and settings will be lost. The image was freshly taken before the firmwareflash, so this can't be true.

Going ahead with the restore, the backup app runs to 100%... and shows a popup saying that the backup file I used is not a valid backup file. I tried both the ones on the SD card and my PC, but same effect. Darn.

Be prepared to reinstall programs :)

It seems like the program installation flag is NOT removed, though. While reinstalling, my PPC complained "application is already installed, replace?" for all applications, even though they're not installed. Choosing "replace" made it complain that old application could not be removed. (duh, they're not there!)

Fortunately, certain programs (pocketbreeze, pocketweather) which store configuration in My Documents seem to have remembered their old configurations after reinstallaing.

If you have important files within Windows folder or Program Files, you should move them to My Documents or CF/SD cards before upgrade.

[EvilOne]

And I thought one would be able to install an update without a hard reset... Coming from 2003SE on my x50v to WM5 I have gone through ALOT of hard resets already... So I am greatly looking forward to installing again after a hard reset... Hmm, not seeing a real good reason at this point for upgrading to wm5.... :evil:

[Darius Wey]

And I thought one would be able to install an update without a hard reset... Coming from 2003SE on my x50v to WM5 I have gone through ALOT of hard resets already... So I am greatly looking forward to installing again after a hard reset... Hmm, not seeing a real good reason at this point for upgrading to wm5.... :evil:

Complete ROM updates will probably still require hard resets. It's only minor patches which Microsoft or your OEM might release that can be overlaid directly on top of your existing image.

[Compulim]

.NET Compact Framework which shipped with A04 ROM is still 1.0 SP3. Users still need to upgrade their CF to 2.0 for VS2005 applications. :(

People are blaming how bad Microsoft Bluetooth stack is. But in other's perspective, you can now beam with Bluetooth with default "beam" tools. Also, Bluetooth ActiveSync and Bluetooth GPRS made much easier than Broadcom (Widcomm) solution. So we just need to wait for Dell's (un)fix on the Microsoft Bluetooth stack, which is expected to work with HSP support.

But on the downside, when Dell send X51v to Bluetooth for certification, they declare that X51v is NOT compatible with HSP. So it's still true that Dell may not work on a fix for HSP.

[erussell]

Updated my Dell Axim X51v yesterday - had to reload all other software, but it works fine. Also updated ActiveSync to 4.1

[Hal Goldstein]

Well, I just tried downloading the file twice and then just Running it. When attempting to execute it, all three times I got "An error occurred while unzipping. One or more files were not successfully unsipped. The error code is 40." Ideas?

[OSUKid7]

Well, I just tried downloading the file twice and then just Running it. When attempting to execute it, all three times I got "An error occurred while unzipping. One or more files were not successfully unsipped. The error code is 40." Ideas?
I'm having the same problem with my new X51v. :( I ran the update program just to try it anyway, and got an error that the device wasn't an X51.

So yeah...any ideas? I'm up to my head in ActiveSync 4.1 problems, and I was really hoping the ROM update would be easier.

[OSUKid7]

Update: updated. ;)

I got so fed up with ActiveSync problems and Caligrapher issues that I did a hard reset. I figured I'd try running the ROM update again before reloading my settings, and it worked! I just ran the update program (default is C:\Dell\Drivers\R112544\AximUpdate.exe), and everything looks good so far. Still not sure why we got that "error code 40" message, but my X51v now has ROM version A04.