Database Info

T-mobile ROM or HTC ROM plus other questions!

Hi all i have been using pda phones for a long time and have followed this website for quite a while...
I have an obsession for these kind of phones...so today i upgraded my phone from vario to the new vario 3.
One of the first things i plan to do is flash the ROM/Radio (not to good with the terminology).
i was wondering what people think of the t-mobile rom ENG or any other versions of it and whether i would be better off using the original htc one...i wasnt really fond of the rom for the vario.
also i havent flashed a phone in a long long time (last time was for my mda compact which was nearly 2/3 years ago!)..so i wanted to ask is there anything i should know? i have been reading the threads and i wanted to know which version of the hard spl should i use because there are several different stickies with difference hard spl
Can you update the radio serparatly from the rom? or can you do them both at the same time? and also which radio and rom would you recommend?
and also where can i learn to understand what exactly rom/radio/ext rom are exactly..i have a respectable idea of what they are but jus wanna make sure i know what im doing before i do it..
and also what does dumping a rom do?
thanks for your help
sorry if these questions have already been asked!

slachanah said:
One of the first things i plan to do is flash the ROM/Radio
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why?
slachanah said:
i was wondering what people think of the t-mobile rom ENG
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've got no problems with it, actually. Sure, there's a few tweaks need installing, but I don't think there's anything serious enough to risk changing the ROM for - the device hasn't been out long enough for people to make any significant additions to it and as far as I know, there aren't any official upgrades out yet.
I've stuck the MoDaCo Vario III de-brand on, to change the icons back to sensible colours, then picked up other tweaks from this site and MoDaCo.
Easier than a ROM flash, reversible, and risk-free.
Before you rush off and flash a new ROM, ask yourself what you're actually trying to accomplish.

Mr.Clark said:
Why?
I've got no problems with it, actually. Sure, there's a few tweaks need installing, but I don't think there's anything serious enough to risk changing the ROM for - the device hasn't been out long enough for people to make any significant additions to it and as far as I know, there aren't any official upgrades out yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well i have read one of the threads that the htc rom does leave u more space and does run slightly quicker..
Mr.Clark said:
I've stuck the MoDaCo Vario III de-brand on, to change the icons back to sensible colours, then picked up other tweaks from this site and MoDaCo.
Easier than a ROM flash, reversible, and risk-free.
Before you rush off and flash a new ROM, ask yourself what you're actually trying to accomplish.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any particular tweaks that you would recommend here or the modaco website?
was trying to get rid of some of the bloatware that i didnt want that t-mobile provides..but i will take ur advice and not rush into it..will wait for a month or two before i start prying around...
plus the skin/today/theme/front page (dont know what it is but it surely has to be one of those) of the htc rom and orange rom looks cool!
do you know where i can get that from?
i.e. these ones htc
(http://www.trustedreviews.com/mobile-devices/review/2007/08/10/HTC-P4550-Kaiser-Smartphone/p3)
and orange (where it says software)
(http://www.tracyandmatt.co.uk/blogs/index.php/2007/09/07/htc_tytn_ii_review)
ps thanks for ur help and advice
im at work so it wont let me check the modaco website...but i will check it out when i get home

The T-Mobile ROM is about as near to the HTC one as an operator ROM is ever likely to get. The only piece of un-needed bloat was a trial version of F-Prot Antivirus; which takes a few seconds to uninstall. Even de-branding it is a pretty short job, as for once they haven't splashed pink everywhere.

The VarioIII rom from t-mob is actually very good... been using it for a few weeks, and feel no need to flash the 'proper' htc one...
tmob seem to have learnt to leave well alone... finally
g

ripnetuk said:
The VarioIII rom from t-mob is actually very good... been using it for a few weeks, and feel no need to flash the 'proper' htc one...
tmob seem to have learnt to leave well alone... finally
g
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
cheers for ur advise u guys
any tweaks in particular u would recommend i have seen the scha'p's advanced configuration tool im gonna use that...anything else?

