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I have unlocked the ExtROM and am using it, I have no need for the Orange customisations.
In the registry this is called HKLM\System\StorageManager\Profiles\TRUEFFS_DOC1 and can be unlocked, renamed, written to and even (by Buzz) erased and the space added to ... Main storage or \.
What about TRUEFFS_DOC and TRUEFFS_DOC2?
Which parts of the system are they?
DOC is typed as imgfs, which I imagine is the 128MB ROM that contains the OS, flashed in working state during a ROM upgrade.
DOC2 is FAT and could be the \ partition?
If we could make the DOC partition read/write (yes, very dangerous), even temporarily, could we overwrite the OS installed files with our own instead of taking up space in the \ memory?
Overwriting stuff in the 128MB partition seems more sensible than keeping the original file and using the valuable 64MB that HTC skimped on.
I know that you can cook a ROM to do this, but that is a long and involved process that isn't for the faint hearted. I'm tearing my hair out at the registry creation part, going through the posts here trying to make sense of them before asking another question in an already long thread. Renaming a few files and putting them in the expected places seems like a quick fix solution that if done properly shouldn't be too dangerous.
Universal DOC2 visible
In search for a find today, I'll post here how to make the DOC2 partition visible.
This registry adjustment allows you to see a new partition called 'ShadowROM' (saw it in the registry somewhere > the name I've given it last format). It contains all data, *.vol databases etc.. THE Windows basic replication folder. All your new/user data, as of the last install.
First things first: BACK UP YOUR DEVICE.
What you do with this is for your own purpose. Incorrect use and you loose all your data!
Open Notepad and copy/paste the following into a reg file which you can simply open on your device.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\StorageManager\AutoLoad\TRUEFFS_DOC2]
"Bootphase"=dword:00000001
change this to:
"Bootphase"=dword:00000002
to make the partition active in normal operation, being bootphase 2.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\StorageManager\Profiles\TRUEFFS_DOC2]
"Folder"="ShadowROM"
To give the little beast a name.
Notice the extra screenshots I posted for oddities!
This is interesting... What are the pro & cons of keeping files and apps here vs external storage?
Is it just saving space for the apps that must be installed internally?
Are there performance or ram gains for the universal?
Thanks.
leaving the registry this way, I can delete files within that partition, or copy a (several megabyte in size even)file. Consequence of such an operation: next soft reset = hard reset. No 'buts'. Straight to 'OUT'.
I've been fiddling with other registry keys in the neighbourhood which seem to have some effect.
The use however... finding that there are several directories "Windows" and "Program Files" and so on... these events take up processing time, i/o operations, some of which have caused and probably will cause performance issues.
This looks more like a mess then 'user friendlyness'. If for instance backup or dataloss purposes are reasons for these... leave the device without charging for a couple of days.....
epicus, thanks for the sharing... Looks like I'd still need to wait a little bit before I venture into this.
Hi there is a way to move "pim.vol" by register changes?
Re: There is way to move "pim.vol" location to Sto
zpdy said:
Hi there is a way to move "pim.vol" by register changes?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi I have asked this many occasions - in fact I would also like to get rid of the document and settings directory. It currently takes about 1.5mb on my device.
There is a program cleartemp that will remove contents of directories during reboot. However I am pretty sure that the files contained in the above directory and pim.vol are needed by the system, so removing them could crash your device.
Matt
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, please.
I believe that if you were to make your own ROM you could edit the registry and move the files before flashing it into your Uni.
At the same time you could rip out WMP and PIE, replacing them with more useful apps like TCPMP and Opera, putting these programs into the 128MB flash instead of the 64MB storage. However, after reading a thread here about using MP3 ringtones and having WMP doing the decoding, I wonder how integrated it is and just what would happen if you took it (and it's registry entries) out of your system. Maybe just taking some crap like the Welcome program and some help/graphics files would leave you enough room in ROM to do this?
Grr, I should really get on and try this so that I can speak with certainty, shouldn't I?
Hi guys, this is my first windows mobile ever, and i've come on here and looked at all these threads for around 2 weeks now and id really like to start doing things!
