Database Users

Rebuilding TMobile - Can I go straight to 1.1???

I have totally hosed my TMobile device and I am looking to rebuild straight to the 1.1 build instead of going back to TMobile first (although that may be an option)...
If I can reflash with the TMobile ROM (256k or so), which files and how would I load the system up with the 1.1 build???
Or would I be better off rebuilding to TMobile original and then running the executable to load the 1.1 build???
Any help would be appreciated...
Todd

OldManTodd said:
If I can reflash with the TMobile ROM (256k or so), which files and how would I load the system up with the 1.1 build???
Or would I be better off rebuilding to TMobile original and then running the executable to load the 1.1 build???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure I understand. The 256 k you're referring to is the size of the bootloader, maybe? You don't need to change the bootloader, it's fine the way it is.
Unless it's a 5.17 bootloader, in which case you may want to replace it with something more 'userfriendly', so to speak (5.17 has a feature to prevent you from easily flashing the device, we hacked said mechanism, but it's still a hassle)..
Anyway: your goal is to replace the OS. If your device still talks to ActiveSync, just run Jeff's exe file that installs our Special Edition ROM v1.1 and you're all set. If it does not, get an SD-acrd reader/writer for your PC, and use XDArit and the bootloader method to flash your ROM.

Got the card reader....
I am back at ground zero.. The 256 is the actual baseline from what I understand....
Basically the first step to upgrade is to backup the ROM and that is what is toast...
At this point I can't get to activesync, the device just resets it self over and over again (albeit it slowly)...
I have a version 5.15 bootloader, I am ok there...
I am going to search around in here to use XDARit (downloaded already) and try to find the bootloader method to flash my ROM (I am trying to find a good copy of the TMobile ROM now)..
Thanks for any assistance you can lend...
Todd
update - I can't seem to locate the Bootloader Method you are referring to?? - Todd

If you drag to winzip, you'll see the v1.1 Special Edition ROM nbf-file in there. You can just read that to SD-card using XDArit, and you'll be all set. No need to first install T-Mobile's ROM.

I downloaded the exe already...
basically at this point I formatted my only backup due to the only card avail is 128meg...
I will run the XDArit now....
After I write to the card, what do I do on the phone to load the software from the card???

Re: I downloaded the exe already...
OldManTod said:
After I write to the card, what do I do on the phone to load the software from the card???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Simply insert the card and boot into bootloader (pressing power while resetting), and it will ask you to press the action button if you want to flash the contents of the card. The action button is the center of the big rocker key.

man alive!!! I can't win....
XDARite is blowing off when trying to write to the SD card...
To use XDARite you just use the Fat format??? I am rebooting with card in writer so that the volume will show on startup...
I have a Lexar Card reader and trying to run XDARite from XP and selecting the ~32 meg .nbf file from Jeff's update....
Thanks again for any thoughts...
Todd
p.s. You are a busy poster today

Re: man alive!!! I can't win....
OldManTod said:
XDARite is blowing off when trying to write to the SD card...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Blowing off ?? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with this terminology.
To use XDARite you just use the Fat format??? I am rebooting with card in writer so that the volume will show on startup...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, the card is written to in RAW mode by XDArit, so XDArit destroys any file-system present on the card when it writes to it. It says so on the page, just read...
p.s. You are a busy poster today
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look who's talking!

XDArit not writing to USB device....
that is where I am stuck at... for some reason, I can read/write to the card, but XDARit cannot....
Has anybody experienced this before with XP and an External USB device????
T

mine was fine. i used xdairt to load the image. actually for me my activestink disconnected while i was loading the rom image and i had to use sd card.
alex

hi there, oldmantodd,
my usb sd-card reader is also not working, but i managed to rebuild my xda in the following way:
first thing you need is another xda/mda whatever
second you boot this device in bootloader mode, press the rec-button ( the one on the side) and choose backup ce
once you backupped this devices operating system, just boot your wrecked device in bootloader mode with the sd-card containing the backup
now it asks you if you want to download teh ce from sd card,
just confirm this and after a while your device is fine again..
jope this helps!!
best regards tim

not work if using 5.17 bootloader, i have 2 xda (1 damage) and 256m sd card, any suggest how to solve this problem?
i dont have card reader, getting frustasion,plsss help
thz

