Database Users

SafeMode for PocketPC

Hi guys,
I developed an application that simulates, somewhat, the Safe Mode on Pocket PC. I needed it because many times my PDA kept self-reseting or froze after I installed certain programs. It just temporary disables the Startup programs, allowing you to uninstall them.
How it works:
-soft reset device with stylus
-immediately afterwards, keep pressing the Action key until you see a message saying that the PDA is running in Safe Mode.
-uninstall any buggy program, if necessary
-soft reset device normally, and the Startup programs will run again.
The application is freeware and you can find it at www.monocube.com.
Let me know what you think.
Regards.

Brilliant idea. :idea: :idea: Thank you.

Let me know if you have any ideas in further developing it. I will make a new version tomorrow, so you can also disable the 3rd party Today plugins (i.e. only the standard ones will be loaded).

Hi guys,
I've updated SafeMode to version 0.2. Now the program also disables Today plugins, showing a "Safe Mode" screen instead.
Please check www.monocube.com for updated info on usage
Regards.

Updated to v0.3, added Landscape/VGA support
EDIT:
Updated to v0.41, changed the functionality a bit. Now you will see a message asking you if you want to enter Safe Mode.
Please get the updated version, it fixes some issues with some PDA models and adds this new functionality.

Updated to 0.5
Added disabling of Services, and a few other features.
Please let me know what u think.

monocube said:
Updated to 0.5
Added disabling of Services, and a few other features.
Please let me know what u think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice one and good safety tool for beta testers (and not only )
One small bug though: on my xda II it mixes up the blue screen with the today theme :shock:
nothing important, anyway
thanks for this useful tool

ummm, do you have v0.5? there's no more blue screen, just your currently selected theme as background.
if you are using it, could you post a screenshot?

FANTASTIC util - and a great idea Many thanks m8!

I tried it but how can I use it using WM2005.
Can I rename/delete ROM/System files under Safe Mode?

Fantastic Idea!!! this is a must have to every people who has a pda.. good work

Unfortunately it will not work yet work with Magneto, one of the reasons being services now require a digital certificate (which costs a lot, at least for me). So I guess we should all thank Microsoft for that

hi guys,
just updated to v0.6. it now disables 3rd party SIP plugins.
enjoy.

cool! i like. hehe.

updated to 0.65. SafeMode is now unloaded from memory on normal reboots. Also, you can have your own "safemode.wav" file in your Windows folder (also changed the default sound to voicbeep.wav, the alarm seemed to annoy people ).

Thats really EXCELLENT work, pravo :wink:
This is really what I wanted, long time ago, cus sometimes I install programs that hangs up my PPC & forces me to do a hard reset!
I have one comment: if you can change the text's color to be something else other than white; cus I have a white today backround image, so I couldn't read the text!
Maybe you can use an XOR text mode (I use it in windows desktop application, but I don't know if it's supported in WinCE)
Anyway, thanks alot monocube,, really its something great
I wonder why Micro$oft missed it out! :roll:

Thanks ezzkht.
I've also updated it to v0.67. It now fixes some issues with Korean (and perhaps other) ROMs and with Password screen being enabled.
The text color should be the same as your current Today font color (so it changes with the theme) - but that apparently doesn't work with some older themes. Anyhow, for next version the color will be user selectable.
Take care all.

As I have said on the other thread, I will be using this app so long as I keep testing betas and alphas thanks for the time and effort m8.
Unfortunately it will not work yet work with Magneto, one of the reasons being services now require a digital certificate (which costs a lot, at least for me). So I guess we should all thank Microsoft for that
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now aint that a ***** no safemode and no wifi activesync. Are we going backwards here?
One cquestion about using this app though. I guess it would be easy to circumvent the password protect screen login if it were enabled?

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. You would want the password screen automatically disabled in SafeMode?

safemode.wav
Anyone has a pleasant safemode.wav to share?

Windows Logo Screen

I download Smaato News and when I did I lost the blue Windows Logo Screen on boot-up. It now is a blank white screen before loading my theme. How can I get the Blue Windows Logo back? Is there something I need to do in the registry? I have the T-Mobile MDA (USA)

Same thing happened when I installed pRSSReader. I've never found a solution to it, the image for the splashscreen is still in the windows dir.