I've looked at the *Leo hints and tips* and downloaded Resco, so i now know how to edit values and things in the root folder, but what i'm unsure about, and i'm sure all the new people to windows phones are to, is where to start?
I mean the phone reads .cab files, but say I download a .cab file, do i download it on my pc and put it on the phone, if so where to? After that do i have to click it, run it, what? Do i download it off my hd2 and it'll run? which I have done, but after installation, where is it stored if i want to open the file? What happens if i install a .cab and don't like it? Where is it for me to delete and how do I go about this? how do I uninstall things i've installed?
What im asking is, if there is a starting tutorial for these things, can it be a sticky because there are hundreds of threads on here and the search tool and my searching isn't finding what I really want...essentially...'HD2 for dummies...' guide.
sorry if this has been said before, or i'm expected to know these things, but if someone could point me and many others in a direction, or a sticky could be made, then id be one happy welsh man!
Cheers guys.
The simple answer to your question about cab files is that they're installers, just like you have on your PC. When it's installed, you can (if you wish) delete the cab file. (I keep all mine so if I upgrade my ROM then I can install things again without having to find the cab files all over again.) There's also "remove programs" in the windows settings folder, and you can uninstall apps from there.
Think of it more like a PC than a phone and you'll get on with it a lot easier.
Also, if it's windows you want help with then there's dedicated windows folders on this forum. Windows isn't specific to the HD2, so you will usually get better help in the more specific areas.
Other than that, just play with it and have fun.
Hope this helps
To install a cab you just need to copy or download it to your phone and then click on it. An installation wizard will then appear to take you through the installation process.
right okay, so the .cab i can delete as if it was a .exe file, but where do i save it on the phone for it to run, which folder?
When using file explorer and tweaking and installing .cabs, thats windows though i pressume? Not htc...
matt_attack_2k1 said:
right okay, so the .cab i can delete as if it was a .exe file, but where do i save it on the phone for it to run, which folder?
When using file explorer and tweaking and installing .cabs, thats windows though i pressume? Not htc...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can run the cab file from anywhere you like on the phone. If you're planning on deleting them after installing it really doesn't matter. Like I said, I keep my cabs (and would recommend it too!), so I have an "installers" folder, with sub-folders for different types of cab files.
Installers and tweaks are not specific to either windows or HTC - they could be either or both.
I personally keep all my cabs at Storage Card\Backup\CABs I transfer them to there from my PC, run them from there, save them there.
You can put them in any folder you like and run them from anywhere you like. There are no rules on where cab files need to be.
right okay, so i install a .cab file, say for example ive installed a new unlock slider, i change my mind and don't want that one anymore i would like the old one back, what do I do?
matt_attack_2k1 said:
right okay, so i install a .cab file, say for example ive installed a new unlock slider, i change my mind and don't want that one anymore i would like the old one back, what do I do?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In that specific example, you'd have to check the thread where you got the new slider from. That's overwritten original files so obviously an uninstall doesn't recreate them. I tend not to install theme mods that can't be rolled back, purely because of this!
I've tried some alternative lockscreens before, and they definitely had the original files in a cab so you could undo it.
right okay. and for example if i was to install, i don't know, an additional button up onto the top bar by the start menu, how would I go about deleting?
Back to my OP, why is there no tutorial or hot-tips threads made as a sticky for people new to this stuff like I am?
Hi all,
im looking at the tg01 as a computer. with xp i can overwrite the whole windows folder with another install, and Albeit a few important folders, the whole lot is changed.
would this work on windows mobile? could we just overwrite the windows folder, registry and other folders with a 6.5.x install?
im not sure how the certificates would affect this.
it may be ugly but if it works then it would be a temprary fix for updating. tweaks can be performed as first run bats/exes to remove junk from defunct folders, registry would be merged with previous, cleaning up invalid entires and adding the tweaks for memory.
would this work or are the os's to different? i have heard of a protection removal thing for total commander, this could be used to faciltate an install, run it so it reboots the device into the program before windows is fully active and overwrites the folders that way.
im determined to try this tonight once i find a rom, and learned how to extract the windows folder and registry from the image
any help appreciated
i think the problem would be the same as if ud wanna do this on a desktop
the most important files are running so cant be changed on the run ...
i get that but by having a script run before any of the important stuff loads, it may get around the protection settings
I tried to keep the title as descriptive and short as possible, I hope it makes sense
I picked up the kitchen of nhathoa (a retired Topaz cook) hoping to get it customized to make it exactly the way I want but I'm running into some issues.