USB Lost connection during upgrade
For those who noticed this "Lost USB COnnection" problem during the installation of the ROM. I found that as long as you don't resit the unit, just carefully disconnect it from the usb, move the mouse over the active sync icon by your clock so it dissapears or you only have 1 left. (restart if needed if none are there) and than reconnect the update program will resume the upgrade or restart it. I noticed this problem on 2 rom updates. On one of the times I actually had to re-run the update program after I reconnected the usb sync cable (cradle)
Flished perfictly well!
I have bootloader 5.15
If someone has the ORIGINAL (any version is good to me) of T-Mobile's Rom's as mine got screwed before I could back them up... Hence the reason for my upgrades... I would love it if you could leave me a note as I really could use the originals to re-install.

Hey Tim...
Is that the same as going to boot mode and the pressing contacts and writing ce+boot???
I am at the point where I have probably got to start from the very beginning...
I tried the method of writing ce+boot from another device and then flashing mine and no luck...
I am starting to get desperate....
Thanks for any help...
Todd

yeah, it is the same as pressing contacts and write boot+ce, after that is written ob the sd-card just put that sd-card in your damaged device and boot it in bootloader mode.
it will then say something like sd-card contains boot+ce, do you want to download, the press the action button and there you go - your damaged device is being flashed and everything should be ok..
good luck

I tried that this morning....
is it possible I hosed my device beyond recognition???
T

I can get to usb flash mode...
would that do me any good???
Right now... the device comes up with unrecognized card and then sits for a while with the keyboard and the error screen to enter a name for the card... and after a bit it soft resets and goes through the same thing...
T

Ok, sounds like you didn't boot to the bootloader... If you do a hard reset (the little button with the battery indicator above it) and hold the power button (the button on the top left) while you turn it back on it will start the boot loader. Make sure your card with the Boot+CE writen to it is in the expansion slot before you do this and it will automatically start in the Autoload screen. Just push the action button (the control pad straight in) to start.
Hope that bit helped.

You can get to the bootloader from the soft reset button...
as well...
When I do that of course I get to GSM error....
Can anyone verify to rebuild from the ground up from another device I would follow these steps:
Boot Good device from power+soft reset
At menu press contacts button
at the flash tools menu select CD+Boot to SD
Let the software write to the SD then remove card
On my device (which needs rebuilt)
Press Power and Boot
Unit will detect info on card
and just press action button
That is my understanding, however, there are other options on the flash tools menu that I have not investigated...
Any help as always would be appreciated...
Todd

Re: You can get to the bootloader from the soft reset button
OldManTod said:
Boot Good device from power+soft reset
At menu press contacts button
at the flash tools menu select CD+Boot to SD
Let the software write to the SD then remove card
On my device (which needs rebuilt)
Press Power and Boot
Unit will detect info on card
and just press action button
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The sequence above should work (I assume you know 'press power and boot' means keeping the power button pressed while soft-resetting).
You could write only CE to SD-card, no need to transfer the bootloader. If the above works, it means the receiving device has a functioning bootloader, if it doesn't then it won't be able to take the new bootloader.

Bootloader 5.17 > 5.15

Hi everyone I'm new here. I would like to downgrade my bootloader from 5.17 to 5.15 but am having some problems with the Wallaby patch. First let me tell you what I'm running:
Australian O2 XDA
Rom upgraded to 4.00.01
RSU upgraded to 4.21
Protocol 32S54
Using the XDA Rom image tool I have written the Wallaby patch to a pretech 128 mb card using the 1k header and diagnostics method (I have tried the 3.5k header as well) the program reports that it was succesfull although I can't see the file under file explorer. When I start the bootloader I don't get any message about upgrading and the bootloader reports Card Key Invalid. When I exit the bootloader it Hard Resets the XDA. I have tried reverting to the XDA Developers Rom and interestingly although I get the same invalid key error on exiting the bootloader it only Soft Resets. I am waiting for a serial cable to be delivered and then will be able to upload the previous version via Hyperterminal (I Hope ?) but it would be interesting to know if anyone else has managed to do this and how they did it.
Great Site
Richard

