Database Info

M500 n00b

hi,
Having just purchased my M500 today im a noob to all things magician and m500!
Looking around this interesting site i notice a lot of talk about big storage. Sorry if this question has been asked before, but what is big storage?
Lets say i di the big storage thing......would i then loose my current orange rom on my device?
Is it easy to do? I've updated the rom on my c500 and that was straight fwd, can sombody explaain to m500 noob, but is willing to learn!
luvin the site.

I have a m500, and i have changed the original rom (as suplied with the m500) to bigstorage.
It wipes out the hidden partion that is used to brand the phone and increases the "storage" partion (which as default is around 7mb) to 27mb, the only downside is that the branding apps that are hidden are no longer on your device.
This means that when you hard reset the device you will have to manualy choose the files to install.
Imp

Thats a great explanation, thanks.
I've been messing around so far, and i think i understand the whole process. Coudl you just confirm this for me?
I have downloaded the big storage rom WWE.111 from the ftp and swapped the first 416bytes in hex editor with the first 416bytes from my rom which i've got from my ohone. i then load the edited WWE.111 big storage rom back into my m500 using the sd card method. An that will give me a bigstorage rom?

could somebody post the extrom of the m500 please ?
thanks

M500 Rom upgrade
I have been trying to upgrade it to 1.12 ROM, however when I used ntrw to write it onto my SD card, it said parameter incorrect, then when I flash my M500, it said Check Sum error. Any remedy? Also has anyone tried the Radio 1.13?

EggZenBeanz, thats right. should give you bigstorage....remember to ignore the error messages on your phone after you copy the rom from your sd card.
Dutty, there is already the orange m500 ext rom on the ftp site.
vz7, they are the same errors that i got when i big rom'ed mine (even tho i am still on rom 1.06 (not worried in upgrading the rom as yet)
as i said in the other post, i upgraded to 1.13 radio rom last night with no problem.
EDIT
if anyone wants my desciption of the orange ext rom (what each cab files do) give us a shout. i went though them one by one and isntalled them, to see if i wanted them or not.
Imp

Thankyou for clearing these things up. As the post suggested im a noob to all this, so i wanted to get it clear in my mind on top of reading all the tuts i could find.
So, when the rom hack has been applied and is working. i get 25mb extra storage, and i should loose all the clearview stuff etc.. Thats cool cheers.

Impossible said:
EDIT
if anyone wants my desciption of the orange ext rom (what each cab files do) give us a shout. i went though them one by one and isntalled them, to see if i wanted them or not.
Imp
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't mind a discription of the cabs on the rom as im just about to "Go large".

I wouldn't mind a list of what each file does either - I'd thought about doing a big storage hack on my m500, but there wasn't anything available last time I checked.
Presumably I can copy all the files for the storage area onto my SD card, and save them for later?
Where abouts is the ROM on the ftp site? I couldn't see anything that specifically mentions the m500...
Edit - OK, I think I understand now...I found a useful guide that I followed.
The only problem is, I've only got a 1gb sd card, so the hex editor won't open the rom image after I've dumped it! Is there any way around this, or do I need to get 128mb card?

The file of the descriptions is a bit scruffy atm, i will tidy it up and post it again soon here. (scruffy file attached to this post, you need to be logged into the forums to dl'ed it)
the path to the m500 ext rom is ..... i cant connect to the ftp atm.
I backed up the ext rom on my desktop pc, and put the vital cabs on a sd card that i have spare and keep in my wallet, just incase the rom resets.
I had a similar problem to dan13l when i dumped the rom, the ntrw.exe app is a bit of a pig, as it dumps a image of the sd card, and not of the actual rom.... i used a 256mb card, i suppose you could partion the 1gig card to around 256mb then try it out?
something that i didnt read was, when performing the rom dump, is that the sd card will be fully erased during dump. So back it up if you need the data on it.
one word about one of the cabs in the ext rom, OrangeUK_ActionE_Connection.cab is a odd one. It encloses some apps that i didnt like installed on my m500 but it has the gprs settings inside it, i have managed to pull these out and put them in there own cab. This helps prevent installing the annoying "action" programs
Imp