Long story short, I'm using Ervius Visual Kitchen (1.8.2) and I noticed that the EXT packages I added end up leaving two copies of the files, a copy under \windows\ and another one in the places I specified using app.dat using:
Code:
Directory("\Program Files\bla\"):-File("bla.exe","\Windows\bla.exe")
Is there some way to get rid of the copy under \Windows\ ??
I know that I could simply leave everything there and discard the app.dat files but I would really prefer having everything organized properly (I have a bit of an OCD when it comes to organizing everything neatly ).
I'm pretty sure that this is a rather simple and noobish issue but I couldn't find anything relevant by searching and I took a look at some ext packages by various cooks and noticed the same behaviour.
MusikMonk said:
I tried to keep the title as descriptive and short as possible, I hope it makes sense
I picked up the kitchen of nhathoa (a retired Topaz cook) hoping to get it customized to make it exactly the way I want but I'm running into some issues.
Long story short, I'm using Ervius Visual Kitchen (1.8.2) and I noticed that the EXT packages I added end up leaving two copies of the files, a copy under \windows\ and another one in the places I specified using app.dat using:
Code:
Directory("\Program Files\bla\"):-File("bla.exe","\Windows\bla.exe")
Is there some way to get rid of the copy under \Windows\ ??
I know that I could simply leave everything there and discard the app.dat files but I would really prefer having everything organized properly (I have a bit of an OCD when it comes to organizing everything neatly ).
I'm pretty sure that this is a rather simple and noobish issue but I couldn't find anything relevant by searching and I took a look at some ext packages by various cooks and noticed the same behaviour.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, it's call Read-Only-Memory (ROM) and is the reason you can hard-reset your phone. Every file you cook into the ROM is in \windows. Two ways I know of to reduce the amount of files would be to zip them and have a mortscript unzip them to the proper location during customization or cook in a cab containing all of the files and have it run during customization.
That makes a lot of sense, I really feel ashamed that I didn't figure it out earlier
EXT packages seemed easier than bothering to read about customization but I guess it's time to start reading about this kind of stuff.
Thread marked as solved.
Thanks for the quick reply!
Yup, files in rom are in rom forever, or until you flash again, lol. The trick is to just run bla.exe from \windows. I would say that 90% of the time, bla.exe runs just fine out of the windows directory (especially if it's the only file in the package). When people create cabs, they naturally install the app in \program files, but in general apps don't need to be in a specific folder. If there are other files present, usually an .exe will search within its own folder for those files. So, if you just cook everything straight into windows, you'll be good to go. It's easy enough to test: just move all the files from program files to windows after installing a cab, fix the shortcut in the start menu, and then try to run the app. It's always a good idea to do a soft reset and try again (found this out the hard way many times). The one thing you have to watch out for is settings files, like .dat files. These files frequently have to be archived (not read-only). Particularly with apps that use net 3.5, if there's a setting file that is read-only, the app won't boot and you'll get an error message. The fix is to name the file settings-1.txt (or whatever) and have an app.dat rename it to settings.txt (and keep it in \windows).
Also, remember to fix the shortcut path in the start menu, and examine the registry entries to see if there are any paths for files present-you may need to change them to point to \windows (this could also be true in settings files).
mwalt2 said:
No, it's call Read-Only-Memory (ROM) and is the reason you can hard-reset your phone. Every file you cook into the ROM is in \windows. Two ways I know of to reduce the amount of files would be to zip them and have a mortscript unzip them to the proper location during customization or cook in a cab containing all of the files and have it run during customization.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This actually made me think a little bit. When you think about read only, I always thing can't delete or overwrite. Obviously I can run a cab and replace a file that is located in the \Windows directory, that leads me to believe there is a way to delete a file or maybe even replaced with an empty file of the same name.
