Database Users

MS Cloning Method to Quickly Restore Data After ROM Upgrade

I'd like to toss this out for discussion. This might already exist, it might not.
Microsoft had system builders use a Disk Differencing technique to extract what exactly had changed after installing applications and customizations.
First, we'd install the OS and create a base image.
Second, we'd install the apps & customizations we wanted for our customers.
Third, we'd create another image. An app would then compare these two images and determine what files were added/changed and what registry additions, deletions, alterations were performed.
I'm hoping we can do the same for ROM upgrades.
1. OLD ROM - Base image.
2. Install apps and customizations - Image "Apps". This will give us our customizations.
3. Install new ROM - NEW base image created. Compare to OLD ROM base image to see what has changed (that we need to look out for that our APPs image might adversly change).
4. Apply Apps image to restore all customizations & applications.
Ideas anyone?

The theory sounds good.
Maybe buzz can comment?

The theory is very feasable, ive used similar building Win PE rescue disks, you have a app that gives you the base bootable image made from a Win XP install CD. then you add home made "modules" ie, your installed apps or networking capabilities etc. then it makes an image for you to use,
that cant really be that difficult to do the same for Win CE,
Ive also seen a M$ webcast thing where the guy took 45 mins to build an entire image for a win ce device,
so yer, it is very feasible that such dev apps exist, after all, they were made and then sold to the hardware vendors before ever being a rom image.
check in msdn for win ce 5 stuff, its a very intresting read, :shock:

it is a good idea, but only for linear ROMs, where each file has always it's own and same place in the rom and such rom is not compressed.
hmm...
but you can do partial rom upgrades with wm5 roms...
...and it would be possible to make registry diff + DOC Storage partition backup, where you actually install programs (so called \Device) and userdata.
buzz

buzz_lightyear said:
it is a good idea, but only for linear ROMs, where each file has always it's own and same place in the rom and such rom is not compressed.
hmm...
but you can do partial rom upgrades with wm5 roms...
...and it would be possible to make registry diff + DOC Storage partition backup, where you actually install programs (so called \Device) and userdata.
buzz
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok...Since I'm not a programmer and somewhat of a noob with respect to WinCE, I am NOT constrained by what might be a logical limitation to a programmer or someone in the "know". So, below is my thinking ... outside of the box (er, PDA) style.
But first, I need to grasp further Buzz's post above about the locations of things in ROM. Does this mean that there isn't, for lack of a better example, a FAT for the ROM? That every individual thing is expected to be at some specific, static location that can't change? If so, I see your point. But that tells the system that this location is static? Also, doesn't that make bug fixes difficult as the fix might exceed the designated space in ROM? Or do bug fixes always get re-applied after each reset? Patching in memory is how I'm looking at this. (Remember, I'm a non-programmer...deal with me, please.) LOL
Ok..out of the box time.
1. Can a shim be used to capture calls to a certain location in the ROM and redirect to another location (within the ROM or even the storage card. Linux builds anyone?). Like what HD disk managers did to get around LBA limitations or even boot sector viruses did.
2. Can an emulator be used to simulate/backup/build/test the ROMs on a PC before wiping the PDA? Don't laugh, but if not, could something be done with Virtual PC? Oh..Ok, laugh.
(Should I go hide somewhere?)

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4.5 is now available. Check main post.

Minor issue with 4.5 release
4.6 is available as a full install or just an update to 4.5
Check main post.

Many thanks... This is an incredible app!

As if an already amazing app couldn't get better! I feel like doing a hard-reset just to watch it work! haha.
Thanks!

UPDATE: 5.0 is now available.

don't work for other then wwe sytem because "storage card" in french is "Carte de stockage" thanks.

chiekh said:
don't work for other then wwe sytem because "storage card" in french is "Carte de stockage" thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please provide more information as to "don't work"
What doesn't work?
What are the error messages?
Although I haven't done extensive tests with non-standard storage card names, I renamed my card to "Carte de stockage" and was able to run an Auto install without an issue.

SASHIMI 6.0 is here! Check first post for change log and more information!

