NETBOOK hack

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wowguides4u
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NETBOOK hack

Post by wowguides4u » Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:04 pm

hey guys im getting a new netbook with some pretty bad specs that is actually really fast and i wanted to just hack it to run faster and detach the screen and such, and also to possibially make it touchscreen

the specs are:

400-500MHZ processor
128MB ram
2gb SSD drive
7inch screen
windows CE

just want some suggestions on what i do to make it run faster/better ect

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thewise1
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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by thewise1 » Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:08 pm

There are some really small linux operating systems that have basic functions of a computer. Off the top of my head I can think of puppy linux.
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bassmasta
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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by bassmasta » Tue Apr 27, 2010 10:20 pm

thewise1 wrote:There are some really small linux operating systems that have basic functions of a computer. Off the top of my head I can think of puppy linux.
Seconded. Some others:
Damn Small Linux (Supposedly can be run off 486DX processor (33MHz 66MHz IIRC) and 16MB of RAM)
Xubuntu (Link isn't working for me ATM)
Feather Linux

I don't think you'll be able to have a touchscreen, though.
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bicostp
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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by bicostp » Wed Apr 28, 2010 8:41 am

Hang on a minute. One thing jumped out at me:

Windows CE

More than likely, it's running on an ARM CPU. We'll definitely want to know what architecture it's running before we get all excited and start throwing random distros around. :lol: Besides most of those aren't very good. DSL hasn't had a release since 2008, Feather has been dead in the water since 2007 (that's the newest post on their forums), and anything based off Ubuntu is bound to be rubbish. Besides, if it is a 500 mhz x86, you'd be better off running XP or Windows 2000 on it.

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eagle5953
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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by eagle5953 » Wed Apr 28, 2010 9:09 am

It likely is an ARM processor, which means no XP.

Didn't we have a thread with regards to the value/usefulness of these netbooks running CE? I thought we did but don't know where it is.

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vskid
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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by vskid » Wed Apr 28, 2010 10:40 am

eagle5953 wrote:Didn't we have a thread with regards to the value/usefulness of these netbooks running CE? I thought we did but don't know where it is.
http://forums.benheck.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=34130" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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eagle5953
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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by eagle5953 » Wed Apr 28, 2010 10:53 am

That's the one, thanks.

To answer your post, I doubt there's much possibility for upgrading, other than maybe loading DOS for some classic gaming action.

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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by bicostp » Wed Apr 28, 2010 12:07 pm

That's why I said "if it is a 500mhz x86". :P

OP: You're probably better off finding things that run on top of Windows CE. I'm pretty sure there's a DOSbox port, which will let you use most DOS games. There are probably early console emulators as well. (Not sure if CE will run emulators designed for Windows Mobile; they're the same under the hood but there are a few differences.)

What's the manufacturer and model number?

MiGs
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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by MiGs » Wed Apr 28, 2010 10:10 pm

It's probably one of these:

http://www.dollardays.com/i427859-whole ... -wifi.html

They can be bought on ebay for about $40-$70.
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OMGpedobear
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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by OMGpedobear » Wed May 05, 2010 12:37 pm

definitely worth looking at this site and at the 3mx distro, sounds like the kinda netbook its designed to run on, as far as i know this has drivers for the touch screen kits for the original eee pc surf ( ebay is the only reliable source i know for for these kits). Your not hopping to jsut snap it in half and have an instant tablet pc are you :wink:, a proper conversion to tablet however could be cool.

One more thing, theres a forum i found once related to little linux laptop.com, it was specifically about the ubisurfer mobile internet net books, it had some nice detailed shots of the guts of the generic 7 inch ARM netbook, but i cant remember where i found it, a bit of googling should find it, the pictures where ina hardware hack pasrt of the forum where somebody added an internal usb wifi dongle.

And heres the links:

http://www.littlelinuxlaptop.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - main site, have a look at the list of identical netbooks, see if your is on there(if its not, none of this info is helpfull , sorry :p)

http://www.littlelinuxlaptop.com/the-3m ... ng-system/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - 3mx

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windwaker
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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by windwaker » Wed May 12, 2010 12:14 pm

if it has usb you can buy a touchscreen

wowguides4u
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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by wowguides4u » Sun May 16, 2010 9:58 pm

Actually guys, managed to buy a asus eee pc that was near new for $120 USD!!!!

Thanks for all your support, was running linux but i hacked it to run tinyXP and a few other programs!

FatylPCs
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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by FatylPCs » Sun May 23, 2010 4:07 pm

not to be a jerk, but for some people (myself included) netbooks are oversized paperweights, and not really good at anything other than maybe email. or a doorstopper if you need one of those...

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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by tom61 » Sun May 23, 2010 4:18 pm

FatylPCs wrote:not to be a jerk, but for some people (myself included) netbooks are oversized paperweights, and not really good at anything other than maybe email. or a doorstopper if you need one of those...
Wow. There are still people mad at the success of the netbook concept.

Myself, I was into them before they were cool (and cheap).

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Re: NETBOOK hack

Post by vskid » Sun May 23, 2010 4:59 pm

FatylPCs wrote:not to be a jerk, but for some people (myself included) netbooks are oversized paperweights, and not really good at anything other than maybe email. or a doorstopper if you need one of those...
Don't know how they're oversized, and they're plenty fast enough for most people for most uses. On the other hand, the one the OP was originally talking about is meh at best, for the size and cost, they're crap (you can get a used 7" EEE for the same price).
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