The first tweak I'd recommend is Paul's Debrand that I mentioned in my previous post. Gets rid of a lot of the pink and switches back to nice Windows colours.
The Trusted Mobiles picture looks like it's using the Windows Default theme.
If you tap Start, Settings, Today then Windows Default, hit OK and return to the Today screen. Should look pretty similar.
Go back to that page again and tap the Items tab at the bottom. The giant widget with the clock is the HTC Home plugin. All I've got on my Today screen are that (modified) and the Calendar.
To modify the HTC Home plugin, head over to http://www.pocketemu.com/hhc-info.html and download the HTC Home Customizer. This is a fantastic app. Poke around the site, find the themes you want, then download, install and configure it.
The other biggie you'll want is the Kaiser Tweak. Have a read through that thread, but it's fairly self explanatory once you run it.
That should give you a start, anyway. Enjoy!

Should I keep the AT&T Tilt ROM or try the HTC (or some other) ROM?

Hello all -
I am getting my Tilt from AT&T tomorrow and I've been reading like crazy on this forum + wiki in preparation of getting it. Thanks to everyone who has contributed - awesome resource!
I understand the idea of flashing ROMS, unlocking, and general tweaking - I massively hacking/tweak my Tivo, etc. and I'm pretty sure I can get through it. But, I still have one question:
What, exactly, is the advantage of the HTC rom over the AT&T Tilt rom? I have never see the HTC rom but it looks like I can avoid the bloatware and add/tweak to my Tilt to make it similar to the HTC.
So, what exactly is on (or not on) the HTC rom that makes everyone want to switch away from the Tilt rom? What does the HTC rom have that the AT&T rom can't have???
Also: I have noticed some posts about battery life being different with different roms. I assumed that battery life would result from the way the varoius settings/options are set, but maybe I am not getting this.
I have read around on the forum quite a bit and I am understanding most of the nitty gritty details about these issues, but I'm a little unclear on what the problem is with the AT&T rom in the first place!
Any advice apreciated!! thanks - Dave

I get my Tilt Tuesday and am wondering what the "bottom line" is on this as well. It seems by removing bloatware, and installing a few cabs, you pretty much get a Kaiser. Speed and battery life are concerns for me though and if either is poor, I'm pretty comfortable installing a ROM (did it previously on my Wizard). Thanks to all for all the good info and advice. I've read way too much considering I don't even have the phone yet.

Hopefully we'll get an answer. On another forum I've read that you can install cabs to make the Tilt like the HTC, but on another thread I read that the HTC rom is different and better!
I'm not seeing any major disadvantages from using the HTC rom, actually, besides the menu problems which evidently have a fix. So, it might be worth a shot.

advantages
dhecker said:
Hello all -
I am getting my Tilt from AT&T tomorrow and I've been reading like crazy on this forum + wiki in preparation of getting it. Thanks to everyone who has contributed - awesome resource!
I understand the idea of flashing ROMS, unlocking, and general tweaking - I massively hacking/tweak my Tivo, etc. and I'm pretty sure I can get through it. But, I still have one question:
What, exactly, is the advantage of the HTC rom over the AT&T Tilt rom? I have never see the HTC rom but it looks like I can avoid the bloatware and add/tweak to my Tilt to make it similar to the HTC.
So, what exactly is on (or not on) the HTC rom that makes everyone want to switch away from the Tilt rom? What does the HTC rom have that the AT&T rom can't have???
Also: I have noticed some posts about battery life being different with different roms. I assumed that battery life would result from the way the varoius settings/options are set, but maybe I am not getting this.
I have read around on the forum quite a bit and I am understanding most of the nitty gritty details about these issues, but I'm a little unclear on what the problem is with the AT&T rom in the first place!
Any advice apreciated!! thanks - Dave
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
custom roms base on htc releases have many advantages:
1- get rid of all junk and restrictions of at&t one
2- reg hacks and fixes that take the most out of your phone
3- many more advantages but if numbered here will take me all night
search in these forum and you get many other reasons to change. For example i bought the tilt and in the same day i unlock it due a hardspl and change the rom to a custom one and beleive i will never come back to at&t stock rom.