Hi there Richard - I am also in Australia (which might be of significance too??) and am also experiencing the EXACT same problems as you!!! :shock:
I cannot get the Wallaby Bootloader (v5.17) to recognise the ROM Image (via xdarit) and provide the alternate menu options necessary to flash the bootloader?! :evil:
Is it perhaps a region specific issue that we Aussies are unlucky enough to have??
I would REALLY appreciate ANYONE who has some suggestions for Richard and I to provide an alternative means of downgrading 5.17 so that we can uninstall PPC2003 (which is way to buggy IMHO) and go back to PPC2002. Thanks in advance guys and keep up the EXCELLENT site!!!!

Hi Mike
If all you want to do is get rid of PPC2003 you could just run the developers V1.2 Rom setup (I have gone backwards and forwards a couple of times) Personaly I prefer PPC2003. I want to get back to bootloader 5.15 so that I have an alternative backup routine in case I crash the device as obviously in order to run a Program A update the device needs to be working. Having said that there is a USB flash program in the bootloader which might allow the Program A to work I just havn't been brave enough to try it yet. Any one else out there tried it ?
Richard

Hey - thanks for that info Richard - okay, so now I can in fact go back to "bog standard" PPC2002 right? Or will it still be running a non-standard ROM?
What I am worried about is that if I need to send this sucker back to Optus(?) for warranty repairs etc. then they may not be too happy to do anything under warranty if they detect that I have installed a "non-authorised" ROM upgrade (if you know what I mean)?!
So you reckon PPC2003 is okay huh? Are you with Optus or Telstra?
Last question - what is the most efficient (and straightforward) way to back up the XDA if A) I keep PPC2003 a little longer and/or B) if I go back to PPC2002? FYI - I have a 128MB SD card and reader (integrated into my Toshiba notebook as well as cradle (obviously) and the USB Sync cable.
Thanks for your help Rickard (and anyone else that cares to offer any advice) :?

Mike
The Developers Rom is based on the latest O2 UK Rom update 3.17.03 (I think) and basicaly they have crammed all sorts of software into the Rom (Survives hard reset and makes better use of the systems memory) In order to go back to standard you would need a "Asian" image (there on a previous version to UK?) which includes "local" configuerators for GPRS etc. I beleive an update is due out soon so once it is you can install this and Optus will be none the wiser.
Yea I realy like PPC2003 much nicer all round but a bit of shame that some software won't run on it. I'm planning to have a go at a "speical" Rom myself based on the 4.00.01 image.
I'm with Telstra but can't see why Optus would be any different apart from the auto configureration.
Assuming no fix for the bootloader arrives (This is by far the easiest) you can back up you're Rom via Hyperterminal you will need a serial cable to do this. By and large unless you're planning to mess around with you're system there isn't much point in doing anything other than backing up you're Ram (As apposed to Rom) with the SD card backup program included on the XDA
Richard

ROM upgrade help

I wanted to install one of the ROMs from www.yorch.net. But before doing so I have some questions:
1. If I choose to build ROM as an installer.exe, is installing it to my device as simple as running the .exe file? (of course with the device connected thru Activesync)
2. Is my present ROM (see specs below) supported?
3. If Murphy comes to visit and I screw up, will my phone be completely unusable or can I just reinstall old ROM, do hard reset and everything will be back to how it was?
My specs:
OS: Pocket PC ver 3.0.12039
ROM:3.20.06 ENG( 07/30/03) (O2 Asia I think since I bought it here in the Philippines)
Radio: 4.21.00.
Thanks

