Hacking the IA-1

So, your IA-1 just showed up. The first thing you will want to do is reset the BIOS NVRAM to its default values so you can do things like change the boot order sequence to boot an alternate OS from the external flash slot. Here is a set of idiot-proof illustrated steps that should work for you.

There has been some talk about unhackable IA-1's. Some people say the units that come in white and red boxes instead of the more common plain brown boxes are unhackable. The 4 I have all came in plain brown boxes like this:

Unpack the box. You will find a keyboard, the main unit and a bag of stuff:

Grab the power chord and the batteries from the bag. Stick the two batteries into the wireless keyboard and go loctae the following tools:

a flat-head screwdriver

a small and a large Phillips screwdriver

a flashlight

a paperclip.

Step 1

Turn the unit over and unscrew the screw holding the grey little panel at the back. Remove this panel.

Step 2

Then unscrew the 4 screws holding the unit together.

Step 3

Turn the unit back over and unscrew the two small screws behind the display.

Step 4

Carefully pry the panel up with a flat-head screwdriver. Pushing the display forward a bit helps force this bit of plastic up so you can get a screwdriver in there.

Step 5

You can remove this piece of plastic. It is a bit hard to get off, but as you can see in this picture, it is a J-shaped piece that hooks up and over the bar that the display pivots around. Pulling it up and back with a little bit of force will get it off.

Step 6

Back where you removed the grey cover, force the tabs down and pry open the casing with a screwdriver.

You can help things along by prying from the side as well.

Step 7

Now remove the 4 screws holding the display to the main unit. Push the display forward as far as it can go and right behind it unscrew the screws.

Once those 4 screws are off you should now be able to lay the display flat and the cover can be completely opened.

Step 8

Just in front of the Compact Flash slot on the left side of the unit (when seen from the back as in this picture) locate the second hole from the front as circled here.

If you shine a flashlight through this hole and look very carefully you should be able to see a jumper. The jumper is on pins 2 and 3 with pin 1 open. You want the middle pin, or pin 2. You can just barely see it in this photo.

Grab your paperclip and simply touch the pin through the top of the jumper and touch the side of the metal panel at the same time.

Hold the paperclip there for a couple of seconds. That's it! You are all done. Go ahead and put everything back together again.

Step 9

Once everything is back together, plug the power in and watch your screen carefully. If you see a memory check count things are good. Right when the cursor jumps from the top-left down a couple of lines, press the Compaq key. It is one of the grey keys just right of center at the top of the keyboard (circled here):

This should get you to the BIOS screen where the first thing you see is a language selection dialog. Pick a language and you should be in.

The Compaq key is the F10 key you will need to accept changes with in the Bios, and ESC is the Cancel key with the picture of a hand on it third from left at the bottom of the keyboard.