I was in your guys shoes too. I read a ton on this forum before I got the phone. Here is my advice having had 2 Tilts, first one I had for a week, then returned it till I got a better deal.
When you first start the phone you go through a quick WM6 setup. After that it will say "Customizing Device" and there will be a progress bar. When this starts reset the phone with the stylus into the small hole at the bottom. That will prevent a lot of the ATT bloatware from loading.
Try that for a week, and if it isn't broke then don't fix it.
That said, there are a lot of HTC apps I love. Keep in mind you don't need a new rom to install them.
I would only try new ROMs if one or more of the following apply:
1) You are having some issues with stability or speed.
2) You need more space on the main memory.
3) You are lazy and want to try some other premade package.
Basically all the roms I tried are not that different then the stock ATT rom without the "Customizations" bloatware install. Plus you can get the phone to the exact same level by installing apps and doing small tweaks. Its not night and day or anything dramatic. However its fun to try new things and tweak the phone, thats one of the reasons I got it.
Here are my Must Have applications.
HTC Home
HTC Audio Manager
KaiserTweak
HTC Task Manager
Opera Mini Beta 4
Google Maps
Windows Live

Pops_G said:
I was in your guys shoes too. I read a ton on this forum before I got the phone. Here is my advice having had 2 Tilts, first one I had for a week, then returned it till I got a better deal.
When you first start the phone you go through a quick WM6 setup. After that it will say "Customizing Device" and there will be a progress bar. When this starts reset the phone with the stylus into the small hole at the bottom. That will prevent a lot of the ATT bloatware from loading.
Try that for a week, and if it isn't broke then don't fix it.
That said, there are a lot of HTC apps I love. Keep in mind you don't need a new rom to install them.
I would only try new ROMs if one or more of the following apply:
1) You are having some issues with stability or speed.
2) You need more space on the main memory.
3) You are lazy and want to try some other premade package.
Basically all the roms I tried are not that different then the stock ATT rom without the "Customizations" bloatware install. Plus you can get the phone to the exact same level by installing apps and doing small tweaks. Its not night and day or anything dramatic. However its fun to try new things and tweak the phone, thats one of the reasons I got it.
Here are my Must Have applications.
HTC Home
HTC Audio Manager
KaiserTweak
HTC Task Manager
Opera Mini Beta 4
Google Maps
Windows Live
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pops, thanks for your informative reply. Is there really ANYTHING that the HTC rom can do that couldn't be somehow configured into the AT&T rom? I don't really mind flashing to a new rom but if I can start with the Tilt rom and configure everything I need (even if it takes a while ) that might be fine.
Am I correct in understanding that TouchFlo can work just fine on the AT&T rom? There are mixed messages about that.
Also, does any of this have anything to do with battery life??
thanks!

It all comes down to preferrences. I have a Tilt, and I have installed just about every ROM available here. I keep going back to HTC oriented ROMS, but there is some drawback in that you have to "tweak" it a bit usually to get full AT&T usability. AT&T ROMS are good for staying "true" to the carrier's mindset, but usually are buggy or slower. Dutty's right now is my fav, but that could change
Battery life is best controlled with 2 applications, both the Kaiser Tweak program, and with a good comm manager program to disable comm when not in use. Or at least move between 2G and 3G connections. 3G is awesome fast, but a hugh battery drain.

Thanks for your input! I played with a Tllt for a while and the AT&T rom might have been slower (I don't know cause I've never seen the HTC!) but it was totally stable as far as I could tell. Is there some specific bugginess that you saw or are you just referring to the general sloppiness of the AT&T bundles, etc.?

dhecker said:
Pops, thanks for your informative reply. Is there really ANYTHING that the HTC rom can do that couldn't be somehow configured into the AT&T rom? I don't really mind flashing to a new rom but if I can start with the Tilt rom and configure everything I need (even if it takes a while ) that might be fine.
Am I correct in understanding that TouchFlo can work just fine on the AT&T rom? There are mixed messages about that.
Also, does any of this have anything to do with battery life??
thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, there is nothing you cannot do with the AT&T rom given enough time and tweaking. Before I got my phone I some how got the impression ROMs where almost like a different animal. I think a better analogy would be comparing them to a house with furniture. The different ROMs are just different styles.
But if you are a real power user, and it sounds like you are, I would just use another ROM and start from there. You will save some time. I'm a fan of the "clean" ROMs that some with almost nothing installed. Then I build them up from there. They are very easy to install if you read the instructions. And it only takes like 10-15 mins max.