1 as far as i know yes havent don it to my own device yet though
2 a rom dont have to support a rom since it'll overwrite it
3 of cause merphy can also show his ugly face
but if all fails a sd flash reader writer can save many a tears
also if your phone is working ok then i would not mess with the
radio stack and beware because some roms include the radio stack
and if you try to update your radio stack to a US (900/1900) and you network is 900/1800 you could be in for a world of pain

ROM upgrade step by step
OK I'm really dying to give it a go but I'm just a overly cautious bloke. So I'm gonna outline what I interpreted (after reading lots of posts I think I'm getting it but not sure) to be the way do the upgrade. Please correct me if i'm wrong:
Equipment I have:
1. My notebook (Windows XP, Activesynch 3.7)
2. O2 XDAI
3. Cradle and USB connection.
Steps that I think I should take:
1. Place XDA on cradle and make sure it's connected with PC.
2. Backup?? (not so sure what to back up since contacts, calendar, notes are synched with outlook, docs are also synched, I have copies of cab and program files since I download them to PC before installing them to XDA.) If i'm missing something please slam a frying pan (this is a kitchen right?) on my head.
3. Go to www.yorch.net, check mark on all appropriate options, then (since I have to Unix box and dont know Unix at all) just go for the easy option of cooking the .exe install file.
4. Assuming, the .exe is downloaded to my PC. This time I just run it. I expect this to be just like installing PPC apps. If not, throw a tomato on my face
5. Assuming everything worked and Murphy's in the Arctic freezing his A**e off, then all I do now is hard reset.
6. I have a new ROM and I'm singing happy-happy-joy-joy.
To the wonderful people at xda-developers, am I in the right direction or am I as lost as Bill and Ted? If I'm lost, is there a step-by-step guide for non-unix programmers? (Sorry, there was a sticky but I thought it was for people with Unix boxes)
Once again, thanks for all your help and your patience.

2. Backup?? (not so sure what to back up since contacts, calendar, notes are synched with outlook, docs are also synched, I have copies of cab and program files since I download them to PC before installing them to XDA.) If i'm missing something please slam a frying pan (this is a kitchen right?) on my head.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well i can think of one thing to backup and thats your current rom
so if you dont like the new rom you are getting you have the option to go back
of cause if the rom you have now is downloadble from a place you know like your isp then maybe it dont matter

Thanks for the reply. That's a good point. Question: When you back up old ROM, is it just the ROM that gets backed up or is it the whole content of the device, like how you do in PCs?
Also, since no one, besides you, has made any comments regarding the steps that I outlined, is it safe to say that they are the correct steps?
Thanks

When you backup your ROM, no stuff that you customised will be in the backup - the backed up ROM will be the same as when you received it from your retail shop, or if you upgraded, it will be the upgraded ROM without any of your stuff. Do a backup and store it on your hard disk.
DON'T use the .exe cooked ROM, use a .nb1 or .nbf, and use XDA Tools from this site to do the upgrade. It's very easy that way, and less dangerous. Don't upgrade your radio stack unless you know exactly what you're doing, or your phone supplier has made an update available just for you.
If you use a T-Mobile ROM above version 4.00.05 it blocks the XDA-Tools from updating the ROM. At that point you need to use XDARIT (from this site) to low-level write the ROM image you have onto your SD card using an SD card reader which shows the card as another drive on your computer. Once you do that you need to boot into the boot-loader (press the reset button while holding the power button) and follow the prompts to restore from an SD card. If you're unlucky and are running bootloader 5.17 (or above I think) you need to write the bootloader diagnostics patch (wallaby patch from this site) onto your SD card first before doing the boot into the bootloader thing. You can then remove the SD card, write the O/S ROM onto it with XDRIT, and put it back into your phone while it's still sitting on in diagnostics mode. Then you can restore from the SD.
It sounds complicated, but it's easy, as long as you have an SD card reader, and as long as you don't mess with trying to update the bootloader or do an unknown radio update. There's lots of info in these forums if you get stuck.
I made a thread that summarised all the steps using the new tools and ROM's at this address : http://xda-developers.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3860. It's for Asian/European users, but if you are in the US the instructions are the same, except instead of using European 900/1800 radio you use 900/1900.

