(last updated: 04-Oct-2011)
The previous owner had hacked in a 2GB hard disk drive, with a copy of Windows 98SE installed.
I've swapped the hard disk for a 4GB Compact Flash solid-state drive, swapped in a larger RAM module, added the wireless card, and installed the 'yBook' software application, making this a very nice little e-reading system.
A 128MB RAM module has replaced the original 64MB module.
16-Jul-2010
This is only the second Virgin WebPlayer that I've seen up for auction on eBay. The first I bought last year, and now this one, which I also bought. I was very, very lucky, being able to buy this system, as the second bidder, for only $1.25. For some reason the first bidder didn't put in a bid any higher than simply $1.00. I sniped it in the last few seconds, using esniper, and was pleasantly surprised to have won the auction so cheaply.
22-Jul-2010
The system arrived FedEx Ground in good shape. It was complete, and looked like it had been well treated. The unit was clean overall, no spots or smudgy finger prints. Just a light coating of dust suggested that the system had been on a shelf for a short while.
Using my normal methods, I cleaned the system, power supply, and keyboard with Windex. The unit appears brand new, except for one or two small areas on the screen cover where it had rubbed lightly against something, and the previous owner has inked the BIOS password ("schwasck") on the bottom of the main chassis.
Here are the identifying marks on each component: - main unit: Model: 598-0013141 s/n: H0003A6946 - keyboard: p/n: 598-0013157 s/n: 2873054 date: 12/10/99 - power supply: ADP-25EP s/n: IID9950011130
24-Jul-2010
Being familiar with the WebPlayer's operational characteristics, I went right ahead, installing two AA batteries in the keyboard, then plugging in the power supply. The system immediately lit up, showing a quick message about pressing F2 for SETUP, and then it booted Windows 98.
The installation appears clean, with newer versions of Internet Explorer (IE7) and MediaPlayer (MP7) installed, additionally. Other than that, it looks pure. Of course, I'll never attach this system to my home network as is. Before I do that, I'll wipe the disk and install my own operating system, thank you.
My next step is to open the main system and install one of two mini-PCI 802.11 wireless networking cards that I have on hand. That'll make this unit more convenient to use, since I won't be tied to a network cable socket.
25-Jul-2010
Since my first Webplayer arrived with a mini-PCI wireless card installed, and because I somehow managed to damage the mini-PCI functionality in that machine while fixing up the power connector, I set out to remove the wire antennae from the first Webplayer so that they could be installed in this unit.
All went without a hitch. I removed the four screws on the rear of the LCD panel, releasing the front bezel. I did the same on the first Webplayer, and found that the lightly hot-glued antannae and wire leads were easy to remove. Using hot-glue again, I mounted the antennae into this unit,
With that complete, I disconnected the cable to the hard disk, connecting the CF card from my first Webplayer. It booted Windows98, without problem, recognized the wireless network card, and after configuring the network WEP key I was online without any trouble. So this confirms that the wireless installation works.
Next, I replaced the mini-PCI card with a second, identical spare card, to confirm its functionality, too. Again, all worked well! I chose to leave this card installed for now.
I removed the CF card 'hard drive' and reconnected the hard disk.
25-Jul-2010
While working with the machine over the past couple of days, suddenly the BIOS settings would be lost after every power-down cycle. I pulled the CMOS battery (CR1220) and found that it was only producing 0.75V, well below the nominal 3.0V that a new battery would supply.
Fortunately, I had a replacement on hand, in my refridgerator, so it was quickly replaced. Back in business!
26-Jul-2010
Because this unit arrived with a pre-installed operating system (Windows98), I don't trust it. It might have a virus or worm, etc. and I'm just not going to let it onto my network without first wiping the hard disk and reloading the operating system.
The trouble, though, was that the prior owner had apparently used a 3COM USB network 'card', one that I don't have, and so there was not straightforward way to transfer files to the system, even using a tiny, two-machine local LAN in order to protect my main network from possible infection. On top of that, the system had no modem driver installed, so I couldn't use the modem to FTP files from my server using a dial-up connection to the Internet.
For a few minutes I was at a loss about how to get some needed files to the system's hard disk so that I could re-install Windows, or even NetBSD, my other choice, or both. I didn't want to remove the hard disk so that I could connect it to another machine since it had been installed in a more-or-less permanent way. Getting the drive removed, and then reinstalled again, would be a significant undertaking.
Then I considered the possibility of simply linking up with another machine using the modem in 'raw' mode with HyperTerm which has a file-transfer mechanism.
First, I had to verify that I could talk directly to the modem and issue 'AT' commands from HyperTerm. This proved to be possible, using COM3 on the Webplayer as the port connected to the modem. But, with only one phone line to the house, I couldn't just 'call' the other computer as I used to do when I had two lines.
Next, a quick search of the Internet showed cases where others have successfully connected two computer's modems directly together, without a connection to the community telephone system. In one case the author showed how to 'power' a line with a battery, with appropriate resistor and capacitor, in order to generate a target 20-24mA current:
+ | | -
GREEN------------+---||||---/\/\/--+-----------RED
| | | 380 ohms |
| 9V |
| |
+-------||--------+
0.47uF
RED------------------------------------------GREEN
(http://www.jagshouse.com/modem.html)
The other author claimed that a simple un-powered cable was all that was required.
I tried the easier/simpler way first. I cabled a simple RJ11-terminated cable between the Webplayer and my Toshiba Portege 4010. I started HyperTerm on each side and set the speed to 115200 baud. Then on one machine I typed 'ATXOA' to answer and on the other I type 'ATXOD' to dial, using 'XO' in both cases to force the modem to not wait for a dialtone.