Pops - That last comment was interesting. I can totally see the advantage of installing a lite rom or for that matter, a fully loaded Dutty's rom, etc. My concern was that if I did that, I'd actually wind up having to tweak for a while to get things smooth on the Tilt since I wouldn't be using the 'stock' rom. The assumption is the everything would work on day 1 with the stock rom, so I can tweak but I never have to really get things going.
In your experience, if I installed the most recent version of Dutty's Hybrid Kaiser TouchFlo Final (if I'm gonna flash the rom, I might as well load it up) that things would be about as stable/easy as if I spent time customized the AT&T rom?
If there's not too much risk or BS I might just go for it! There is something about keeping the original rom that makes me feel more confident, but it's also fun to tweak on the thing!

Well there are two types of Kaisers right now. The original HTC branded one and the Tilt. They are different in 2 ways. For the Tilt, some roms require you to install a keyboard fix for a minor adjustment. Also you have to configure the AT&T internet settings. It depends on the ROM. Some of the ROMs are already designed for the Tilt.
To answer your question, yes some of these ROMs can have you up and running without any tweaking or adjustments at all. Just read their instructions, it varies for each one.
For me, if I start with a stripped down ROM it takes me about 2 hours or more to install all of my apps and tweaks. For the fully featured ROMs like Dutty's, you can be ready to go in 20-30mins.

I installed the HTC stock ROM on my Tilt for the same reason I install reference drivers for my video card:
1. They are more true to the manufacturer's specifications.
2. There are more frequent and faster updates available.
Number 2 was the most important for me, even though HTC has not released an updated ROM yet...but when they do, I know that I can install it and it will be closer to what I have been using.
I had the Tilt ROM installed for a few weeks before I reverted to the HTC ROM. I also installed the HTC customizations on the Tilt ROM and played with that for a while. I noticed slight differences between the applications like the HTC Home application UI behavour has minor differences. There was also more available memory on the HTC ROM from the Tilt ROM even after I cancelled the Tilt customizations from installing.

Oh here is a neat program to help you test different ROMs without losing your contacts, SMS, call history etc.
PIM Backup

Have to throw my 2 cents in also.
Just got the Tilt last month,and after my initial fear of flashing(and succesfully installing HARDSPL) I've flashed lots of these ROM's too. I however, have to agree with Pops_G, the best solution I've found has been a "clean ROM" and customize it the way I want. I prefer the ATT versions over the monochrome/big clock/UGLY UI that the Kaiser ones have. I've been using Kyphur's Tilt XDA-Live v1.1 and love it. It provides the most storage of ANY of the custom ROMs and has the newest radio also. It shows a significant difference in my area;where the signal borders on weak.
Alemaker

Ok, these kinds of opinions and comments are really helping out. I think I'm gonna do this:
1) When the Tilt comes (today!) I'll play with the AT&T stock ROM for a while and get a feel for it.
2) Then, I'm going to flash Dutty's ROM - it has just about everything and it will give me a chance to look at everything from the Cube to the HTC apps and everything else. In general, I like to strip things out of my systems rather than bloat it out, but this sounds like an easy way to check it all out in one go.
3) Most likely I'll be want to install Tilt XDA Lite once I've had a chance to fool around with the others. With a clean start like that I can install the apps I want and get the thing fast/stable for good.
Sounds like fun! Here I go..