You can over-write a rom file, but the rom file is still there. The file system just flags it somehow or another and tells the device to ignore it and instead use the new file.
TMartin03 said:
This actually made me think a little bit. When you think about read only, I always thing can't delete or overwrite. Obviously I can run a cab and replace a file that is located in the \Windows directory, that leads me to believe there is a way to delete a file or maybe even replaced with an empty file of the same name.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The new file you copy over goes into the "user" partition of the file system and windows knows to use that file instead. Once you delete this newly copied file from \windows, the old one from the ROM will take its place back in the filesystem.
Farmer Ted said:
Yup, files in rom are in rom forever, or until you flash again, lol. The trick is to just run bla.exe from \windows. I would say that 90% of the time, bla.exe runs just fine out of the windows directory (especially if it's the only file in the package). When people create cabs, they naturally install the app in \program files, but in general apps don't need to be in a specific folder. If there are other files present, usually an .exe will search within its own folder for those files. So, if you just cook everything straight into windows, you'll be good to go. It's easy enough to test: just move all the files from program files to windows after installing a cab, fix the shortcut in the start menu, and then try to run the app. It's always a good idea to do a soft reset and try again (found this out the hard way many times). The one thing you have to watch out for is settings files, like .dat files. These files frequently have to be archived (not read-only). Particularly with apps that use net 3.5, if there's a setting file that is read-only, the app won't boot and you'll get an error message. The fix is to name the file settings-1.txt (or whatever) and have an app.dat rename it to settings.txt (and keep it in \windows).
Also, remember to fix the shortcut path in the start menu, and examine the registry entries to see if there are any paths for files present-you may need to change them to point to \windows (this could also be true in settings files).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First of all, a small question about the underlined part, just to make sure that I got it right: it won't be exactly a rename just a copy with a different name, correct?
Some of the apps I use need a specific directory structure for the resources and files they use, so just dumping them in one big folder won't work.
Another possible issue that I think I'll run into is having two files sharing a generic name (let's say settings.xml) while each belongs to a different app. I didn't personally encounter such a situation just yet but my packages are still a work in progress and I did see a post or two about this while searching.
I was still hoping there would be a simple way to arrange the files in folders while keeping them under \windows\ but I can't find such a method either. Doesn't seem like I have other options than to decided on a firstboot customization method: Runcc, autorun, xda_uc or something that I haven't read about yet...
"Runcc" is currently used in the base kitchen so that gives it an edge right now.
Edit:
Remembered that I had another question, and it's probably not worth a new thread.
I was looking at how to manually create .lnk files and I noticed something that I didn't understand and couldn't find info about.
For example:
Code:
21#"\Windows\MSDict.htm"
What exactly does the "21" refer to?? I tried changing it randomly to other values a couple of times and it didn't effect anything.
NRGZ28 said:
The new file you copy over goes into the "user" partition of the file system and windows knows to use that file instead. Once you delete this newly copied file from \windows, the old one from the ROM will take its place back in the filesystem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok now that makes a lot of sense. I guess I'm just use to Android and being able to see that separate partition. Thanks for the explanation.
That sort of leaves me to another question. Can't someone develop a way to overwrite directly to the "system" partition? It would almost be like a root/superuser for WinMo.
Sent from my HTC Evo 4G!
MusikMonk said:
First of all, a small question about the underlined part, just to make sure that I got it right: it won't be exactly a rename just a copy with a different name, correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, that's correct. Another approach is to take all similar files that go into windows and stick them in a zip file that unzips to the windows directory. I do that in a few cases (power radio comes to mind; it has an ini file). What I do in most cases though is use a backup/restore mortscript. The backup copies all settings files (and similar things) on my device to my sd card. During customization, the restore copies them back. It's convenient for apps where I change the settings a lot and I don't want to have to constantly fuss with the packages.