SASHIMI 6.5beta is here! Check first post for change log and more information!

one of the "must have" software for the flash addicts!
i am impressed. i watched yr videos....man, when you do something, you are going all the way the full 9 yards
thank you, thank you and ...R E S P E C T! !
oops, got confused and posted here, sorry.

Thanks man I was looking for something like this.

7.0 is now available

Cool, I like the AUTO function very much which now makes it possible to also auto install interactive setups!
I had to use other additional tools so far, but now no more!
Also Macisu is a great thing. By the way there are also VPN and GPRS settings based on the same technique which I think are not handled so far, right? Will you include them also in a later version?
Regarding the PIM backup: Because the auto install does not allow to overwrite some read only and similar files whereas the manual version is doing it according to the doc, I suppose this might be the reason that simply copying a PIM.VOL into the auto-root folder and trying to auto install it is not working, right?
But it would be very convenient if one could restore a pim.vol also in the auto install phase.
Is there any chance to get this done?
Thank you very much one more time for this phantastic and still getting better and better tool!

asango said:
Cool, I like the AUTO function very much which now makes it possible to also auto install interactive setups!
I had to use other additional tools so far, but now no more!
Also Macisu is a great thing. By the way there are also VPN and GPRS settings based on the same technique which I think are not handled so far, right? Will you include them also in a later version?
Regarding the PIM backup: Because the auto install does not allow to overwrite some read only and similar files whereas the manual version is doing it according to the doc, I suppose this might be the reason that simply copying a PIM.VOL into the auto-root folder and trying to auto install it is not working, right?
But it would be very convenient if one could restore a pim.vol also in the auto install phase.
Is there any chance to get this done?
Thank you very much one more time for this phantastic and still getting better and better tool!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks..I'll answer here, but please post any additional comments/questions in the main SASHIMI thread.
Post any suggestions for Makisu in the Makisu thread (see it in my sig). Please try to link to any information on XML/CSPs you want added to help me in trying to implement it.
Also, as far as the PIM...no this won't work (even with the read-only overwrite in Auto phase). This is because the PIM.VOL is not able to be overwritten. This is not because it is read-only but because it is locked down by some system process. The method I am using to restore it is to rename the original, and then replace it with the backup. A reboot is needed to finish the job so that the system will take its lock off the old one and begin using the "new" PIM.VOL.

SASHIMI 7.5 is up.
Video highlighting some changes:
> here <
As the program grows it gets increasingly more time consuming for me to QA it prior to release. I appreciate any feedback, bug reports, etc. Enjoy!​

hi bengalih. i see you are now supporting i780 screen resolution for 7.5.
let me know if you're going to support omnia in future releases. I'd be willing to test.
I used to run sashimi on my kaiser but since I relegated it as my secondary device, I haven't been flashing it lately. I did try to hack the scripts and found out that the code used is hard coded depending on the screen resolution so it didn't work on my omnia.

darth maximus said:
hi bengalih. i see you are now supporting i780 screen resolution for 7.5.
let me know if you're going to support omnia in future releases. I'd be willing to test.
I used to run sashimi on my kaiser but since I relegated it as my secondary device, I haven't been flashing it lately. I did try to hack the scripts and found out that the code used is hard coded depending on the screen resolution so it didn't work on my omnia.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, actually a user in the thread hacked the i780 support so I included it officially in this release (as I don't like "hacked" versions of SASHIMI going around.)
I believe the omnia screen is 240x400 is that correct?
What I will need you to do is download these test CABs:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=98270&d=1215661765
For each one I need a screenshot of the install location screen (Where is asks where you want to install).
Also, a full registry export (in .REG) format of your device may be helpful.
What does the omnia use for external storage, does it have a standard Storage Card slot like the Kaiser?
Once you get me that info I should be able to get the support in and I will post a beta for you to test.