Search for "splash screens". It's just the welcomehead.96.png file in \windows\
V

Hi,
I'm working for Smaato and we never experienced that problem before. Maybe it's some interaction with the T-mobile branding software on the device. We will try to reproduce this with our developers and come back to you.

d0ug said:
Same thing happened when I installed pRSSReader. I've never found a solution to it, the image for the splashscreen is still in the windows dir.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ha! That happend to me as well, but I didn't know what caused it.

vijay555 said:
Search for "splash screens". It's just the welcomehead.96.png file in \windows\
V
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, i have this logo in my windows folder, but it never pops up on start... actually i use preowned one, which came with tmobile splash, then i changed it to my own logo, then got surprised if remainded after hard reset, and one more time got really stunned when i heard that actually there are 2 splash screens... how is it in the end? 2 splash screens, then windows logo? if so, why does mine show only one screen? (i used awizard to change splash, but it just changed it - before and now i used to have just one logo screen)... silly but annoying, i'd like to know the answer ;]] thanks alot;]

Same thing with me. I am not sure what caused it. But from last few weeks I am having the same issue. Somehow my splash screen(windows welcome) is skipped while restarting. Any clue?
FYI- I am using pssReader too.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks -nbhor

I guess I found the trick.
Simple just get rid of the pssReader and your splash screen is back. Worked for me.
Thanks -nbhor

Today plugin dev question

Update: Seems to be fixed now!
I'm hoping someone has come across this before and can offer some advice...
I was looking for a today plugin similar to the Wireless one but that allowed you to toggle your radio devices directly from the Today screen.
I couldn't find one so I pestered a friend (Delphi programmer) at work to write one which he did (in C++). The problem is that the plugin occasionally disappears from the Today screen.
This usually happens when the today screen is changed in any way (reordered or something else added or removed etc.) Our plugin will show up again if you remove and add it but I'm sure this is a simple problem of something we've overlooked?
Any help/pointers would be appreciated.

I never wrote a today plugin but I belive he forgot to include some "on refresh" or "on paint" function.
This may help: http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms839442.aspx
and this http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb278109.aspx

Thanks LGSilva.. That second link looks like it might have some answers

That looks like a good plug in, please do share if you do fix it. Please.

Anyone like to test it ?
It seems the height of the window wasn't being updated properly.
I want to add a few options like icons/text display to it and it needs an installer of some kind but it would be good to see if it works ok for other people (we've only tested it on a Dopod 810 and an iPaq)
You'll need to update your registry manually for now...
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Today\Items\"Eff Comm"]
"DLL"="\Windows\EffComm.DLL"
"Type"=dword:4
"Enabled"=dword:1
"Options"=dword:0

blitzwurst said:
Update: Seems to be fixed now!
I'm hoping someone has come across this before and can offer some advice...
I was looking for a today plugin similar to the Wireless one but that allowed you to toggle your radio devices directly from the Today screen.
I couldn't find one so I pestered a friend (Delphi programmer) at work to write one which he did (in C++). The problem is that the plugin occasionally disappears from the Today screen.
This usually happens when the today screen is changed in any way (reordered or something else added or removed etc.) Our plugin will show up again if you remove and add it but I'm sure this is a simple problem of something we've overlooked?
Any help/pointers would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you solve the problem?in my pda it disapear each softreset

carne said:
do you solve the problem?in my pda it disapear each softreset
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same problem here. I am using a Touch......

Changing from Vodafone theme?

I've been looking around to see if there's a stock HTC theme for the touch pro 2, as I've got the Vodafone one, which is annoyingly red.
Is there a cab out there somewhere to get ride of it, does anyone know?

This http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=527644 is the best one that I have found so far but it does have some issues.
Is this the scottola from the dvd forums?

stunno said:
This http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=527644 is the best one that I have found so far but it does have some issues.
Is this the scottola from the dvd forums?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks stunno, what issues are you finding?
I'd forgotten how flash happy I'd got with the Kaiser, it seems weird searching around again. Some of the tweaks on the site are incredibly clever, it's great here.
Yep, it's me from the dvd forums.
Talking of issues, I'm going to cry if I hit the off button once more by accident, I've got to find a different way to hold the phone when typing.