Some of the apps I use need a specific directory structure for the resources and files they use, so just dumping them in one big folder won't work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you do in that case is move the sub-folders into windows. In this case, I'll use a zip file to unzip those folders into windows. Using app.dat files to copy large numbers of files blows. It increases the rom file count as well as the storage used. A zip file is a single file, and usually it saves space.
Another possible issue that I think I'll run into is having two files sharing a generic name (let's say settings.xml) while each belongs to a different app. I didn't personally encounter such a situation just yet but my packages are still a work in progress and I did see a post or two about this while searching.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In that case, you're screwed unless there's a registry key that lets you change the name. I've run into a few complications; tcpmp and OMarket both use a common.dll. My solution was to buy Core Player, lol.
I was still hoping there would be a simple way to arrange the files in folders while keeping them under \windows\ but I can't find such a method either. Doesn't seem like I have other options than to decided on a firstboot customization method: Runcc, autorun, xda_uc or something that I haven't read about yet...
"Runcc" is currently used in the base kitchen so that gives it an edge right now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Using cabs or zip files is the way to go if you want to copy large folders in one shot (with a mortscript; you can also un-rar rar files, but I don't know how. Yet, lol). Zips are easier to make and edit than cabs, but you need to have mortscript cooked in and know how to write the simple script (aka cut-and-paste).
Edit:
Remembered that I had another question, and it's probably not worth a new thread.
I was looking at how to manually create .lnk files and I noticed something that I didn't understand and couldn't find info about.
For example:
Code:
21#"\Windows\MSDict.htm"
What exactly does the "21" refer to?? I tried changing it randomly to other values a couple of times and it didn't effect anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The 21 is the number of bytes after the #. It doesn't matter. I usually just change the first number to 1. It works fine. Counting bytes blows.
That was extremely helpful. Too bad these boards don't use a rep system
Farmer Ted said:
Yup, that's correct. Another approach is to take all similar files that go into windows and stick them in a zip file that unzips to the windows directory.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, if I'm going to follow this method, and it seems like I am, I don't see why I would still have to limit myself to the \windows folder. I can just put everything the way I originally wanted to do. I only looked at arranging files under \windows when I found out that there's no way to get rid of the duplicates.
Farmer Ted said:
Using cabs or zip files is the way to go if you want to copy large folders in one shot (with a mortscript; you can also un-rar rar files, but I don't know how. Yet, lol). Zips are easier to make and edit than cabs, but you need to have mortscript cooked in and know how to write the simple script (aka cut-and-paste).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't tried writing mortscripts yet but I've seen enough to figure out the basic and notice how easy it is. I'm gonna check how usable is the WM version of 7zip, as long as it accepts arguments combining it with mortscript will be easy and perfect for me.
7z archives can get smaller in size than half of the zip archives for the same files. And cabs are too annoying to work with and keep updated later on.
Only issue remaining now is checking whether I should put the archived files under \windows or use the sdcard for customization. I'm leaning toward the first but I'll have to wait and see how much memory I would be sacrificing that way.
Farmer Ted said:
The 21 is the number of bytes after the #. It doesn't matter. I usually just change the first number to 1. It works fine. Counting bytes blows.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah! I thought about counting bytes/characters and noticed that it works sometimes. But I thought it was a coincidence after I experimented in changing the value and noticed that it wasn't always the right count in the .lnk files that I found.
[rant]
Nice, I was messing around with some packages to free up ram and storage and I seem to have ended up with a rather b0rked up xTask. And then there's still convincing Resco Explorer that the registry add-in IS in fact there.
Figuring out the causes should keep me happily busy for a while (and probably heavily pissed for another while afterwards).
[/rant]
Edit:
Just for the record, I ended up using xda_uc it's a lot easier than doing things manually. Although it would help if there was some kind of documentation available, took me a while to understand what .xda, xdai, xdas & .xdaz files are supposed to be.
hi by the way is it possible to convert ext packages of QVGA phones to one another?