Hacking Express gate (Asus Splashtop)

[drosky]

I have been able to do a minor hack on Express gate on my P5Q-E based machine. As shipped, Express gate only supports up to 1440x1050 screen resolution. This doesn't look very good on a native 1600x1200 display and I wanted to change it.

The P5Q-E has the HDD version of Express gate, so the files are installed normally to the Windows partition (VFAT or NTFS). The files making up the linux environment are in a directory called ASUS.SYS. Most of the files comprising the system have an unusual ".sqx" extension, but it turns out they are normal squashfs files and can be easily unsquashed with the normal tools.

Once unsquashed, you will find a relatively familiar assortment of system and application files. Express gate uses TinyX, and the archive with the appropriate files is bs-tinyx.sqx.

After modifying the setresolution script, re-squashing the archive, and putting it back into ASUS.SYS, Express gate now runs in 1600x1200 native screen resolution - pretty cool.

With access to the file system and apps, it may be possible to do some other things, like hack in an xterm to make it a lot easier to poke around the Express gate environment and see what's there.

[Kano]

New updated instructions - as nice script - automatically adds all sqx files created, discards the rest.
You have access to the image directly at /tmp/input of course to fetch your already changed sqx files for backup purpose.
I use that together with a vbox image that directly works on the IMG.

#!/bin/sh
IMAGE="FILE.IMG"
offset=$(($(sfdisk -d $IMAGE|grep start=|head -n1|sed 's/.*start=\s*//;s/,.*//')*512))
OPTIONS="umask=000,shortname=mixed,quiet,utf8"
INPUT=/tmp/input
FIX=/tmp/fix
rm -rf $FIX
mkdir -p $INPUT $FIX
umount $INPUT
mount -o loop,offset=$offset,$OPIONS $IMAGE $INPUT
cd $INPUT
for x in *.sqx; do unsquashfs -dest $FIX/${x/.sqx} $x; done
cat <<EOT
You can edit now using this way:

a) Change files in the dir you want to edit.
b) Create new package like this:

mksquashfs va-xxx va-xxx.sqx -noappend

c) Enter "exit" when done to apply changes.
EOT
cd $FIX
bash
cd $INPUT
cp -v $FIX/*.sqx $INPUT
dd of=$INPUT/version bs=1 seek=32 count=0
umount $INPUT
rm -rf $FIX

[drosky]

Got a terminal working in express gate. There was an xterm binary in /bin, but it didn't run due to a missing shared library. I copied over an rxvt binary from Puppy Linux. I don't yet know how to create a launcher for it in the normal panel, so I started it from xinitrc and it works great :) It's now much easier to poke around.

The file manager that is installed with express gate is brain damaged so you can only view USB storage devices, so I also copied over ROX, which works fine other than using default icons, since I didn't bother copying over all of its data.

Next project might be to get mplayer working so internet videos besides just flash can be viewed, maybe also xpdf to be able to view pdf files.

[Kano]

What squashfs version did you use? Also did you alter the version file? I wanted to fix the pidgin package (1 byte change only for icq) but when I recompess it then I only get an error message when I try to start.

[drosky]

What squashfs version did you use? Also did you alter the version file? I wanted to fix the pidgin package (1 byte change only for icq) but when I recompess it then I only get an error message when I try to start.

Unfortunately, my internet connection at home is down today, and I don't have this on my work computer, so at the moment I can't answer the version question for squashfs, except that it is the version that is currently in the repository for OpenSuse 11. It might be in the main repository, or it might be in the Packman repository, I'm not sure which.

I re-compressed it with default settings for mksquashfs. I did not alter any other files, just re-compressed, copied it back to ASUS.SYS and it worked.