Thanks for that Impossible.
I noticed you've mentioned another MMS version in that text file, is there an updated mms app somewhere?
I found the ext rom on the ftp - that'll come in handy I'm sure.
There appears to be three ways of applying the big storage hack:
1) Apply a rom with Big Storage already hacked into it. This involves copying the first chunk of the standard rom using a hex editor and pasting it over the new rom. Correct?
2) Manually edit two bits of hex on a dumped rom, and reflash using the modified version.
3) Run a tool against a dumped rom to make the changes for you.
Now, I was working towards 2 until I had my sd card problem. I'm going to buy a 256mb card on my way home tonight and try with that. Am I right in thinking that if I dump my m500's rom, then apply the hex changes, that rom could be used for all m500's? As I understand it, option 1 is only relevent if you're applying a rom from one device to another (so a Jam to an M500, for example)?
So, in theory, once one of us has managed to modify the m500 rom (as you've done already, Impossible) then that rom image could be uploaded and used on all m500's? Also, if someone uploads an unmodified m500 rom, that could be used to revert back later if needs be...
Is all this correct? I think I'm starting to get my head around things.

the comments in the cab file description are a bit funny, its my own personal scrall that i found out over the test i did on the cabs, i think i found newer vesions on the ftp and installed these apps instead of the ones that orange comes with, and the "about" on the app confirmed this.
I will revisit the file soon and tidy it up making it more helpful.
i dumped my m500 rom (with the intention of keeping the 1.06 version that came with my m500) then i used mksBigStoragerENG.exe to patch it to bigstorage.
If anyones intrested in me uploading the 1.06 rom with big storage i will, but you have to remember that this has not got any orange branding on. the next step if you did use this rom would be to apply the choosen cab files to apply the settings/apps you want.
Also, i dont mind uploading the original rom (complete with the ext rom) but i think that was on there when i last looked at the ftp.
dan13l, i did just realise, even if you formated your 1gig card to a smaller size, the dump will clear that out
prehaps you could find a different hex editor? or even use the mksBigStoragerENG.exe app that I used to patch mine, instead of a editor (which reverts the rom file from your storage card size, back down to its original size of around 62mb)
Imp

Yay! It worked
Now I just need to reinstall everything.
I'll post everything I did later, got to go and eat something now!
Impossible - thanks for your help. Do you have the GPRS settings you extracted? I don't want to have to install the whole action engine thing...
Thanks again all.

All sorted - I managed to extract the gprs settings myself and create a cab.
FYI - the latest MMS app I found was dated May, and doesn't appear to work on the m500. I've not tried the March version yet.

GPRS settings etc are available on buymobilephones.net
V

Noob alert
Is there a nice HTML guide which tells a muppet how to do this? How to keep any Orange apps copied somewhere else and re-install after the hack IF wanted? A list of the additional Orange apps and what they do?
Thanks.
Meth

can someone post the link to the orange extrom - i can't find the ftp....
cheers
al

ftp://ftp.xda-developers.com/Magician/Extended_Roms/M500_WWE1.06.175/

Methanoid said:
Noob alert
Is there a nice HTML guide which tells a muppet how to do this? How to keep any Orange apps copied somewhere else and re-install after the hack IF wanted? A list of the additional Orange apps and what they do?
Thanks.
Meth
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Go to the link posted by sporkguy and download everything - that's the contents of your extended rom.
Next, go here: http://tinyurl.com/dhgoc
That's about the best guide I've found (although there are a couple of good ones on this site). Follow the steps on there to use the mksBigStorager executable to patch your rom.
I think it would be possible to upload a pre-patched rom image for the m500 to the ftp, and simply write that to an sd card (using the last section of the guide linked to above).

Please can you take a loo at this screen grab. What do i stand to gain from the storage hack? This piccy is pre storage hack.

Newbie questions re BigStorage

Hiya, was looking for software and stuff for the SPV M500, and found all this stuff about BigStorage, so here I am.
All seems fairly straight forward, but I can't seem to find any working links to the WWE_1.11.zip BigStorage ROM (the ftp doesn't connect, and all other links both here and elsewhere seem unavailable or corrupt). Does anyone know where I can obtain this file, please?
Also, before I flash this 'phone, how do I get the original CABs on my PC/SD card, to reinstall the applications I need to put back on, and discard the usual Orange bloaters that I don't need?
Thanks in advance.