Alas, while the modem in the Webplayer was happy to emit tones and try to connect without a dialtone or a powered line, the Portege would not. I fiddled with different cables thinking the red/green pair might need to be straight-through or crossed. All cases failed. So, it looked like I'd have to construct the powered cable as suggested by the first Internet search case.
Then I had a brainstorm. I wondered if the one phone company line that comes into the house, which is normally powered, of course, could serve as a kind of 'jump start' to get my to machines talking. I tried to have the Portege process the 'ATD' command while plugged into the wall socket, then after it 'dialed' I removed the cable from the wall and to the Webplayer. Sadly, as soon as I did that the Portege would hang up with No CARRIER.
At last, I found the trick. Using some phone line splitters, I connected both computer modems and a normal telephone, all together on the same outside line. I lifted the handset from the telephone, and let the telephone company's central office switch eventually time out the dialtone and give the 'phone is off the hook' warning tones. After two minutes this quit and the line went quiet, but it was still 'alive'. At this point I tried my 'ATA' and 'ATD' commands on the two machines. It worked!
Now, I could use HyperTerm's file transfer facility to send files over the to the Webplayer. In fact, I only sent two: a ZIPed USB thumb drive device driver for Windows95 and PKUNZIP.EXE for DOS. I left the handset off during the duration of the whole operation. With the files transferred, I hung up, UNZIPed the driver and installed it.
I now had the means to copy all the files I needed, to and from the machine, via a USB thumb drive!
31-Aug-2011
Like I did with my first Webplayer, Webplayer #1, I felt that it would be nice to replace the spinning hard disk for a solid-state flash drive. I removed the prior owners hacked-in hard disk, and swapped in a CF-to-IDE adapter with a 4GB CF card. Before installing the CF card, I first formatted it using a CF-to-IDE adapter on a standard machine, and installed 98Lite along with all of the Windows 98 Special Edition installation files (/win98). Then I moved the CF card back into this Webplayer.
Sadly, as I attempt to go through the standard Windows 98 installation, and during the Plug-n-Play component check phase, the system will hang, then eventually blue screen. So I haven't been able to get Windows installed. Actually, this effort was started almost a year ago, and I eventually became frustrated enough to set the project aside for some time. I didn't taken any notes, either. Getting back to it now, I am remembering that this trouble was holding me back.
One thing, too, that had me stymied for a very long time was that the Webplayer would not boot from the CF card, with indications that the boot sector or boot loader was corrupted. It finally boiled down to making sure that the Webplayer's BIOS configuration had 'Win95' and 'DOS' selected on the 'Advanced' page, along with 'Auto' selected for the hard disk setup in the 'Basic' page. This configuration uses LBA mode with the disk and is the only way that I have been successful at using a CF card that was prepared (partitioned, formatted, setup files copied) in another machine.
Anyway, I need to figure out what is going on here, so that I can somehow get Windows 98 installed.
01-Sep-2011
I finally was able to install Windows 98 SE on the system. By removing the mini-PCI wireless card, the Windows install was able to complete (though I did encounter one Blue Screen, but recovered and continued). After installing/updating video and audio drivers, I then shutdown, reinstaalled the wireless card, and restarted. The system detected the new hardware and installed it without trouble. I feel confident now that the prior unsuccessful Windows installation efforts were the result of some interaction between the installer and the PCI/PCMCIA hardware. When the system discovered the newly inserted wireless card, the system installed the PCMCIA drivers, then discovered the actual mini-PCI device and then prompted for the appropriate driver. My guess is that this process is not possible during the initial installation of the OS, for some unknown reason. I'm just glad I finally got through it.
With the wireless card drivers installed, I also installed the user configuration utility which includes the taskbar status icon. I had no trouble connecting and using the network once this was complete.
These drivers (video, audio, wireless) came from a CD that the prior owner had included with this system. I have been unable to locate the correct driver for the modem, or for the 'PCI Bridge' device, but I'll keep looking.
09-Sep-2011
Today I tried to install Windows 98SE again, this time using 98Lite. Leaving the wireless card installed, all went well until Setup started installing PnP devices. It reached a point where the system would simply reboot. As before, I powered off, removed the mini-PCI wireless network card, and tried again. This time, there were no problems through the whole setup process (though I again saw the recoverable blue screen when OK-ing the TimeZone config). Then, I reinstalled the wireless card, and saw the system detect PCMCIA hardware on the next boot, but once that driver was installed it DID NOT detect the wireless card. Upon reboot, the system simply hangs with the initial splash screen. This is the same behavior that I saw last year.
So, I restored the 'pure' Windows 98SE installation that I was successful with and will simply use it. Also, I installed the 'Virgin WebPlayer APM Hotfix' that I've downloaded from somewhere that enables the Webplayer's power button for entering the system suspend state.
04-Oct-2011
Running Windows 98, I have found that if I set the Winows 98 power settings to blank the screen after a certain number of minutes AND allow the system to go into deep sleep via the BIOS power management settings the system will indeed wakeup when I jostle the mouse or keyboard, but the screen remains blanked. I have had more overall success by letting the BIOS handle the power down by leaving the Windows settings to OFF or at least higher values than the BIOS settings so that they never trigger.
There are a number of possibilities for power settings, between the BIOS and Windows, and it might be well to explore them a little further for a 'best' combination. At this point, however, I will simply have the BIOS set to sleep at 30 minutes, and have the Windows settings for screen blank, standby and hibernate all set to OFF.
Using the BIOS only to handle the power management, I can always use the front panel button to enter standby, or use the START->Suspend option, or allow the system to time-out based on the BIOS setting.
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