Doesn't move past the initial screen even on reset

bad Idea ROM updates.
best is to never do it unless sure it cures a problem that you need fixed.
doing Rom up dates are very risky,
1: battery must be good. and being charged so that the process can not be interrupted.
2: you used XP PC of some kind to program that IPAQ rom?>
that be last choice, of all. after all most XP computers are infected with virus and malware, and is a virus magnet and not support now for 3 long years, (means its worse every day)

why even use any IPAQ,
why not just buy some used Android phone and move on, move up.
its dead product now.
IPAQ is like Elvis, he left the building.. LOL


if really motivated to make any think this old here why not ask
the real form.
Your only recourse now, it repeat the flash over and over
praying it works (with full charged and fully good batterY)

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/

Not a problem it happens just go to hp.com download the bios driver and use it on windows xp it will not work with anyother windows and run it with your ipaq connected to the pc. This will reinstall the complete bios software and bring it back to factory.

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} 1.) Make sure battery is charged
2.) Locate the rom you want to use
3.) Remove machine fro cradle
4.) Press the POWER + iTASK + CONTACTS + RESET buttons at the same time so as to enter the FLASH Mode
5.) Make sure your USB connection to the Cradle is hooked-up.
6.) Place your PDA in the USB Cradle.
7.) Stop the MS ActiveSync session on your HOST PC: CTRL-ALT-DELETE > TASK MANAGER > PROCESSES.
8.) Highlight WESCOMM.EXE and select "End Process" button.
9.) Run the file you downloaded from your Vendor in step 3.
10.) The PDA should now begin Flashing the iPAQ's ROM BIOS.

Hi. While holding power button, and pressing reset will do a hard reset to your PDA (reset the device to its factory default settings). So if your PDA is working well, don't do it. As for the syncronization with your Vista PC; Winodws XP uses the ActiveSync software for syncronization, and for Windows Vista, Microsoft developed a brand new syncronization software called "Windows Mobile Device Center". It can be downloaded here: (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/help/synchronize/device-center-download.mspx). When you download/install this software to your PC, you should be able to connect your PDA to your PC without any problem, and definitely without changing any OS in your PDA or PC. Hope this helps.

get it serviced?
my guess, damaged screen.
most shops would touch any Ipaq.
why not ask on a real HP forum?
my guess, the only hope for old Ipaq

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/

I got the same problem. I even tried to plug the battery to the second battery charging slot, still couldn't get it back to life. But the Ipaq screen lights on with progress bar progress for about 5 seconds, then dead again. I even doubted the battery was toasted.
I gave it a final shot:
1. Remove the battery, and then put it back.
2. While the screen lights on, within 2 seconds, cold reset the unit by press the hole with stylus and push the power button at top in the same time.
In my case, the progress bar will keep going until I see the tap screen instruction and everything back to normal. But it reminds me that the removable battery is totally discharged. So I put it in cradle and I am able to synch it with my PC. Everything seems o.k. while it sits in the cradle, except the charging light won't turn red.
When I remove it from the cradle, it still lights on, battery shows 99% which is healthy. but when I turned it off, it won't start anymore. I have to repeat the above steps to revive it. Sometimes I have to remove the battery and wait for a while and then put it back, so that the screen can light on to give me chance to cold reset.
Conclusion: Maybe need a new battery. I will check Ebay to get one.
Please post if you have other solutions.

That's a very odd scenario. Have you tried putting it on the cradle without the battery? One possibility is that it was an incorrect battery that you put into it and it somehow fried the PDA. That's however very unlikely. Have you tried putting your old battery in it?

I punched it in the *****

Yes, I did. Actully for my model it is at the bottom. I used that along with RESET key - which makes 'Hard Reset' - but the same Red screen remains....

try leaving battery out overnight.