HalibutMcGaffigan - if you're happy with your rom, the best idea might be to backup your own rom and use the generic bigstorage rom hack to hack that, and then flash it back onto your own phone. That way, you're sure of no incompatibilities, and no messing around with hex editors.
To get your cabs off, find the extended rom indexing site, or use the technique of softreseting just after you've reflashed and finished aligning the screen.
V

Unbranding

Hi
Problably lots of people already asked this. Believe it or not, I searched the forum and i didnt sow that many information about it. I have a mda compact customized with t-mobile software. Basacly I want to take the T-mobile Stuff out, it dosnt even let me set up a gprs account for another operator.
Any help would be thankfull
Ivo

your best bet would be to get the device unlokcke, ( see the unlock tool in the general section of the forun for the unkocl all in one tool) and then upgrade the rom with that of an imate's or qtek's
hope that helps
Jim

Hi
thanks for quick reply.
I unlocked it already. Its just the t-mob crap i want to get rid off. where about can i donload the roms ?
thanks

found the solution ...
just upgraded it with an original firmware and the no_id file
thanks for the help
Ivo

...and where can i find the original firmware and the no_id file? :?:
I would like to have my Orange m500 clean too! Only with the applications i'd like to use.
Can this only be done with installing those extendedRoms? Its very difficult for me to find a clear tutorial about this.
regards

The ext-rom brands your magician. When you want to get rid of it just
- make a backup of calendar, contacts, tasks etc.
- hard-reset
- folow initialize procedure on screen
- soft-reset as soon as you get the standard WM background & before the customizatiin (=branding) starts.
You need to do this last step after every hard-reset unless you go for BIG Storage & completely wipe-out the ext-rom & get a storage folder of 27Mb instead of 7Mb.
Instructions for BS are to be found on the forum. No need to search for a special rom, you can do it with your current rom.
Cheers, M

thnx @ oltp
I'll give it a try

I can not find enithing in this Search

Hi everybody!
I’ve surfed this forum many times, trying to find topics, where I could get info, such.
What are Radio Rom, Extended Rom, and Extracted Rom?
What they include inside?
To whom belongs files nk.nbf and ms.nbf?
What gives new version, when you do update?
What is Bluetooth version 1.0 ----2.0, is it version of chipset, or is it version of software?
Can you change this version of bluetooth, and a lot of questions, where I can’t find any answers over Word!!!
I have seen many times, instead answers just redirect to old topics.
Where do I know, may be from that time this question about WM5.0 is WORK?
I am myself seen QTEC2020i(XDAIIi) complete with mobile 5.0.
Please, answer how to Search(make sentence) and where(index), or answer to one of the many questions above?

Hi YARMen!
I know the search can be problematic if you do not enter the right keywords and even then it doesn't cover the WiKi which is where you should look for most of the answers.
Here are some quick answers for you:
Radio ROM - The drivers and stuff that control the phone WiFi and BT (all the radio) this is separate from the OS and can be updated by it self.
Extended ROM is a part of the devices FLASH that is hidden (can be unhidden with reg hacks and used to store files so they won't be deleted during hard reset). It is used to store provider customization cabs that install automatically after you hard reset the device.
Extracted ROM is a ROM image extracted from a device. Basically you take all the OS, drivers and stuff and save them to a file on the PC for later use.
To whom belongs files nk.nbf and ms.nbf?
What gives new version, when you do update?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not exactly sure what you mean here. the mbf files are ROM images, and updates are produced by the OEMs. (Original Equipment Manufacturers)
Not sure about BT, but I think it's hardware.
That's it.

radio rom also called radio stack
have the software which also control the gsm/umts phone software

Thank you very much for answers!
Not exactly sure what you mean here. the mbf files are ROM images, and updates are produced by the OEMs. (Original Equipment Manufacturers)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I updated my PDA I used ROM which consisted files ms_.nbf, nk.nbf, and radio_.nbf. I think it get 1, 2, 3 steps to install the softwere.
You can upgrade all of them or just one, moving files from folder, where installer starts.
So I know now what is radio_.nbf, it is radio ROM about that you have told me. Question is what the rest?
And please, if you know, what about version Bluetooth below?

