I have not been keeping up with the DEC due to time constraints.
So your looking for some assistance with replacing the HARD DRIVE, PROCESOR or MEMORY well here you go.
First and for most I am NOT nor are the YAHOO DEC GROUP or CAFWAP discussion forums responsible for anything you do that could/would make your DEC un-usable!!! Do not email me, if you make your DEC un-usable. If you would like me to do the upgrade for you that may be possible, see my email address below. Shipping is going to be the problem.
Hard Drive Upgrade 137gig is the max currently!!! Due to the file systems in use, DOS has this problem as well, but the DEC is running on a form of linux. Now go to ftp://ftp.hp.com/pub/information_storage/software/fsInstall-1.4.201.iso and download the recovery cd image and burn it, the image is 157meg roughly. Then go to http://www.gamblin.net/dec/getPWindex.html and get the password to unlock your DEC or you can wait until August 2003 and it will unlock by itself. To get the password enter you serial number from the bottom of your DEC on this page and you will get the password with the offset. Now on your Windows machine, I am assuming its a windows machine, click on start and run and type in telnet ip.of.your.dec or telnet nameofyourdec, and example would be telnet 192.168.1.250 or telnet mp3box, this is the name and ip of my DEC. Once you have done this you will get a login prompt, enter root and hit enter then a password prompt will come up with a leading number or trailing number I'm not sure which one, this number is the offset so go back to the getPWindex site and get the corresponding password to what offset you are prompted with, if you have a offset of 4 use the password at line 4, if you get a 7 use line 7 and so on. You better be some what quick as the telnet session will time out in about 30 seconds or so, if you don't get the password typed in fast enough or you mistype it you will have to telnet in again this time the offset will be different as it will be each and every time you try to login in. Once in, you can change the root password . It does not make sense to change it at this time if you are going to upgrade the hard drive and reinstall the OS. Because after reinstalling the OS the rotating default password comes back. But once the drive is installed and loaded there is no need to get back in unless you plan on making other modifications to the OS. To change the root password simply type in "passwd root" no quotes and hit enter, you will be prompted with;
Changing password for user root
New UNIX password:
Type in your new password, and hit enter you will then have to re-enter the
password again.
DO NOT FORGET THIS PASSWORD.
If you forget it you are SCREWED!!! That's why I recommend leaving the password set to the default.
Ok so know your logged in as root. You should see the following;
[root@mp3box /root]$
You must unlock the DEC by do the following;
type in
cd /opt/fiji/utils hit enter
then type in ./unlockDec
LINUX is case sensitive notice the capitol D in unlockDec. Also to execute a
command in linux use "./" no quotes. Ok now your DEC is unlocked and
it should have rebooted once you executed the ./unlockDec command, your telnet
session should have lost connection to host.
Now your DEC should be back at the Welcome screen and you can telnet back in
if you like, but there is no need if you are going to upgrade the hard drive.
Now is a good time to insert the CD image you burned earlier and close the cd
tray, now you can power down your DEC and replace the drive. You may get a I/O
error is a USB key baord is plugged in, I have received a email about this,
so I suggest you unplugged it. I am not going to explain that here as I will
assume you know how to do that. On the new drive make sure the jumper is set
correctly, I would set it like the original drive, which I think is cable select
(CS), I'm not sure, and don't hold me to that, I could go look but I'm too lazy
and don't want to loose my train of thought at this moment. If the jumper is
set incorrectly the DEC will not boot up at all. After your done replacing the
hard drive and you power up your DEC it should boot off the cd, if you inserted
it. If you didn't insert it do so now and reboot. The image will install itself
with no user intervention what so ever. Once complete your DEC will be back
as it was when you first purchased it except now it will have a newer larger
hard drive. You will have to set all your setting back to how ever you had them,
for example the gateway, ip, sharing blah blah blah will all be set to default.
That's all there is to it. You are now finished with upgrading your hard drive.
Do not email me if you SCREW up your DEC, as I stated earlier I am NOT responsible
if you render your DEC useless!!!
Memory Upgrade
This one is easy, the DEC uses standard SDRAM memory,
PC66, PC100 or PC133 can be used and can address up to 512mb. I have successfully
upgraded my DEC to 512mb, I actually thought I would have 1gig after I installed
to 512mb sticks but apparently the DEC only recognizes 512mb, oh well I'm happy
and its working. Some may ask why or ask if it helps performance? I don't know
if it helped at all, I simply upgraded because I had it and it was not being
used.
Processor Upgrade
Well the DEC comes with a 566mhz Celeron. I have successfully upgraded to a
P3
1ghz as you can see;
processor : 0
vendor_id : GenuineIntel
cpu family : 6
model : 8
model name : Pentium III (Coppermine)
stepping : 10
cpu MHz : 996.985
cache size : 256 KB
I tried upgrading to a 1.4ghz with a FC-PGA2 adapter, it locked up after 20
to 60 minutes. So after posting the problem on one of the forums, I was told
that the DEC only supplies 1.75v to the processor with no adjustment anywhere,
I myself have not checked the bios setting yet. A 1.4ghz processor runs at 1.5v
core voltage therefore a 1.4ghz is not going to work, after looking at Intel's
it looks like a P3
1.1ghz or a Celeron
1.1ghz will be the max one could run, it has 100mhz bus, and 1.75v core
voltage, of course the P3 has twice as much cache (pronounced CASH) as a Celeron.
I also used the same heat sink that came with the DEC. To replace the processor
unclip the processor heat sink, and unplug the fan and remove the heat sink
assembly. Do not touch heat sink compound on the bottom of the heat sink. Now
to remove the processor simply lift the lever on the side of the socket, so
that the lever is straight up then you can lift the processor. No tools needed,
DO NOT PRY THE PROCESSOR OUT OF THE SOCKET!!! You
will notice the processor is keyed so that it will only go in one way!!! When
replacing the processor be sure to orient the processor the correct way or it
will not fit in the socket and you could damage your processor. After you have
successfully replaced the processor, push the lever back down next to the socket
and then you can put the heat sink assembly back on, it is also keyed with a
ledge on one side, this ledge lines up with the edge of the processor.
That's pretty much all I have done to my DEC hard ware wise, I have added some
software functionality as well. Enjoy the upgrades, Paul
My DEC home page.
My Gamblin.net home page.
Email me if you have any comments, but if you screw up your DEC do not email me.
Additions or corrections can be submitted to Paul at the above email address.
Last updated October 19, 2004