[Kano]

With the new updates from the website you have to update file size and md5sum for changed files. Therefore i wrote a pascal tool to do so. As there does not seem to be much interest in it I only show here the structure of the file called version (inside your ASUS.SYS or directly on SSD):

type header=record
vendor:array[0..15] of char;
date:array[0..7] of char;
status:qword;
end;
entry=record
name:array[0..31] of char;
date:array[0..7] of char;
status:qword;
size:longword;
marker:array[0..11] of byte;
md5sum:array[0..15] of byte;
end;


With that tool I was able to fix ICQ for pidgin.

[Kano]

Btw. it is relatively easy to add command line apps in new containers, when you just create a sqx analog to the already existing ones. Just need to figure out how to add em to the menu. Also there is a nice trick to run a root terminal: just create a new pack with rxvt or whatever you like and add a symlink to gnome-terminal. Then you just have to press ALT-F1 and you are root. No need to hack another package. Also you can insmod missing nic modules like for example E1000 for vbox:
insmod /lib/modules/e1000.ko

[drosky]

With the new updates from the website you have to update file size and md5sum for changed files. Therefore i wrote a pascal tool to do so. As there does not seem to be much interest in it I only show here the structure of the file called version (inside your ASUS.SYS or directly on SSD):


With that tool I was able to fix ICQ for pidgin.

I have the latest version for my MB (P5Q-E), which is version 1.2.3.1 from 2008/6/30, and that version apparently does not check. Maybe there are newer versions for some motherboards. In my version, the loop files used for persistence are checked for MD5 and date, but I guess the squashfs archives are not. Probably the next update will have that.

I would be interested in your tool since I am still interested in hacking new things in. In fact, at some point I am thinking of maybe starting a wiki on this to organize various scripts, hacks, and improvements

When you say a pascal tool, do you mean the pascal programming language that was very popular in the 1970's? I studied that in college, but I haven't seen it used much anymore.

[drosky]

Btw. it is relatively easy to add command line apps in new containers, when you just create a sqx analog to the already existing ones. Just need to figure out how to add em to the menu. Also there is a nice trick to run a root terminal: just create a new pack with rxvt or whatever you like and add a symlink to gnome-terminal. Then you just have to press ALT-F1 and you are root. No need to hack another package. Also you can insmod missing nic modules like for example E1000 for vbox:
insmod /lib/modules/e1000.ko

Yes, I also have not figured out how to add things to the menu. I guess it's lower priority than fixing other things. Right now, I have been starting rxvt from xinitrc, so I always start with a terminal visible.

Yes, insmod is there. I have been looking at getting Intel iwlwifi working, since that would allow it to be used with a lot more notebooks. The problem is that the kernel may not be configured properly to use mac80211 (I'm not 100% sure yet), and if that's the case a new kernel may be required which would be a much bigger project. The source tarball from Splashtop.com contains a few patches, but there's no way of knowing if that's exactly what Asus uses.

[Kano]

I created lots of sqx files already, basically converted from the debian etch packages. I have got mc, vim, zip, rar, ... - all accessed using ALT-F1 key for xterm - and of course a fixed pidgin ;)

[drosky]

I have only been modifying existing sqx files. If you create new ones, do they get mounted automatically, or do you have to tell the system about them somewhere? Thx.

[Kano]

They are automatically used. It is much more easy that way. Basically you only need to add the dirs and a vactl file that mounts em. I extracted debian packages and used those. Also I use now xterm because rxvt did not display mc correctly. Funnyly xterm started from rxvt showed mc in color, now only blackwhite directly. With the symlink to gnome-terminal you can really easy start a terminal with ALT-F1. You don't have to modify any of the existing sqx files. Also you can use a vactl file to insmod the modules you like to use, maybe 8139cp.ko or e1000.ko.

[sojourner]

Hi, Im looking for a way to flash a modified image file to the SSD in my P5E3 premium but so far, it seems the updater will only accept dfi files. Any hints on converting a raw img into a dfi?

[Kano]

file will tell you what it is. They did not invent something new, just gzip -9 compressed IMG with DFI instead of IMG.gz ending.

[sojourner]

file will tell you what it is. They did not invent something new, just gzip -9 compressed IMG with DFI instead of IMG.gz ending.