Hi,
Thanks for bringing version 7.5, the root directory works so much faster now. It was very slow in version 7.0, but I didn't feedback about it, since it works.
Today's feedback is on Makisu, which you had added all the settings that WM provides.
After I use Makisu to create a wireless profile, it seems that the selection was not written in.
The profile I try to create:
1. Network name: ABC
2. Connects to: The Internet
3. This is hidden network
4. Authentication: Open
5. Data Encrytion: WEP
6. The key is automatically provided
7. Use IEEE 802.1x network access control
8. EAP type: PEAP
Note that after I created the above profile, save it, and provision it, when I went into the settings to see if everything was created correctly, item 7 was not checked, and item 8 not set.
I tried twice, the result was the same. You might want to check it out.
Thanks.

zard said:
Hi,
Thanks for bringing version 7.5, the root directory works so much faster now. It was very slow in version 7.0, but I didn't feedback about it, since it works.
Today's feedback is on Makisu, which you had added all the settings that WM provides.
After I use Makisu to create a wireless profile, it seems that the selection was not written in.
The profile I try to create:
1. Network name: ABC
2. Connects to: The Internet
3. This is hidden network
4. Authentication: Open
5. Data Encrytion: WEP
6. The key is automatically provided
7. Use IEEE 802.1x network access control
8. EAP type: PEAP
Note that after I created the above profile, save it, and provision it, when I went into the settings to see if everything was created correctly, item 7 was not checked, and item 8 not set.
I tried twice, the result was the same. You might want to check it out.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, there was a problem there, easiy fixed and a 1.6 update is posted (both on the Makisu thread, and a SASHIMI-specific update on the first post of the main SASHIMI thread).
Thanks for the feedback!

A guide to tweaking your X2.