Further questions on ROM update
Thanks. It's becoming clearer and clearer. Have more clarifying questions:
1. How do you know whether or not you're including the radio stack with the ROM upgrade at yorch.net. I did not see any options there.
2. At www. yorch.net, nothing happens when I press the "Build ROM Now" command button. Is the download supposed to happen in the background or is there something wrong with my PC or the site?
3. I dont think I'm using the T-mobile ROM but how do I know if I'm runing bootloader 5.17? Is bootloader 5.17 only for T-Mobile users or all?
Once again, thanks for the help and bearing with a newbie.

2. At www. yorch.net, nothing happens when I press the "Build ROM Now" command button. Is the download supposed to happen in the background or is there something wrong with my PC or the site?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it should start to write some text about the progress of making the rom
and when it's finished then it should init a std download dialog

The meter down at the status bar does move, same as when you're loading a webpage, then it says Done. That's about it. Didnt see any other messages or dialogue boxes.
Can anyone confirm if it's up today or has it been down?
Thanks
PS. Tried to email using the email utility at the website but getting errors there as well.

OK, firstly to answer your question about Yorch's site... well it worked for me in getting all the ROM's I wanted, then when I went back again the download didn't work. I guess it's just on and off, so unless Yorch finishes getting married or someone else makes another kitchen it's a matter of pot luck. You can get away without using the kitchen if you can find another download source for ROM's, whether it be FTP or whatever. Just remember if you get an exe you can usually pull it apart with winzip to get the .nb1 or .nbf out of it.
Now, for Q1 :
An operating system ROM is generally just under 32MB, but when zipped from Yorch it's usually about 14 or 15MB - the operating system ROM will NEVER be smaller than that. I'm not sure about the exact radio stack size but I know it's a lot less than that. Also, doing some homework about the operating system ROM helps. eg. reading about the 4.01.00 ROM tells you that it's not a radio stack upgrade, it's an operating system upgrade - and the filename and the size of the file you receive reflects that.
Q2:
answered above...
Q3:
I think the bootloader is just pot-luck depending on when you phone was released. To check your bootloader it will reset your device completely, but I read somewhere that if you turn the radio (phone) off it doesn't hard reset. If you're worried, do a full backup first. But basically when you're ready to look, reset your phone while holding the power button and it will tell you the bootloader version. Don't be too turned off by that, I have read that SD card readers can be picked up very cheap if you look around, and that's all you need to get you out of trouble regardless of the bootloader version.
There's no real risk (but I won't guarantee anything), just make sure your phone is fully charged before mucking about with SD upgrades. Also make sure the radio (phone) is switched off before upgrading... using the bootloader/sd card method you shouldn't need to be concerned. I'm not sure what effect having your phone on and receiving a call while using XDA-Tools can have, but someone did mention it somewhere.
I'm a newbie too, but there's really not much you need to know, just a few caveats.

Yorch's Kitchen has been working OK for me the last couple of days. It takes maybe about 5 mins to "cook" before telling me that the ROM is ready. The 4.00.05 ROM gave me a lot of ActiveSync problems, so I went to the 4.00.16 ROM tonight and it looks like it's behaving better.
My SD reader is a Microtech Zio. It appears as a disk drive in windows, but the newer XDArit can't initialize a connection to write to the SD card. I used the "dangerous" older version of XDArit instead (available on Yorch's site), and it's worked OK for me (so far?).
One thing I wish I had realized before I started playing - going into the bootloader will reset your phone most (some?) (all?) of the time.
While I was flashing the ROM tonight I could see the GSM light flashing - I had the same "hope no one calls" feeling tht others must have had. Note that this was while I was flashing from an SD card in the bootloader - so apparently the process doesn't deactivate the phone while it's ongoing.

Muchas Gracias!
Ebswift, if ur a newbie then ur the god of the newbies. Thanks for all the help and for making me see the light. Much appreciated...