Hmm, I tried a gunzip on the dfi file originally after doing a file on it but did not get back a mountable image file. I tried your suggestion to rename the file.img.gz as file.dfi and used the updater to load the file but at the end of decompression, it reported that the version is 0.0.0.0 and that the md5 did not match. Briefly comparing the beginning of the original dfi file and my own shows quite a bit of difference. The oem dfi contains a small header with the date of release, version number and some chars which I assume to be the md5 the updater was complaining about.

[Michael]

Kano, enjoy :) http://feeds.theinquirer.net/c/554/f/7127/s/18d1974/story01.htm

[Kano]

The header is really trivial:

get header (consists of 48 bytes, 16 bytes are md5sum)

mv FILE.DFI FILE.IMG.gz
gunzip FILE.IMG.gz
dd if=FILE.IMG of=header bs=1 count=32

then forget this file and use the modified one now:

openssl dgst -md5 -binary MODIFIED_FILE.IMG >new-md5sum
cat header new-md5sum MODIFIED_FILE.IMG > NEW_FILE.IMG
gzip -9 NEW_FILE.IMG
mv NEW_FILE.IMG.gz NEW_FILE.DFI

Please try this code, should be easy enough to follow it.

[sojourner]

The header is really trivial:

get header (consists of 48 bytes, 16 bytes are md5sum)

mv FILE.DFI FILE.IMG.gz
gunzip FILE.IMG.gz
dd if=FILE.IMG of=header bs=1 count=32

then forget this file and use the modified one now:

openssl dgst -md5 -binary MODIFIED_FILE.IMG >new-md5sum
cat header new-md5sum MODIFIED_FILE.IMG > NEW_FILE.IMG
gzip -9 NEW_FILE.IMG
mv NEW_FILE.IMG.gz NEW_FILE.DFI

Please try this code, should be easy enough to follow it.

Thanks, I crafted a dfi manually for testing just now but your script is definitely going to make development a lot easier.

[curaga]

I'd like to try it in Qemu. But Asus' servers are really slow to load the menu, and trying to download the ~170mb splashtop file doesn't even begin. A mirror anyone?

[Kano]

The file you need is over 400 mb, of course you could install win + use exe installer too, but then you have to install grub4dos or grub2 inside win as bootloader. The direct way requires a huger download...

[sojourner]

I kept getting the No USB Device Found message when trying to use the updater to flash my modified dfi. I'm wondering if the previous failed flashing messed up the Expressgate in the SSD. Expressgate was a black screen upon reboot with a press esc to enter os at the bottom. Any suggestions?

[sojourner]

The file you need is over 400 mb, of course you could install win + use exe installer too, but then you have to install grub4dos or grub2 inside win as bootloader. The direct way requires a huger download...

He should be able to use the 170mb file by gunzipping the dfi and removing the 48 byte header at the front. I managed to mount the 1.2.40 image that way.

[Kano]

A bit hard to say as i don't own such a board - send me one if you like to ;) I would test the changes in Vbox or Qemu first and copy the modified sqx files into a new pure image. Maybe the BIOS detects the SSD differently - the kernel just looked for FAT16 and DVMUSB as label.

[Kano]

For the 2nd thing: the tiny download is usally the exe installer, or did you find the DFI directly too?

[sojourner]

For the 2nd thing: the tiny download is usally the exe installer, or did you find the DFI directly too?

The 150+MB files contains a dfi or an installer (the expressgate_ssd 1240 version is a dfi only). The 400+MB files are the ones that contains both img and dfi.

[curaga]

Uh, well I can't download either one, the Global link won't do anything, and the China link won't start downloading at all. So I repeat my humble request for a mirror :)
Or rapidshare + PM me a link. Or something. Thanks :)

[curaga]

Got it, thanks to Kano. Now unto hacking and finding out how they fast boot..

[curaga]

Guess I touched a file accidentally - I get "Your express gate installation is incomplete. Please use the Express Gate Installer to repair the installation". So, is this the error you got? And fixed with pascal?