It looks like we are sorted!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=528888
and if you follow the weather location program instructions ie copy the manilla file to your SD card before you install this and then copy it back to thw windows folder afterwards, you don't get French place namse

Fantastic - works perfectly so far, thanks for linking to this!
I didn't do the thing to preserve English place names, and I've lost my shortcuts etc, but it's worth it - looks so much better!
Cheers!
EDIT: I've had issues with this, and now need to hard reset my device, as it won't start (gets stuck on Vodafone boot screen). This hapenned after installing this, then AnX1 Nature's Grace v1.0 over the top. This did not work, so I uninstalled both. I then tried to install this theme again (which failed near the end), and now the phone won't start, so I'll need to hard reset

I had an 'episode' this afternoon, too.
Somehow the start.exe reappeared in the task list on the home page and I accidentally clicked it. Manila hung as usual but then would not start at all, so I had to hard reset.
This time I installed the black theme first and am hoping for good things

stunno said:
I had an 'episode' this afternoon, too.
Somehow the start.exe reappeared in the task list on the home page and I accidentally clicked it. Manila hung as usual but then would not start at all, so I had to hard reset.
This time I installed the black theme first and am hoping for good things
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you also install AnX1 Nature's Grace v1.0?

No I just installed the black theme that I linked to above.
Some of the fonts were a bit off on the AnX1 theme, so I thought I would wait until/if they were sorted.

2 days in and it's working perfectly!
After installing the black one from the Topaz secion I installed the Touch of Blue theme and it is spot on!
I think it must have been the cfc compression that was causing the problem

stunno said:
2 days in and it's working perfectly!
After installing the black one from the Topaz secion I installed the Touch of Blue theme and it is spot on!
I think it must have been the cfc compression that was causing the problem
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, thanks for the info, I have just got a Vodafone one and the display is doing me in, my mates HD (unbranded) is what I am after!
Unfortunately what you posted (and other peoples links) are gobbledegook to me as I am an absolute beginner in this field.
I am not stupid, I am not lazy ( I have searched and read) but most TUT's assume you have a basic knowledge etc. I even downloaded a pack of utils to dump my own ROM as an experiment as a thread says 'this is what you need' but when I opened it I got a migrain as it was just a swarm of applications with no clear 'start'.
So what I am asking (nicely I hope) is that someone details step by step how to do what you have done, ie remove the shocking red/pink theme on my Vodafone Pro2 and get something like the stock colours on there.
I understand this is not a 'hard' fix just yet, but will try all the same.
Thanks.
elab
EDIT: Ok I have installed it and it is workin great !! Only one problem, I could not see a 'manilla' folder in Windows to backup prior to install and so now I cannot set the UK in the weather section, anyone know how to get my UK location back please (i use the weather app a lot !)

I think you may have a French manila file. You need to look for Royaume Uni for United Kingdom
There isn't a Manila folder the files you needed to back up are the ones in the Windows folder with manila in the name and no extension
EDIT: I have attached my English weather manila file (or I hope I have), extract it to your windows directory with Total Commander and overwrite the one that is there, then soft reset

stunno said:
I think you may have a French manila file. You need to look for Royaume Uni for United Kingdom
There isn't a Manila folder the files you needed to back up are the ones in the Windows folder with manila in the name and no extension
EDIT: I have attached my English weather manila file (or I hope I have), extract it to your windows directory with Total Commander and overwrite the one that is there, then soft reset
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks Stunno, you are a gent !
Last question for now (I hope!) I am struggling to overwrite the file using Total Commander, I assume there is a way to turn file protection/write only status off is there?
Thanks again, I do appreciate it.
EDIT: Sorted it , I renamed the old file, pasted in the new and rebooted. Your file was the right one, thank you !
See, I am learning already

Glad to be of help.
After all that's what this site is for!