A quick Q:
Is the process for installing an .nbf file the same as that for installing an .nb1 file?
I have cooked a few ROMS to an .nb1 format and installed those OK, but now I have one in .nbf that I'd like to install.
So what I'd plan to do is put the nbf onto an SD card using XDArit, and then stick the card in the PPCPE and reboot to the loader. Is that it?

So what I'd plan to do is put the nbf onto an SD card using XDArit, and then stick the card in the PPCPE and reboot to the loader. Is that it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can do it that way (onto the SD card), or if you're not already using a T-Mobile ROM you can use XDA Tools which is easier. Basically the capabilities are spelled out for you with the available file types in the drop downs when you select a source.

SIM LOCK

HELP .. HELP .. HELP ..
I know this subject is old but I could not what I need & how can I fix it
I have bought a pocket pc with phone edition from USA, and when I tried to insert my SIM card it asked me to but my PIN code, then ask me to but the unlock code (SIM code).
Now I am in Saudi Arabia.
WM2003
ROM Versino: 4.01.16 ENG
ROM Date: 02/04/04
Radio Version: 6.25.02
Protocol Version: 324e4
NOTE: I do not have a serial cable.
Thanks,
HFN[/b]

Check this: http://wiki.xda-developers.com/wiki/UnlockWiz
Hope it help you
Edit:
You have a WM 2003, this link work only for PPC2002

SIM Lock
DariusVE
Thank you for your help, I have tried this site, but It did not work because my device using WM2003 and also has no Wireless Modem feature.
Thank you.