[Kano]

Well I found a much easier way than to recreate the version file, just use the first 32 bytes of it (the header).

dd of=version bs=1 seek=32 count=0

[drosky]

Well I found a much easier way than to recreate the version file, just use the first 32 bytes of it (the header).

dd of=version bs=1 seek=32 count=0

I don't completely understand. What is the input to the dd command?

[Kano]

The purpose it cut down the version file to the size of the header: 32 byte. If you do that in a dir without the file you get an empty one, this will not work of course.

[drosky]

The purpose it cut down the version file to the size of the header: 32 byte. If you do that in a dir without the file you get an empty one, this will not work of course.

OK, I think I understand now. If you truncate the version file to just the header, then it will automatically skip the md5 and size check because they are no longer in the file? Is that what is happening?

[Kano]

Yes, that was the purpose. If a later version only adds packages which are mentioned in the version file I have got no problem too, just a little change to my update tool ;)

[sojourner]

Yes, that was the purpose. If a later version only adds packages which are mentioned in the version file I have got no problem too, just a little change to my update tool ;)

Got my system back. Phew. Flashing the modified dfi seem to work. I changed the version to 1.2.20 to test and the updater complained that it is older than the current. Flashing was successful after that. Don't look like there is any more significant checks but I did not modify the image much in the first place. Now, to add a terminal and some other apps.

[Kano]

Did you see my easy edit script here:

http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showpost.php?p=39984&postcount=2

I updated it with the code I currently use. Maybe it is usefull for others too who directly work on the image. As it extracts every sqx file you can easyly compare things.

[curaga]

OK, that error message turned out not to be a touched file, but insufficient memory for it's checks.
My laptop only has 256mb, so I tried first with 40mb, 80mb, 128mb, but only 256mb worked. And swapped like crazy. Perhaps I can prevent this check from happening and run it with less ram allocated.

[Kano]

Well I wrote 256 mb in my other post for qemu...

[curaga]

Yes, but you didn't mention it was strictly necessary..

[piters]

Hi there,

did anyone figured out how to do the actual flashing of the ExpressGate's SSD on Linux? I asked the question to ASUS Technical Support already some time ago, and all they had to say was "upgrading ExpressGate from Linux is not possible".
Any hints where to start looking for possible hacking places? (I've P5Q Deluxe with Fedora 9)...

cheers,
Piotr

[Kano]

I guess to find out what is different compare lspci, lspci -n, lsusb from inside and outside splashtop. Inside the device must be active of course. Then you at least know what to seek for. Maybe the bios cuts one powerline to the ssd when it is not enabled - i guess it is a standard usb flash.

[SvOlli]

I've gotten my P5Q (plain) this week and started to play around with ExpressGate myself. Rather by surprise I found out, that the ExpressGate files can also by installed on a USB stick. It even works with AHCI installed, but as a downside only one of the 8 sticks I tried worked properly and even this one only work if the neighbor USB socket is unused. So my conclusion is, that this might be a timing problem. Anyone got an idea on how to display the startup messages of the linux kernel instead of the splash screen, to see where it locks up?

[Kano]

I've gotten my P5Q (plain) this week and started to play around with ExpressGate myself. Rather by surprise I found out, that the ExpressGate files can also by installed on a USB stick. It even works with AHCI installed, but as a downside only one of the 8 sticks I tried worked properly and even this one only work if the neighbor USB socket is unused. So my conclusion is, that this might be a timing problem. Anyone got an idea on how to display the startup messages of the linux kernel instead of the splash screen, to see where it locks up?

Can you start it directly from you BIOS to boot from USB? I think you could do if you bios has that cefull embedded - ce_bz has got only a kernel header, like i wrote here:

http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11800

[SvOlli]

Can you start it directly from you BIOS to boot from USB?

