Disclaimer: This MAY void your warranty and could POTENTIALLY turn your IPAQ into a brick. I will not be responsible if you try this.

So we’re wondering why in the world do we need to change the serial number or IPAQ model number? Well many have found that after using custom firmware images such as the BigRom images, they tend to change your IPAQ’s serial number and model number to something else. These images are simply a dump of an IPAQ with customized features such as removing the IPAQ File store thus freeing up more memory. This applies to any of the HP IPAQ 6510 and 6515 and has been tested on my 6515e which thought it was a 6515a because of the bigrom hack.

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Specifications

• Operating System Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition Phone
  Edition -Outlook, Word, Excel, Internet Explorer for Pocket PC included

• Processor: Intel PXA270 Processor 312 MHz

• Memory: 128MB total (64MB ROM and 64MB SDRAM) Up to 55 MB user available
  12 MB iPAQ File Store

• Wireless connectivity: Quad band GSM/GPRS/EDGE data, Bluetooth 1.2, IrDA
  SIR 1.2,

• Integrated GPS: High sensitivity GPS receiver with HP Quick GPS Connection
  Utility;

• Audio: Integrated mic, receiver, speaker and 2.5 mm headphone stereo jack;

• Expansion: SD slot - Supports 1-bit SDIO and 4-bit SD/MMC type standard,
  Mini SD Slot . Supports 1-bit and 4-bit SD/MMC Type memory

• Camera: Built-in HP Photosmart 1.3 MP digital camera, 1280 x 1024 (SXGA)
  resolution;

• Display: 3.0. (75mm) Transflective TFT QVGA with 64K color LED backlit;

• Dimensions 118mm x 71mm x 21mm; Wt: 5.8 oz (165 g)

• Battery: Removable user-swappable 1200 mAh Li-Ion rechargeable

Updates

Guide
to doing a ROM upgrade
HP
Protect Tools (21 Dec 2005) - Adds security functions such as folder encryption and login authentication. However, the software has issues and are backup/restore unfriendly. I also couldnt find a way other than a hard reset to remove it

Software Compatibility

Due to the iPAQ’s unique square screen which I assume was to accomodate the keypad and mobile phone buttons, I found a number of apps that got broken due to buttons being inaccessible as they were poorly designed for the more common longer screens. There is a simple work around which is to use Nyditot’s Virtual Display to create a virtual screen with the correct screen ratios allowing the buttons to be accessible with an additional scroll bar. Compiled below is a list of softwares that I have tried and its results.

Review

On the whole, I found this pda to be one of the best smartphone combo in the market at the present moment even though it had many faults. Firstly, HP got it right with an imperfect yet reliable GSM device, I’ve used a Palm Tungsten W and a Treo 180 but both PDAs crashed constantly resulting in missed calls. I also liked the addition of GPS plus one SD slot and mini SD slot which was one of the main reasons I chose the iPAQ over an O2 xda.

Cause of issue:

Leaving the battery of the IPAQ 6510/5 to discharge completely (i.e not connecting the battery to the power mains for a few weeks.) and is unable to power up even after charging.

This may also fix other miscellaneous battery power problems.

Symptoms:

When the battery is finally plugged into the mains, the power led is red and the ipaq starts up but keeps rebooting. Leaving the ipaq connected to the mains overnight or trying hard/soft reset does not help.

Solution:

1) Connect the ipaq to the power mains and send the ipaq into bootloader mode by holding the joystick + power and poking reset button
2) Using romupdate.exe connect to the ipaq
3) Execute the following command for a software reset

USB> task 8

The IPAQ should reboot itself and the power led should turn orange meaning that the battery is charging. Leave it to charge until the led turns green which means that it has fully charged the battery.

Links

• HOWTO: Change serial number and model number for HP IPAQ 6515
• HP IPAQ 6515 Bootloader password
• HP IPAQ 6510 / 6515 dead GSM after failed Firmware upgrade
• Exploring HP IPAQ 6515e bootloader