Disclaimer: I am not knowledgeable about phones. I do not code and nor do I usually do what I describe in this post. The contents herein was put together by me in order to avoid confusion for people with the same interest as myself, making my X2 work better/faster or just plain customized. Because of this, I've made a few assumptions and also only described the way that worked for me.
This guide is based on the collective work of forum users, I take no credit or responsibility for its accuracy other than the fact that it worked for me.
This is only the installation steps, they are not specific to my knowledge. There are other guides out there for changing your language and doing more advanced thing, but this is just the basics. At least they are to me. Let us begin.
-----------------
Hello and welcome, this post is meant to guide you through the process of customizing the installation of your Xperia X2. My hope is that it will make your phone more responsive, but more importantly give you the option of deciding what you want installed.
The first thing we're going to be doing is to get ahold of the right files to install on your X2. Thankfully these files have been made availiable to us by PavelX1 in his post "NEW ORIGINAL X2 ROMS + Extracted CABs update 14.6.2010"*
Don't let the number and letter jumble intimidate you, on your own X2 the information you need to find the right package is found at Settings -> System -> Unit Information**. Here you'll find a bunch of numbers and letter combinations, if you look closely some of these will correspond to the names of the files availiable by PavelX1. Find the one that corresponds to your unit.
In my case it said that the following:
Software ID: 1230-2397
Software Version: R3AA035
Customization ID: 1231-4911
Customization version : R20A
Language Region: GENERIC_SE
I therefore searched for the following file which matched my information :X2_1230-2397_GENERIC_SE_R3AA035_CDF1231-4911_R20A.rar. Below that file was the file we're interested in for this particular guide. The GENERIC_*your language*_*version*_CABS.rar which in my case was named GENERIC_SE_R3AA035_CABS.
Now what we're going to do is get your computer prepared. Please download the Sony Ericsson Update Service (SEUS) available at their website.
If this is the first time connecting your X2 to your computer it might want to install some drivers in order for your computer to communicate with your phone, this is irrelevant to this guide but I mention it in order to let you know that this is normal and you have done nothing wrong.
Once we can connect to our phone and use its memorycard (which I assume you have) we will open the GENERIC_*your language*_*version*_CABS.rar and extract its contents into it. It has been suggested that you throw in an extra file together with the others availiable in the post "Want a fix for the X2? Only us can do it." on page 3.
We may now move on.
If you already have SEUS installed it was suggested by royalbloodvi in his thread "[TESTED 100% WORKING] Quickest way to get MR2 for those of you who can't get it!" that you remove the following folder C:\Program Files\Sony Ericsson\Update Service\db from your computer. I haven't tried any other way so I'll leave that bit of info as is.
Now we can begin the install process, this will take a little while so don't be in a hurry. It's important that you do not do this on a phone with an empty battery as it may interrupt the install process and cause problems, charge it before you do this. You may also want to backup any files important to you on the phone as they will be removed in this step. As an extra precaution you may want to remove the sim card as well.
Now that we're ready, go to Settings -> System -> Clear phone memory and press it. You'll have reset your phone to its original, empty, state. Connect your phone to your computer, if you haven't already, and begin the update process. SEUS might tell you that your phone is already up to date, this may be true, but we don't WANT it to be up to date, we want to decide what it is updated WITH so click update anyway.
Your phone will reboot. Disconnect your phone from your computer and open the backside of your phone by sliding the lock switch and removing the cover. Remove the stylus and you will see a small depression at the top left that was shidden by it. This is the hard-reset button for your phone which we will be using in a moment. Untill then you wait. Your phone will ask you to calibrate it after the sony logo has shown up. Calibrate the screen and your phone will start installing .cab files. quickly go to the hard-reset we mentioned a moment ago and press the tip of the stylus to it. A click was heard on my X2 when I pressed it and I assume the same is true for yours.
Now your phone will reboot, you will notice that it looks markedly different from what it did before this procedure. Don't worry, we can fix that if you like, but first we must address the window that has popped up and asked if you wish to try the install again. No, no we don't. Click no.
We are now freed from the shakles of oppression that is preinstalled and unremoveable software and may begin installing the files we WANT.
GO to the file explorer and select Storage Card and you will see all of the files we extracted to it previously. In order for you to know which ones you want I suggest that you go to the second page in the thread "Want a fix for the X2? Only us can do it." to get an overview of what the individual files do. Installing them is as simple as clicking them and selecting to what part of the phone you want them installed, I choose to install all of these files to my phone and not my memory card.
Now, to get your phone looking like it did before you did this (assuming you didn't use a panel but a standard theme) you will spot three theme files called X2_Saturn.cab (which is the one I use that looks like the stock one) X2_Saturn_Light.cab (which I don't know what the difference is) and X2_Titan.cab (which I also don't know what it looks like).
And that's that, you're done and hopefully your phone is more to your likeing.
--------------
Here is a shorter step by step guide without the filling, unceremoniously "borrowed" from royalbloodvi and slightly reformatted. Please read the full guide and use this only as a quick procedure guide.
1) Reset your phone.
2) Unpack the GENERIC_*your language*_*version*_CABS.rar to your phones memory card and add the multifix.cab found on this site.
3) Open SEUS, start a new update. Even if it says you have the latest version you want to do it update anyway.
4) Once your phone reboots the calibrations screen will appear. After calibration it will start applying .cab files. Now push the reset button that is hidden behind your stylus and battery cover and it will reboot again.
5) You may now find the files you wish to install on your phones memory card in the file explorer.
*I, as I am a new member, am not allowed to post links, thus the name of the forums from which this information is gleaned is named instead of a direct link.
**If this informations isn't named exactly the same as I have described it, but is merely similar, it could be because I've done a literal translation from Swedish to English.
Edit: I just noticed a very similar guide is available on the General section, which I overlooked. I feel like an ass now. This thread may removed at moderators leisure.

How do i back up my current state.

Hello guys, i have been running Android on my hd2 for a few months now off the sd card and am becoming interested in flashing and also testing out windows phone 7. I do not want to attempt flashing though until i have a backup of my current windows mobile rom. How do i create a backup?
p.s.
i use gnu/linux; but can use a windows 7 virtual machine if i need windows.

SPB backup is my recomendation for good backups on WM, up to 6.5.x builds it has not let me down yet.
Make sure you have current ROM image to flash back to so you can install the backup you make back to it.
Good idea to use another sd card for WP7 or copy of it as WP7 does some odd stuff to SD cards Lol ...
As for your workstation OS not sure how successful W7 virtual machine will be, either resaerch further or wait for more replies.