Yes I can. It's using the stick just like a harddisk, except that it doesn't care about the AHCI/IDE issue. Otherwise it behaves exactly like the harddisk solution. The downside is, that only one USB stick works properly. The other seven I tried display the menu, and if I select to start ExpressGate from there, I'll get the black "powered by SplashTop" booting screen and nothing more happens.

The USB also has the advantage, that you can modify the data on another computer, so it's ideal for hacking, since you don't have to boot into the development environment.

[Kano]

Thats clear, otherwise you would have to create always DFI files when you have got tested enough. But you can be sure, that when you add for example dropbear with active ssh server the system is fully compromised and not "save" as the pr wants to tell you. Adding a va* file is at least for the lite version very easy and hacked DFI images are possible too. Btw. not the ending is important, the beginning is, va-whatever.jpg would also work ;)

[azzinder]

Few days ago I purchased a P5Q3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP @n motheboard with Express Gate SSD
The problem is that all I can get to happen is that the main Express Gate menu comes up with the various applications.
If I select an application (say, Web), I do get the language and time
configuration screens for first time users, but then - nothing. The screen
goes blank, with the backlight on. I have to do a cold reboot.

I've tried a few other suggestions with PNP and different bios settings but there seems to be no change.

Tried to unplug all usb devices except mouse and keyboard. Express Gate started ok but after setting the time zone everything goes black...

Any information or help is appreciated.

[trid]

new version is out ST_ASUSEG00_HD_v1.2.8.0 i tried it on my m3n78-vm it worked,, but could not shut down,, did not show click box save settings, screen darken, the new update was for other asus lite motherboards, the new ver has web base games icon

[trid]

Few days ago I purchased a P5Q3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP @n motheboard with Express Gate SSD
The problem is that all I can get to happen is that the main Express Gate menu comes up with the various applications.
If I select an application (say, Web), I do get the language and time
configuration screens for first time users, but then - nothing. The screen
goes blank, with the backlight on. I have to do a cold reboot.

I've tried a few other suggestions with PNP and different bios settings but there seems to be no change.

Tried to unplug all usb devices except mouse and keyboard. Express Gate started ok but after setting the time zone everything goes black...

Any information or help is appreciated.

by getting that far into the express gate boot i would think you have a corrupt ssd its soldered to a usb port on motherboard or bad memory chip

[trid]

new version is out ST_ASUSEG00_HD_v1.2.8.0 i tried it on my m3n78-vm it worked,, but could not shut down,, did not show click box save settings, screen darken, the new update was for other asus lite motherboards, the new ver has web base games icon

it did show the shut down box

[trid]

for usb you need the fastest speed u can find http://www.lexar.com/jumpdrive/lightning.html is a good start i think i found at target,, u only need 512mb but the larger the size the quicker the speed, im also using 512mn satadom i little slow but goes on motherboard

[Kano]

The "web-based" games are just a link to:

http://games.splashtop.com/01/

which i wrote here some time ago:

http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11800

[XXXXX]

Few days ago I purchased a P5Q3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP @n motheboard with Express Gate SSD
The problem is that all I can get to happen is that the main Express Gate menu comes up with the various applications.
If I select an application (say, Web), I do get the language and time
configuration screens for first time users, but then - nothing. The screen
goes blank, with the backlight on. I have to do a cold reboot.

I've tried a few other suggestions with PNP and different bios settings but there seems to be no change.

Tried to unplug all usb devices except mouse and keyboard. Express Gate started ok but after setting the time zone everything goes black...

Any information or help is appreciated.

I just purchased a P5q Pro (therefore no ssd) and I see exactly the same problem precisely as you describe it.

What graphics card are you using?

[azzinder]

I just purchased a P5q Pro (therefore no ssd) and I see exactly the same problem precisely as you describe it.

What graphics card are you using?

please disabled allocated memory settings from bios chipset north bridge configuration

That way my problem SOLVED!

[apparition]

whats the exact file in /ASUS.SYS/ in one of the .sqx you edit to get 1600x1200? this max res of 1280x1024 is driving me crazy! same with those fake stretched widescreen modes! im not familiar with linux, so i dont really know :confused:

any assistance on this matter?

