Compaq Internet Appliance

Bubo · 10-14-2003, 10:30 PM

I've been given a new challenge, and so far I'm downright disappointed in myself for finding so little to work with.

I've been asked to modify a Compaq Internet Appliance IA-1 to completely sever it's umbilical cord from MSN. I suspect that at the least it will require a change in the OS, since it runs a stripped down version of Windows CE which only allows MSN connectivity. I'm hoping that it is capable of accepting another OS. I believe that I may have to strip out part of the casing, and rebuild it with a slightly bigger casing to accomodate additional hardware (I believe that the hard drive, if it has one, is only as big as necessary to drive the connectivity software).

In order to determine if this is possible, I need information on the IA-1. Technical specs, and hopefully a website describing an OS change or something similiar. 'ell, even just instructions on how to configure a different ISP without using the $10 a month MSN "bring your own connection" plan would be useful. I've done Google searches and attempted to navigate the support pages for HP/Compaq (a bloody maze designed to answer questions while hiding technical specs for machines), and come up with little useful information.

If you manage to find good information via Google, please post the keywords that you used to search as well as the links. It will help me in future searches as much as straight links.

Thank you.

**John Scott** · 10-17-2003, 04:32 AM

Is this having to dop with dedicated servers? QT might be able to help?

Bubo · 10-17-2003, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnScott

Is this having to dop with dedicated servers?

I wish.

An Internet Appliance is basically a crippled laptop designed to do one thing: get you on the Internet. The OS auto-launches a modified connection dialogue, and the factory installed OS for the Compaq model launches a special mod that requires you to use MSN services, even if you go with another ISP! What I'm trying to do is change the OS to a normal install of Windows.

The main thing I'm trying to find now, without cracking open the machine, is whether or not the OS is a hard-coded chip or simply resident on an internal hard drive.