"Embedded Windows XP" Any Experience?

[cgrape2]

I'm attempting to refurbish a PC that has a "Flash" memory module for a HD.It has a version of XP that's "Embedded".I have no experience with this idea and was wondering if anyone can fill me in on the pitfalls of adding stuff to it.(Besides Extra Programs)
I can see that it has parts missing,but seems very functional.I do understand the concept,just don't know the ins and outs.
Eventually a version of LINUX will be used,it has to be functional and fit into a 500MB space.What should I look for?
cgrape2

 

[NeXT]

The first thing that comes to mind is Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs (AKA: Windows "flip").
It is essentially Windows XP with almost EVERYTHING set as an optional component, right down to Internet Explorer which since the very late Windows 95 days has been embedded into the desktop in the form of ActiveDesktop.
I had it running on a computer here and it was not ahlf bad. It extended the use out of my Panasonic CF-25 toughbook after I maxed it out and upgraded the processor.
Unfortunately it needs a dead minimum of 610mb of space.

 

[kishy]

The first thing that comes to mind is Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs (AKA: Windows "flip").
It is essentially Windows XP with almost EVERYTHING set as an optional component, right down to Internet Explorer which since the very late Windows 95 days has been embedded into the desktop in the form of ActiveDesktop.
I had it running on a computer here and it was not ahlf bad. It extended the use out of my Panasonic CF-25 toughbook after I maxed it out and upgraded the processor.
Unfortunately it needs a dead minimum of 610mb of space.

Whoa, CF-25?
Still using it?
Feel like sending me an AC adapter? :D

As for XPe, it's fun stuff, but very tricky. FLP is a very different beast, as is CE.

 

[cgrape2]

Umm,XPe is "Tricky"?How about expanding on that topic.I really need the illumination.
cgrape2

 

[kishy]

Umm,XPe is "Tricky"?How about expanding on that topic.I really need the illumination.
cgrape2

Tricky in the sense that, depending on the device it's on, you may need to flash the device with a custom prebuilt image over the network or similar. Custom images, if you can find the software to build them, are immensely complex because you're basically building an OS from scratch.

(I know because I've been investigating getting customized XPe on a thin client and the process of working with XPe itself is ridiculous if you can't find the correct image ready-made. In my case it ended up being not possible because my thin client has 64MB of flash...a compact Linux distro is going to be the max, or another CE 5.0 image)

That's not to say replacing XPe would be tricky; although a fairly specific and possibly lengthy process depending on your hardware it's not something that would be ridiculously complex. I'm curious to know your progress in the project so I'll be keeping an eye on this.

 

[cgrape2]

I'm making progress using a version of "MicroXP".It's fitting in the space,so far.When it finished installing there was about 220MB of unused space.It looks and "feels" like XP so far.It's been lightened by a bunch,so I'm not sure what suprises it has for me.
You know the Flash ATA Modules on ebay aren't that expensive.($14US for a 512MB one)But the good ones(2GB are about $60)
I'll report back as I find out stuff.
cgrape2

 

[kishy]

I'm making progress using a version of "MicroXP".It's fitting in the space,so far.When it finished installing there was about 220MB of unused space.It looks and "feels" like XP so far.It's been lightened by a bunch,so I'm not sure what suprises it has for me.
You know the Flash ATA Modules on ebay aren't that expensive.($14US for a 512MB one)But the good ones(2GB are about $60)
I'll report back as I find out stuff.
cgrape2

Ah, good, you have something a bit more "standard". A thin client, in the traditional sense, is pretty much entirely proprietary. If I could use one of those "disk on module" things I'd be set, but it's a proprietary flash module I have to flash within the device over the network in my case. Glad to hear you have something more workable.

 

[Starshadow]

Kisky, You're not working with a Compaq EVO series thinclient by any chance are you?

 

[kishy]

Kisky, You're not working with a Compaq EVO series thinclient by any chance are you?

Nope, it's a Wyse Winterm S30. I was looking at an Evo but the seller refused to charge actual shipping (for some reason they wanted 45 bucks to ship to Canada while actual cost would have been under 20). I think a lot of the stuff relating to thin clients is similar from brand to brand though, if there's anything I can attempt to help with PM me or start a thread and I'll do my best.

 

[Starshadow]

Well my experience with Thin Clients depends on its OS. My CE.Net based Evo T series are quite a pain to work with. However my XPe based WYSE 9455xl and my NTe based Evo T20 are fairly simple.

First you find out how to get into the admin account, or you flash it with a stock image and work from there ( on my Evo default password was Administrator for the Administrator username). Normally once you're in the admin account you disable the write filter/lockout, then start uninstalling anything you don't need to free up space. After that, set it up to access a shared folder on your main PC, then put the installers you want in it. Once I installed the improved USB drivers to my Evo that allowed usb mass storage, I directed all my installs to the USB drive instead of the limited internal flash. You kinda need to experiment with this, some programs don't mind being on a different drive, others give you problems. The USB driver itself does need to be on the internal flash.

With WinCE thin clients its better off figuring out how to install grub in their flash, and configure it to look for a small Linux distro on a USB jump drive. Or if they at least have IE installed their CE image, just use them as a small web browser machine. The WinCE.net OS used by the Evo's don't have a desktop or a file manager, just a Connection Manager and Control Panel.