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Replacing A Palm's ROM With An EEPROM?

Posted by Cliff on from the hacking-your-handheld dept.

^me^ asks: "I have a Palm IIIe and an EEPROM burner, plus numerous EEPROMs and I can get them manufactured. The Palm IIIe uses a ROM to store system software, and I'd like to upgrade it. Is there any way if I map the pin layouts or something that I can replace the ROM with an EEPROM?" Could a Palm's internal memory space be increased as well via a similar hack? Palm VII's could really use the extra space.

6 comments

  1. isn't it allready.... by smatthew · · Score: 1

    I've got a palm III, and as far as I can tell it's got an EEPROM (or something similar). When you update the system on it - it writes it into the chip. Plus there's palm software out there that lets you move applications over to the bios chip to save memory space.

    No offense - but do your homework first.

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    slashdot username - at - email.domain.name
    1. Re:isn't it allready.... by smatthew · · Score: 1

      My bad - i just realized the IIIe is the econo-model..... Hmm - well then - you can probably find out what chip the standard III's use and use that. Next time - just buy the real palm. It's not worth it to buy the cheap one and wreck it trying to upgrade it to the next model (IMHO)

      --
      slashdot username - at - email.domain.name
  2. Re: Do your homework first by irq · · Score: 1

    Perhaps if you did your homework first you would have realized that the PalmIIIe purposley lacks flash/EEPROM memory, to lower the cost of the device.

  3. Why not simply sell it or trade it? by Cable · · Score: 1
    Go to http://www.usedpalmpilots.com/ and see if you can sell it or trade it in for a new one? It is a lot simplier than messing with solder and possibly messing up your IIIe.

    That or you could sell it on eBay. Apparently I've seen a IIIe sell for as much as $200 because people buying them there don't know the value of a Palm computer. Either that or they got shills bidding on Palms to raise the prices for the buyers?

  4. handspring by Peartree · · Score: 1

    have you considered buying a handspring?

  5. Why bother? by Bud · · Score: 3

    I will be very surprised if there are no pin-for-pin compatible (E)EPROMs available on the market. And I'm quite sure the IIIe will run OS 3.1, 3.3 and 3.5. I've personally installed 3.5 on a PP Personal with a 2M upgrade and I don't think that the more modern IIIe will have any bigger problems.

    Peter Stroebel's site at http://www.pstec.de/ppp/ contains lots of valuable hardware information.

    However, I suspect that you will destroy your IIIe in the process. You *need* good soldering tools and the soldering should preferably be done by a reliable soldering wizard. My recommendation is that you save your money and go buy a better Palm.

    --Bud