P5Q Pro on ASUS Express Gate Installer V1.3.3.1 for Windows 32/64bit XP & 32/64bit Vista.

[Kano]

Point c)

http://www.phoronix.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11800

[apparition]

oh thanks for the point.

for some reason, im still not getting it right. i squashed together a va-custom.sqx file which has /etc/models.d/superset/99-custom in it, and in the 99-custom file are the following lines:
export DI_HAVE_RES_DDC='yes'
export DI_HAVE_RES_LIST='800x600x24x60,1024x768x24x60,128 0x800x24x60,1280x1024x24x60,1366x768x24x60,1440x90 0x24x60,1440x1050x24x60,1600x1200x24x60,1680x1050x 24x60,1920x1080x24x60,1920x1200x24x60'

now, my expressgate/splashtop isnt even booting! :confused: what am i doing wrong?

anyone got a modded .sqx for more resolution choices?

[Kano]

When it is not booting the squashfs used is too new. I use my own distro for that (Kanotix). Also I think thats the wrong file for you, because there is is already a:

etc/models.d/P5Q_Pro

dir, so you need to put it there, superset is the fallback, that would be used with your old board (I do not own an ASUS board currently but it really seems that modding unsupported systems is more easy).

[schmola33]

I'm trying to use ExpressGate to listen to my itunes music server.
My version (actual for P5Q PRO - v1.3.3.1) allows me to make use of
<Browser> <Games> <Photo> <Chat> <Skype>
but no Music Player as mentioned here: http://splashtop.com/splashtop_applications.php

Is this general matter, or do I have to activate the application?
ExpressGate is installed on my HDD.

Did anyone actually start a wiki about hacking splashtop, or is there any step by step howto hack the img (and where do I get it?) out there i cant find?

[Legion]

oh thanks for the point.

for some reason, im still not getting it right. i squashed together a va-custom.sqx file which has /etc/models.d/superset/99-custom in it, and in the 99-custom file are the following lines:
export DI_HAVE_RES_DDC='yes'
export DI_HAVE_RES_LIST='800x600x24x60,1024x768x24x60,128 0x800x24x60,1280x1024x24x60,1366x768x24x60,1440x90 0x24x60,1440x1050x24x60,1600x1200x24x60,1680x1050x 24x60,1920x1080x24x60,1920x1200x24x60'

now, my expressgate/splashtop isnt even booting! :confused: what am i doing wrong?

anyone got a modded .sqx for more resolution choices?When it is not booting the squashfs used is too new. I use my own distro for that (Kanotix). Also I think thats the wrong file for you, because there is is already a:

etc/models.d/P5Q_Pro

dir, so you need to put it there, superset is the fallback, that would be used with your old board (I do not own an ASUS board currently but it really seems that modding unsupported systems is more easy).I have a p5q pro (bios/express gate updated as of a couple days ago) and am having the same problem. When you modify a squashfs file it wont boot. Express gate actually starts but when you click to enter the OS (like brows web as opposed to boot os) it will freeze at the asus express gate logo screen (where X should be starting).

I think that expressgate might not be mounting the files properly. If I copy the files in tact from a sqx file and re-squash it, splashtop fails to boot, even when I've done nothing to the actual data. I have ran the dd command on version so it's not an md5 thing. `file` reveals that splashtop used squashfs version 3.0 and mine is 3.1. I don't see how this would matter but it's possible that it only works with squashfs versoin 3.0. What version of squashfs-tools are you using, Kano?

[Kano]

You use a too new squashfs version, downgrade it. When squashfs it too new it will not boot.

[Legion]

You use a too new squashfs version, downgrade it. When squashfs it too new it will not boot.That works great, thanks.

Btw you don't have to link gnome-terminal to xterm. bs-boxtools contains a file /etc/bbkeys/bbkeysrc and you can just change what all the hotkeys are.