Ok, well nk.nbf is 'main' ROM. It's the OS and hardware drivers for touch screen, LCD etc.
I am not sure but that leaves ms_.nbf to be the extended ROM. I could be wrong though.

Thank you, Levenum.
Good job!

There is a solution of search.
If you want to find exact words or sentences into this forum, or another wiki sites go to Google.com or another search server, put your words in extended search and choose domen(write down) 'forum.xda-developers.com' and etc.

Recreate Official T-Mo ROM

I am a noob .... Just trying to get up to speed, so to help me understand this stuff, I have 2 questions.
1. Should i be able to extract an official T-mo wing ROM ...... and then be able to cook it to produce an identical/ almost identical rom to the t-mo stock? I understand there is no point in doing that..... but it helps me understand it better if I know this answer..... plus I was wanting to do that first as a benchmark .... so that I at least know I am doing everything right ... then start making changes from there.
Maybe a simple alternative question, the t-mobile stock rom has t-mobile specific OEM content (my faves for example) in it..... how would you go about extracting then baking that into a custom rom? Is that even possible?
2. when you flash to a signed Rom image nbh file ... What is it replacing (ipl, spl, OS, splash, radio, xip, imgfs)?? all of those things or just certain ones? Do different nbh files replace different compenants or is it consistant to where an nbh file always replaces the same thing?
I see in some of the kitchens... you can bake in your own radio, splash screen, etc... which got mo to thinking .... what will be different with the rom between baking one of those in vs not? It seems like it is optional.
Thanks

i would like a answer to this question myself...im only interested in the part about tweaking the original stock rom..can we beef it up at all?..change the pagepools..ect?

Originally quoted from JPick:
Just trying to get up to speed, so to help me understand this stuff, I have 2 questions.
1. Should i be able to extract an official T-mo wing ROM ...... and then be able to cook it to produce an identical/ almost identical rom to the t-mo stock? I understand there is no point in doing that..... but it helps me understand it better if I know this answer..... plus I was wanting to do that first as a benchmark .... so that I at least know I am doing everything right ... then start making changes from there.
HERE is a kitchen with the only two updates from tmobile, that are considered "stock ROMs;" cook with this kitchen to make a ROM that is with the WM 6.1 builds. This will show you what is involved in cooking a ROM that only has stock - OEM - packages. Also, don't forget to use 'LZX Compression.'
You can find the kitchen that I use HERE. The 23563 build is what I use (for reference). Use this kitchen from my guide to build a ROM with the latest build.​
Maybe a simple alternative question, the t-mobile stock rom has t-mobile specific OEM content (my faves for example) in it..... how would you go about extracting then baking that into a custom rom? Is that even possible?
You may be able to extract certain packages from the stock/update 6.1 ROM that you may be able to use in cooking a 6.5 ROM.​
2. when you flash to a signed Rom image nbh file ... What is it replacing (ipl, spl, OS, splash, radio, xip, imgfs)?? all of those things or just certain ones? Do different nbh files replace different compenants or is it consistant to where an nbh file always replaces the same thing?
Everything that you'd find in a true/stock update ROM you'll find in a cooked ROM.​
I see in some of the kitchens... you can bake in your own radio, splash screen, etc... which got mo to thinking .... what will be different with the rom between baking one of those in vs not? It seems like it is optional.
Unfortunately, I don't use that kind of kitchen. I feel it makes my ROMs a little bit more 'bulky;' my ROMs seem to not compress as well with the newer kitchens, therefore, I don't use these options you're talking about. So, I apologize, I don't really know the answer to this.​
Thanks
You're Welcome​
Originally quoted from idunnoV2i:
would like a answer to this question myself...im only interested in the part about tweaking the original stock rom..can we beef it up at all?..change the pagepools..ect?[/QUOTE]
Yes, you can change the pagepool.​