Linux on Netvista 8365

What is this?

The IBM Netvista 8365 is a kind of a Thin Client based on a National Geode Chipset.

300MHz Geode x86 CPU
Integrated 10" DSTN color display, 800x600 pixels
32MB SDRAM on a single DIMM
16MB of integrated flash
CompactFlash Slot (IDE only)
One internal PCI slot
Ethernet interface
Two USB plugs for keyboard and mouse
IR interface
Sound interface (microphone and headphones plug)
Integrated speakers and microphone

Current Status

We have a small filesystem running from a cheap 128mb CF card entirely built from source using OpenEmbedded.
It comes with kernel 2.4.27, an X server and GPE.
The main advantage booting from CF is that there is no need to replace the original software on the internal flash.

Currently the image provides a basic GPE based X environment which includes some PIM software, an editor, configuration and user management tools, an image viewer and some other programs.
The kernel supports most of the builtin hardware.

HowTo

Get a CF card sized 128mb and create two partitions:

Bootable ext2 partition of 35,5 MB size
Root partition of 93,5 MB size

Don't use ext3 on flash, don't swap to flash devices if you don't intend to destroy them!

Make the CF card bootable using GRUB, look here for instructions.
Write this filesystem image to the second partition.
Use this menu file for GRUB, install it to /boot/grub on the boot partition.
Copy this kernel to /boot on the boot partition.
Insert the CF card into your Netvista, turn off APM, select CF device to boot from and boot..

Possible Improvements

Fix open issues in current image:

Make sound work
Include IRDA application and male IR interface work
Include a web browser
Mail client
Fix power management
Fix Linphone

New ideas for alternate images:

X terminal image (small for internal flash)
Firewall image - we have a simple iptables frontend included.
Larger image including basic office applications like Abiword and Gnumeric.
Usage of better filesystems than ext2.

About

Written by Florian Boor.
For questions and ideas, flames and so on feel free to contact me at florian@kernelconcepts.de