Unlocking Quest
Here's my quest to unlock my T-Mobile PPCPE. I think some of this information might be useful to anyone confused about getting this
done.
First I called TMobile to request the unlock code. Since my account was up to date I figured no big deal right? WRong. My IMEI (or TMFT) number was not in their database so they could not give me an unlock code so they said. They told me to call the manufacturer of the device which they said was Microsoft. Knowing full well this was crap I called anyway.
The support guy got a good laugh; MS does not make devices
like this, they only provide the OS. He recommended I call Siemens.
So I did. Real nice guy named Jack had a good laugh as well. Not only could Siemens not tell me who really made my device (a third party made them for T-Mobile) but even if they had unlock codes they could not provide them because of contracts with TMobile. So I go back to TMobile.
The support people felt really bad about the run around and escalated really high up the chain (or so they said). AFter 48 hours I decided to take my own course. Having had good luck unlocking a Treo 600 through 'alternative means' I figured time to tackle the Pocket PC Phone Edition.
This was MUCH different and much harder to figure out.
After a good 12 hours and a whole slew of reading I finally figured out some stuff. Most of this may seem a no-brainer to some of the more educated XDA people out there but for us newbies maybe it will help.
----------------------------------------------------
The PDA side of the ppcpe and the radio/phone/gsm side are two totally different animals (not a surprise to some). When you refer to the 'operating system' you're talking about the ROM
like the XDA Developers special edition or any of the ROMs from the ROM kitchen at http://lumpistefans.dyndns.org/. The Radio or RSU (for Radio Stack UPgrade) is totally separate from this. The other variable is the bootloader version (Wallaby in my case).
Now my goal was just to use the XDAUnlock program. When I ran the program right from the defaults I got 'error getting unlock code.' All the posts I read said put on the special edition rom and you'll be fine but that did not do the trick. Still got the same error message.
Here's what I started out with:
ROM: 4.01.16 ENG
Radio: 6.25.02
Wallaby booatloader: 5.22
What finally worked:
Radio: 6.24.00
ROM: 3.17.03 ENG (xda special edition)
then upgraded bacdk to 4.01.16 ENG
Wallaby boot loader 5.15
How I did it
--------------
I meandered my way through this to eventual success and since the dratted device now works fine I'm leery about putting it all back to the old way and doing it all over again. Therefore use this process as a guide only, not a definitive instruction set. Also I walked through this as a troubleshooting exercise so some steps may not have been necessary. I eventually succeeded but maybe went the long way around to do it.
References
----------
- Bootloader utilities: Get to this by holding down the power button and pressing soft reset. You may have to hit the contacts button to get into the menu if you don't see it right away (like if you see a simple GSM OK message at the bottom of the bootloader display.
- Cold boot: the reset swtich on the right side bottom of the device with a picture of a red battery with an \ through it. This disconnects the batter from the mainboard and trashes all the data on the device except the Operating System in ROM.
What I grabbed
------------------
- XDATools
- XDARit
- ActiveSync (I used 3.7.1) and connection by USB cable
- Wallaby bootlolader version 5.15 files
- XDA Developers Special Edition ROM
- RSU 6.24.00 files
- XDAUnlock.exe
- SD Card (mine is 128 MB but I think as long as it's bigger than 64MB or your current memory in the device you're OK)
- pnewbootflash_40116.exe
All of these files are available here on xda-developers.com, just
search for them.
First back up everything. Not just using the sda backup tool, from the boot loader. You can do the SDA backup if you want, consider it backing up your data. You can also do the ActiveSync backup if you want to save your data. In my case all my data is stored in Domino so I don't
give a hoot about the data on the device. Your mileage may vary!
Second I'm doing ALL of this with no SIM chip in the device. THis may or may not be necessary.
Stick your SD card into the PDA. If it complains about wanting to format it go ahead and let it format the card unless you have stuff on it you want. I'd recommend dropping anything you want from the card onto safe media and just working with it as a blank the rest of the way through because it's easier to just wipe the card in between some steps.
Go to the bootloader utilities. Hit Contacts button and you'll get the boot loader option stuff. If the bootloader utilities you get to right away takes you to a menu with things like Boot+CE-->SD then you don't have to worry about hitting the contacts button. You only need Contacts button
if when you get to the bootloader screen you see nothing more than
some nice colors, the bootloader version and "GSM OK" message.
Take the Boot+CE-->SD option to back everything up. This will take a few minutes.
Once it's done pull the SD out ofthe ppcpe and stick it into your SD card reader.
Bring up xdarit and chose your removeable device.
If you have more than one MMC slot select the different ones until you get one that says 'wallaby' in the hex codes at the bottom of the XDARit screen. You'll be writing out two files, the first is the NB0 file (which is the bootloader) and the second is the NB1 file (which is the OS or ROM). Name these something like original.nb0 and 1.
Wipe the SD card (format FAT).
Stick the SD card back into the pda and soft reset, then cradle it.
Go to a DOS prompt and CD to where you put 'pnewbootflash_40116.exe.'
Type 'pnewbootflash_40116 nbl515.nb0' to write the wallaby 5.15 boot loader to the device. If when you downloaded the 5.15 bootloader you called it something else (like 'wallaby_boot_loader_V5.15.nb0'
you should of course use that name instead!
The output looks like this:
D:\XDAtools\binaries>pnewbootloader_40116 bl515.nb0
Copying D:\XDAtools\binaries\itsutils.dll to WCE:\windows\itsutils.dll
in FindFlashInfoOffset
protection found at 8c0d60f8
result: 00000000 00000000
Now..why did I downgrade the bootloader? At this stage I'm troubleshooting why I get the 'error getting unlock code' message running XDAUnlock. I've got three variables I know of, bootloader, ROM and Radio Stack. I chose to start with the bootloader because
some posts out there say boot loaders 5.17 and higher have some checksum that keeps certain ROMS from working properly. Perhaps if I'd started with the radio stack I'd have been done right away and saved a few hours but all the posts about possible device destruction made me start with the bootloader! Again, your results may vary!
Next I changed the ROM to the XDA Developers special edtion.
Make sure the SD card is in the PDA and cradle it.
Run OSIMagetool and load the ROM file in the first box, chose SD Card in the second box.
If you downloaded the special edition ROM you might
have some luck using the Installer that comes with it but apparently that
does not work with ActiveSync 3.7.1. I got messages that said it could not access the device or no connection etc. Instead I used OSImageTool to load the NK.NBF file included in the distribution. Note that to get to this file you DO have to unzip the EXE file you download!
Once complete pull the pda out of the cradle.
Hold power+soft reset to get the boot loader menu. This should show up as 5.15 now. It will automatically detect that the SD card contains a ROM that can be flashed to the device. If for some reason it does not automatically detect this maybe you have to hit Contacts. I did not have
to do that, it just told me to hit Action to download the ROM.
Hit Action button (aka the jog button) to write it to the device. This will take a few minutes, go grab a beer or two or three. I took the safe route and connected power to the device while writing the flash.
Once it's finished cold boot the device. I waited 2-3 minutes before re-engaging the battery.
Here's a gotcha. On the right side of the SIM there is a little switch. If the rubber door for the sim is not totally closed you can't get the device to boot. This switch is real small so it's very possible to miss it. You can see it fine if you take the back off the device (which I determined from a post here that told you how to get the battery out).
When it boots you should have the 5.15 wallaby booting the xda special edition. Follow the instructions to calibrate the screen and you're ready to move on.
Now if the radio is 6.25.02 xdaunlock won't work, it just generates the 'error getting unlock code' message. You have to downgrade the radio to have this work.
There's lots of posts around here that say don't screw with the radio because if it errors you've got a fried device. I imagine this is true so balance how bad you want to unlock the device against the possibility of totally frying the device. I've done two radio upgrades in my life on the PPCPE, both were OK but again, caution is advised.
Grab the 6.24 radio zip and unzip into a folder on your computer. Use activesync to copy the files to \windows on the device.
Execute the rsupdate.exe program to reprogram the radio to 6.24. WHen completed soft reset the device and go into start-settings-system-device info to make sure you're at 6.24 radio vesion.
Copy the xdaunlock.exe to the device and execute. It should say 'you're device appears to be SIM Locked, would you like to remedy this?" click Yes to unlock the device.
Now the device is unlocked. You can change the ROM to WM2003 now if you want (which I did). I imagine you can re-upgrade your bootloader
and radio stack if you want but I'm leaving well enough alone for now!