I have a vodafone TP2 too the red theme is annoying but I'm growing to like the white background and light feel to the theme, there are two things i would change.
1. the red part of the theme, I think a black/grey glassy look against white would look amazing on such a high Res screen.
2. the notification bubbles that pop up over the TF3D icons for SMS and email are small dark red with red numbers and are almost invisible. Nedd to be changed.
Is there an app or instructions for creating a new full theme for TF3D ??
I used to skin a lot of today screens and launchers on previous devices WM and Palm, haven't done it for a while but would like to have a crack at a new one for my TP2

stunno said:
I think you may have a French manila file. You need to look for Royaume Uni for United Kingdom
There isn't a Manila folder the files you needed to back up are the ones in the Windows folder with manila in the name and no extension
EDIT: I have attached my English weather manila file (or I hope I have), extract it to your windows directory with Total Commander and overwrite the one that is there, then soft reset
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the file, i managed to get my english weather back with it but this other version of TouchFlo is completely missing the facebook intergration for the contact cards????
any help?

Ooh, I hadn't realised as I didn't use Facebook on my phone before I changed the theme.
I'll have to do some research
EDIT: Have you looked at Skybook?
http://www.magnifoca.com/products.html
Not ideal I suppose but better than nothing, and better than the garish VF theme!

for those who are only annoyed by the message counter bubble (pretty hard to read black text on dark red background!), there is a fix here:
http://forum.vodafone.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=29331&st=20
just one file to copy... pretty risk free...

redmanmark86 said:
Thanks for the file, i managed to get my english weather back with it but this other version of TouchFlo is completely missing the facebook intergration for the contact cards????
any help?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think this might solve your problem
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=4117638&postcount=5

Cheers for the 'dot'. I too have actually got quite weirdly fond of the vodafone rom after complaining about it to begin with.
I've changed the themes, etc and ended up changing back again, the only other thing I'd like to change is the bar that pops up when you are changing between favourite contacts. Black on red just doesn't work.
I'm assuming now that it's possible to change in the same way the 'red dot' is changed. Maybe it's time I stopped scratching the surface and got stuck in!

I've been using Max TTM (TF3D Theme Maker) to get rid of the Vodafone theme, only thing I can't change is the black text colour on all the screens (except home) which means you have to pick a lighter wallpaper to be able to see sms and the settings screens.

WM 6.5 animated boot screen?

can we change the boot screen to an animated gif somehow?
I've tried some of the cabs on this site and other sites with no luck. I've tried putting animated.gif into the windows folder with no luck.
am I missing something?

i was able to do it
but i forgot how
i think directly in the registry i'm guessing (search for welcomehead)
i'm talking about two secondary splash screens (like in advanced config)
to change the first two splashes i've used the bootsplash kitchen
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=TitanBootsplashTutorial
but the .nb image creator doesn't support .gif files as best i can tell

sweet!!! good link gonna try this next weekend!!
too bad it does a hard reset. Gif's are listed as working so they should work (as they are the only ones that 'move'.)

its not supposed to cause a hard reset...
i used the kitchen within the last week and the first time it worked
the last time caused a hard...
i also tried animated gif and it didn't work
only non-animated for the first two....at least using this tool...
never actually seen an animated gif on the first two before...so
(i think the successful bootsplash was by using the sd card instead of the ruu)

make sure you put your (both secondary) splash images in windows directory...
helps with load time...and delay settings...
still not 100% that entering the gif in the registry is working...but i think it will
been resetting my device for a couple hours straight trying to get all the settings right...
i'll post up what results i think i figure out...lol

I used the sd card and it works to change the picture on the first and second images of the boot sequence. But no animation thus far
I've looking ever since I tried one of Ryan's light 6.5 roms. He had an animated lightning strike a tree, and it looked pretty dope!!! I think I might track him down...........

There is a utility in the PPC Kitchen that allows us to add animation to one of the start up screens. I added the Windows Vista logo with a meter below it. Works fine for a couple of seconds till the meter freezes.

whoever is cooking the roms for you must tell it NOT to skip the animation. then you can change the animation.

GeLopez said:
whoever is cooking the roms for you must tell it NOT to skip the animation. then you can change the animation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im not sure if this would help but i think that there was a change icon application, in the options menu i think it said bonus and when i taped it it let me change the boot screen i used the windows phone 7 gif and the windows phone png along with the vista boot sound
hope this helps if i can remember the app i will tell you but it would be better if you searched in the xda engine