Rex Forum

peetah · Member

Hi rexers !

I bought my rex 6000 sometimes ago, hoping I'll be able to use it with linux.
After several failed attempts to install the rextools with WINE (WINE Is Not an Emulator), I eventually used a win98 install with qemu, but this completely destroyed the data I had recorded... therefore I buried my Rex 6000 and cried.

But yesterday, after updating WINE to version 0.9.30, I had like an intuition, so I unburried my dusty REX 6000... and it works !

First, I assume that you have everything perfectly set up to support pcmcia cards and serial ports within your kernel. Be sure that you have the serial_cs.ko module compiled in your /lib/modules/kernel-2.6.xx/kernel/drivers/serial

Plug the REX 6000 in a pcmcia slot, open a terminal and type:
# dmesg

At the end of the stream, you should have something like:
pccard: PCMCIA card inserted into slot 1
pcmcia: registering new device pcmcia1.0
1.0: ttyS1 at I/O 0x2f8 (irq = 3) is a 16450

This tells you that your REX has been recognized and associated to /dev/ttySx (x may be different for you, be sure to write it somewhere: it is needed for what remains).

If this does not ork, be sure the serial_cs module is loaded.

Now let's use WINE !
I used a completely microsoft free WINE install (no preexisting windows stuff).
run winecfg in a terminal and set the default to win98 (i did not test this with another configuration)
In your terminal, type:
# cd .wine/dosdevices
# ln -s /dev/ttySx com1

this will tell WINE that the serial port where your REX is connected corresponds to /dev/ttySx (where x is the value you wrote earlier) on your linux system.

After mounting the Rex CD:
# cd /mnt/cdrom
# wine Setup.exe

When the installation program asks you to choose a directory, it will propose REX6000 by default, but will complain if you do not do what follows:
- open a terminal and type:
# mkdir ~/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files/REX6000
- go back to the installation program, click on browse and choose the newly created directory

then everything should run smoothly

Next, back to your terminal, you have to type
# cd ~/.wine/drive_c/
# cp Program\ Files/REX6000/IntellisyncForRex/mfc42.dll windows/system

everything is ready to run !
just type:
# cd ~/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files/REX6000/RexTools/
# wine RexTools.exe

and magically, the rextools interface should appear and allow you to add/delete addins, text and pictures, set time and personal data, defragment your Rex, or reinitialize it !
WARNING: I did not test the firmware upgrade !!!

the Intellisync Mobile Desktop is also working fine ( ~/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files/REx6000/PIM/ipim.exe )
Unfortunately, I was not able to use successfully the IntellisyncForRex (~/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files/REx6000/IntellisyncforRex/rexsync.exe): it crashed when I clicked the configure button.
The rex6000 tray icon that you have with a classic windows installation should appear in you tray bar somewhere: this is actually WINE executing ~/.wine/drive_c/Program\ Files/REx6000/IntellisyncforRex/rexsymon.exe for you.

At last I can now upload stuff on my REX with a pure linux system :)
I also managed to use the USB dock, so that I can use my REX without sucking power. I simply manually did what the hotplug script was doing (loading the usbserial module with the right parameters, and uploading the firmware to the dock)

I hope the remaining problem with Intellisync will be fixed in next WINE release !

Enjoy your REX on linux and forgive my very bad english !

ska · Member

This is cool. I'll dig out my REX someday to try this.

I always had a problem with getting the addins out to the REX. For the last addins, I just skipped it altogether and developed for the emulator. I run the emulator in an Qemu-emulated windows 98, which works fairly well.

I wonder just how many use the REX today Smile

// Simon