Hi ALL
I did unlock my phone thank you all.
Spicial thanks to "rhodwyn".
Best regards.

Works!!!
Thanks !!! Its working!!!

help in getting all the files needed....
Hi,
I would like to try this.... but where can I get the file pnewbootflash_40116.exe? Or is this a file that I'll create?
rhodwyn,
I would appreciate some help in getting most of the files.
Thanks in advance.

It worked for me too, thanks for the great solution, rhodwyn!

Thank you rhodwyn and everybody... my 2 cents
I love this site and I think that everybody does a great job. I found rhodwyn’s post to be very comprehensive and it is the one that ultimately helped me out this time. I don’t know if anybody is even interested anymore, but since I’ve been helped, I figured that I’ll try and help someone else. I assume that you’ve already read rhodwyn’s post.
I had the same starting configuration. I did everything that he suggested except for changing the bootloader and it worked perfectly. So, as he suspected it was enough to downgrade the radio stack and to load the special edition ROM. I subsequently upgraded my ROM and all is good (although I haven’t upgraded the radio stack and I’m not sure if I will).
I’ve read other posts about problems downgrading and upgrading the RSU and the 1% problem… I had a problem the first time I tried and I became very nervous, but I looked at rhodwyn’s post more closely and placed rsupdate.exe into PPC’s \windows folder and tried it again and was successful.

thanks
rhodwyn
10 minutes and done

Wizard upgrade/downgrade options - how much trouble?

Ok, so let's say I'm willing to experiment with the "test" WWE rom here, BUT I have to be able to get back my T-Mobile one - including all the customizations - if I don't like it.
How do I go about this? Are there "gotchas" trying to reload things like there are on some Motorola phones where boot loader versions prohibit reloading an older image?
Can I "r2sd all" to the SD card to get the entire image off the device, bit copy that to a file on my PC (now its safe), and if I don't like what I get reload from the SD card? Or is that potentially dangerous?
I've got the T-Mobile MDA and I'm willing to experiment so long as I know I can go back...... The missing JAVA capability is what's driving this, although there's probably more I'd like to get rid of / add.