Hi, thanks for your reply Mr B, i can't see why the virtual machine wouldn't be able to handle it; worse case scenario, i can use my girlfriends mac which has windows 7 on another partition. My data isn't real important to me as there's not much on there that's to hard to get back easily. I didn't explain my self well enough as i'm new to phone hacking and not quite up there with the jargon yet. After you're reply, i have caught on a tad more, and what i meant to ask was, how do i make a rom image?

In the sense you are thinking I think the answer is you can not.
It is possible to dump ROM using tools like romdump but this is just the raw ROM & not all your personal settings, apps ect ect.
Your best bet & closest I believe you will get to achieving your goal is finding & keeping installer for current used ROM & Radio & full SPB backup file, with these files you could return current device to this previous ROM & personal setup 100%.
If your current ROM is not easily available you could romdump & rebuild the dump to nbh installer file but that is not without some hassle unless you have some experience in this field.

Some ROMs come UC (user customization) tools pre-installed to configure your set-up for you at first boot, as long as you have used the tools to backup your setup, you can re-flash your ROM, let the UC run, and have everything set up 99% just as it was when backed up.
There's a bit of a learning curve to the UC way though, xml editing knowledge is a big plus with it, but once you get it figured out and all set up, UC is the most complete backup method available for WinMo.
Energy ROMs have UC already installed, alls you have to do is set it all up before flashing a new ROM. There's a few other UC ROMs, but Energy is the one that comes to mind, since it's the WM ROM I used before I switched to NAND Android

Thanks for your help guys, especially for even going through the effort of posting me a link, mr b. I just want to backup my rom though, how do i do this? i look at a overly complicated tutorial that covered several topics, and i also just tried finding the stock rom for my device but i just can't. So o can i just backup my current/stock rom

backing up current ROm by dumping ROm & then rebuilding is not that easy so best option is finding your current stock ROM & use SPB backup to image current setup of that ROM.
Post device model type & ROM you are looking for someone might have it or a link for it.

Hello;
Model No:
HTC HD2 T9193
ROM version:
1.72.841.0 (82124) WWE
I checked out them links you posted in my other thread i'd created, and one didn't work, and the other i'd found previously and there download link doesn't work.
I'm abandoning that thread as this one pretty much covers the exact same thing.

http://www.filesonic.com/file/19420...CRC_Signed_15.32.50.07U_2.07.51.22_2_Ship.exe

Thanks mate. Ok so now i'm all set and satisfied to get flashing. Just a quick question; what kind of stuff does win phone 7 do to the sd card? that you mentioned earlier. Nothing a reformat can't fix?

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=918170
WP7 in general has some quite stupid concepts & the handling of the SD card could only of only been considered a good idea by team Redmond.