Also in some of your scripts you refer to a FILE.img, including your howto for putting it on a bootable usb. What is this FILE.img?

[Kano]

Of course you don't need to symlink it, but thats the most easy way to add a (hidden) terminal without editing a file. That even works when the md5sum file is intact as you don't have to change existing ones. If I would not have seen that file before I would not have added that symlink ;)

[calin]

I'm trying to use ExpressGate to listen to my itunes music server.
My version (actual for P5Q PRO - v1.3.3.1) allows me to make use of
<Browser> <Games> <Photo> <Chat> <Skype>
but no Music Player as mentioned here: http://splashtop.com/splashtop_applications.php

Is this general matter, or do I have to activate the application?
ExpressGate is installed on my HDD.

Did anyone actually start a wiki about hacking splashtop, or is there any step by step howto hack the img (and where do I get it?) out there i cant find?


The music player is not included in ExpressGate v1.3.3.1; I managed to find it when I used ExpressGate for Asus laptops; sorry I don't remember the version; all I did was to copy the file on my USB that has ExpressGate; for you it will be ASUS.SYS folder. The file is va-music.sqx, The music player can play only files that are stored on you computer.

[Legion]

Another question: how are you compiling drivers for splashtop?

From inside a 32bit debootstrap I've tried compiling the same kernel version that it's runign and insmod always errors insmod: cannot insert '/lib/modules/2.6.20.11/kernel/fs/reiserfs/reiserfs.ko': Invalid module format (-1): Exec format errorAlso how did you modify the screen resolution script? Even when I add more resolutions inside the actual script it wont recognize them (eg export DI_HAVE_RES_LIST). I've seen this being discussed before but never saw exactly how to do it.


A couple things I found out: You can change the firefox scripts to use a default profile and it makes it not suck, also firefox 3 (er at least iceweasel 3) isn't very hard to install and runs much better.

kde 3.1 is installed but is largely broken (konsole works). I think it might be possible to take out kde and either install a newer, more complete version of kde or use xfce4. That way apps would integrate better.

Also I think it would be cool to set up some webspace somewhere to host modified versions of splasgate. The technology that runs it is pretty cool but the default splashgate sucks IMO. It's so small/simple though that making *clean* overhalls is very easy. Eg completely removing everything associated with firefox2 and installing firefox3 or doing the same with kde3.1 (I would assume all of asus's special apps would be detected by other desktops, if not there aren't very many of them to add).

[danythebat]

Btw. it is relatively easy to add command line apps in new containers, when you just create a sqx analog to the already existing ones. Just need to figure out how to add em to the menu. Also there is a nice trick to run a root terminal: just create a new pack with rxvt or whatever you like and add a symlink to gnome-terminal. Then you just have to press ALT-F1 and you are root. No need to hack another package...

I follow your posts since long time, now I can do some experiments on my new eeebox:D and I need to know what files to add and how to create a symlink to have a root terminal in splashtop: please, could you help me?

Thanks in advance

Daniele
Rome, Italy

[unichrom]

I believe the Splashtop on the laptops are on a ROM chip. Can this be modified? What tools would I need? I would like to access my Home Server as well as Print.

[Kano]

Its internal usb storage, nothing with ROM or running from hd partition.

[pupa]

Hi guys

It's gone awfully quiet in here? :D Holidays?


On a more serious note. I have the Asus P5Q MB. I want to install the Express gate on USB stick. But ... During install the selection for other drives is blocked? Only c:\ ... is allowed

Where can I get the files required to make Splashtop work from USB stick. Can someone upload them?

The main reason is that I read somewhere that the Drive Expert functions are also available from Splashop?

Thanks

Enjoy the festive season.

[sasaman85]

I follow your guide to make Splashtop on Usb and it works fantastic. Now i want to add some apps to Splashtop like a music player, but i don't understand how i can make it. I read that some users add some programs and a gnome terminal but what i've to do? Thanks a lot for your work, it's amazing.
Happy new year to everyone
:)