The easiest way to get the files onto your Psion is to use the transfer software for your host machine. This is PsiWin for Windows, Plp tools for GNU/Linux and PsiFS for RISCOS. Use this to transfer the necessary files onto the Psion's RAMdisk or CF through EPOC. For example, to copy the arlo.sis file onto the Psion's C: drive (RAMdisk) using plptools you type the following command:
rfsv write arlo.sis c:/arlo.sis
You need to install Arlo (the bootloader - equivalent to LILO) onto your Psion. To do this, extract arlo-0.51.tgz and copy the Arlo.sis file to your Psion, then copy INSTEXE.EXE and run it. This should change the icon for Arlo.sis which you can then run and it will install itself to either C: or D: as you select - it will work fine from either. You need to reinstall it each time you boot Linux. If you install it to a CF disk, you won't have to re-install each time - the section called Creating a Filesystem on your Compact Flash
You need a kernel for this project. I would recommend trying one of Werner's precompiled ones. A good one to try is stable-221-cb23-519-psi.gz.
Next, uncompress the glued kernel image with:
gunzip <glued image name>
and copy the glued-* and initrd-*.gz files to C:\ on the Psion as image and initrd.gz.
At this stage you are ready to boot into Linux. Double check you have good backups of your Psion and then double-click Arlo.exe. You will see:
Loading logical device Opening the channel Commands are: ... Option buffer at address XXX Memory description at address YYY > _
Now type:
l image
and you should see:
Opening file image Succeeded File size XXX Loading XXX bytes to address YYY Read XXX bytes No pages = ZZZ > _
Now type:
l initrd.gz
and you should see:
Opening file initrd.gz Succeeded File size XXX Loading XXX bytes to address YYY Read XXX bytes No pages = ZZZ > _
If you need to pass any other parameters into the kernel at this point (for example an alternative root filesystem) you need to type:
o root=/dev/hda2
A full description of kernel parameters can be found in /usr/src/linux/Documentation/kernel-parameters.txt.
Now type:
b
Your Psion should now boot into Linux!
If it does a double bleep and then puts up the EPOC logo, something has gone wrong. Try reinstalling Arlo (from the Arlo.sis and INSTEXE.EXE files).