Issues with Accelerometer/Screen Rotation

Before I get shut down for posting about a topic that has been posted before - I am doing this so others can access all the info in one place without having to scour the web/forum/posts.
Firstly let me point out a couple of important topics of discussion:
- You may just have a phone that has a hardware error. If you run through this post and options and you don't have any success, give some serious thought to getting it repaired because no matter how many new rom releases come out it isn't going to fix it.
- Full SELinux Support - If you use TWRP2 they have recently updated to 2.7.0.1 - It's worth reading through the 'Note' listed in the changelog. They talk about how Full SELinux Support is needed for installing Kit Kat roms and some of their older versions didn't support it. (http://teamw.in/project/twrp2)
- Rom and App settings - The Rom has several places to tick/untick screen rotation. Some apps also have screen rotation toggles. The important one is the Rom settings, make sure you have actually turned rotation on. It can be found in the notifications menu at the top of your screen (if you haven't removed it through customisation), also in Settings>Display> which is not to be confused with 'Smart rotation'.
- Smart Rotation - You do not need this turned on for screen rotation to work. In fact I would recommend leaving it turned off as it slows screen rotation down. I'll leave it up to you.
- Samsung Bloatware - There has been some talk on the forum about how removing Samsung apps has caused screen rotation to break. This is possible as several library files are shared. Since you are running a "custom" Rom it's hard to know whether any scripts have been included in the installation that haven't been specifically listed in a changelog.
- Model Vs Region Vs Solution - There are quite a few S4 models available at present. Most of these have hardware differences and the solution that worked for someone else may not work for you. It's good for you to start by learning what the differences are and what components were included in the version you purchased (this will save headaches later).
BACKUP YOUR DATA - I will not be held responsible for any actions you take with your device!
Ok, let's get started with the options/work arounds that you may wish to use and how they work (You will need to have root access):
1. ReInstall the Rom - This is the first place to start. You can usually install over the top of the initial installation without any issues. This would replace any data that may be corrupt from the installation. If you have installed a custom kernel it will install the one that comes with the Rom.
2. Clean install of the Rom - Sometimes we have to strip it all the way back to like-new. This means you would need to Factory Reset the phone (this will remove all apps and sign in data). If you wish to go all the way in cleaning off your device there is a Format option available in TWRP2 and PhilzTouch. Don't format unless you know what you're doing otherwise you could format the EFS data and then you're screwed. Don't say you haven't been warned.
3. a) Install a Library file (through recovery) - This is a script that has been built to replace a library file that is removed when you uninstall Samsung Hub. There is a discussion taking place in the Note3 forum where you can get the file. Be sure to follow their instructions exactly. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=50099965
b) Install a Library file (through Android) - Using the same ScreenRotation.zip file you can download from the link above, open the zip and save 'libgnustl_shared.so'. You will need to put this file on your phone somewhere you can find it so you can copy it to the correct location and set some permissions. You need root access to even attempt this one, if you are unsure about what you're doing I would proceed with caution. It's not rocket science however you want to make sure that you don't alter any of the other files. You need to place libgnustl_shared.so into the \System\Lib folder. If the file is already there I would rename the old file rather than copying over the top. This just saves you in case anything else goes wrong and you need to go back a step. You need to change the permissions of the file before going anywhere. I used ES File Explorer to move the file and it allows simple change of the file permissions (through properties). It needs to be -rw-r--r-- or if you are using ES File Explorer then it should read Owner: Read & Write, Group: Read, Other: Read. You will then need to boot into recovery and wipe cache and davlik cache (don't confuse this with Wipe: Factory Reset).
4. Install a Stock Rom from YOUR phone provider - Telco's spend time and money ensuring their releases work with all the features of the phone, this is sometimes the reason why they take so long to update their software. Some of these features are Telco specific and others are region specific (hence my comment about being aware of what you have purchased). If you have installed a stock rom and you still have screen rotation issues it is likely (not guaranteed) that there is a hardware issue. In my experience installing a stock unmodified rom often addresses the issues that crop up on custom roms. It's worth testing it for a day or two on stock to ensure it's not intermittent. If you are willing to go to all the trouble you could try installing a custom rom again. I have has success in the past doing it this way. I can only assume that the installation of the stock rom addresses issues with internal components/firmware.
5. Kit Kat Roms - If you have loaded a bootloader that excludes you from installing your carriers stock rom (due to it being Jelly Bean or earlier), there are stock Kit Kat roms you can download in the forum. You won't have the added support of carrier addons and tweaks, however you will still get stock Samsung which is the next best thing.
What to do if none of the above work?
There are two options 1. Send it off for repair 2. Continue to work on it yourself with the help of others on the forum.
If you wish to continue working on it yourself or you have voided your warranty here are some tools to help. You need to take a look at whether your accelerometer is working - This is indicative only (an indicator) and will help you narrow the problem down.
1. In your dialer (phone) put in the following *#0*#
This will allow you to go in and see how the components are responding - You want to take a look at Sensors.
2. Accelerometer Monitor/Test Applications
There are quite a few for free on the market place - They will show you how the X, Y & Z axis are responding to the movement of the phone. Sometimes it is quite obvious when certain axis are not responding at all. Some of these applications will allow you to calibrate the sensors. I am not 100% sure whether these calibration options will work on Kit Kat. If you are speaking with a developer of a custom rom they will often query you for log data, this is code that will help them work out what is going wrong. This doesn't guarantee they will be able to fix it. Not all of the accelerometer apps provide a log but is necessary information you'll need if you decide to go down that path.
(AndroSensor is relatively good - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fivasim.androsensor)
Let me know how you go.