dhecker said:
Ok, these kinds of opinions and comments are really helping out. I think I'm gonna do this:
1) When the Tilt comes (today!) I'll play with the AT&T stock ROM for a while and get a feel for it.
2) Then, I'm going to flash Dutty's ROM - it has just about everything and it will give me a chance to look at everything from the Cube to the HTC apps and everything else. In general, I like to strip things out of my systems rather than bloat it out, but this sounds like an easy way to check it all out in one go.
3) Most likely I'll be want to install Tilt XDA Lite once I've had a chance to fool around with the others. With a clean start like that I can install the apps I want and get the thing fast/stable for good.
Sounds like fun! Here I go..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Give yourself some time with each Rom (a few days) to really get a feel for it. Also know that your battery is going to be crap for a couple of weeks until it is properly "conditioned" so don't even include that in your comparison.
Another thing you need to consider what are you looking to gain from using a cooked rom? While it can be nice to have a lot of apps mixed in once there is a new version of an app you have to either flash an updated rom or install the update over the cooked version in which case you are now losing memory as the files in the rom can't really be deleted (only marked as such)...

kypher: Thanks for your input. I am interest in your comment about having apps in the rom, space, etc.
Am I understanding that when there are apps built into the rom, those apps can't really be updated/upgraded/(deleted?) without reflashing the rom?
So, with a stripped down rom could a user install the various apps and have the ability to upgrade/uninstall/delete those apps whenever they wanted to?
That seems like a major advantage to using a lite rom then building it up on your own, which is looking more and more like the way to go! Any clarification appreciated.

dhecker said:
Am I understanding that when there are apps built into the rom, those apps can't really be updated/upgraded/(deleted?) without reflashing the rom?
So, with a stripped down rom could a user install the various apps and have the ability to upgrade/uninstall/delete those apps whenever they wanted to?
That seems like a major advantage to using a lite rom then building it up on your own, which is looking more and more like the way to go! Any clarification appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Technically you can update (or even delete) the apps that are cooked in BUT... you've already paid in storage space for the files. When you upgrade the cooked files are marked as deleted so the files from the cab can overwrite them BUT... the files can't actually be deleted so if you have a 4MB program (like MS Voice Command) cooked in and you get an upgrade then you are actually paying 8MB of storage for the program now.
In short, even though the files are marked as deleted and you phone acts like they are deleted, you can't recover the memory they used if the files are cooked into the Rom. This is the primary reason I'm stripping XDA Live down as close to the undershorts as I can.

Well, the phone came this afternoon and I've been fooling around with it ever since. So far, so good!
I like the AT&T Tilt setup a lot. But, being a long-time geek I just couldn't resist and now I'm flashing Dutty's Tilt Rom. I'll play with that for a while, then maybe think about a long-term setup. It's kind of nice being able to flash the rom as I don't have to worry too much about screwing up the configuration since I can reflash at any time.
much fun! thanks everyone

I would like to try different ROMs as well, but I would like to be able to go back to ATT Tilt ROM if need be. How can I backup my original ATT ROM, so that I can flash back to it, if I needed to?

[B]List Your Favorites Here [/B]

1st of all...this site is great and there's an incredible amount of knowledge and inteligence here. I'll be tickled donate once completing the mods on my new *but* locked phone...errrrg
So, I posted this question maybe in the wrong area...'cause there was no response
jgdorado;1873942]I'm recieving a TYTN II tomarrow locked to ATT. I'm using t-mobile here in Florida. I want to completely eliminate any reference to ATT and run whatever rom's would provide the best of the best. So please entertain my questions as this may quite help many others who are trying to get the big pcture........
1) can I use Win2000Pro(sp4+) for these procedures
2) Should I 1st use Kaiser Super CID unlocker, or CID unlocker 1st?
3) then do I run the HardSPL v1
4) Then it appears that I should run this sim-unlocker
5) Then it appears that I need to load some form of other ROM i.e. Schwab cooked, Dutty V.4RTM or what do you folks suggest is best?
I assume WM6 remains untouched??? and the other operations like GPS, WiFi, etc??
Please treat the above as questions. I'm seeking your advice
Thanks for de-weeding my brain here
JG
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am simply soliciting those who have a wonderfully working 8925/tilt/kaiser/tytn etc tell me what you're running and in what order does the s/w get installed for best operation
Your response is and will be greatly appreciated by all of us who are trying hard to get the bigger picture. I know it's your opinion (goes without saying) but your opinion matters and your experience with a fully functional kaiser gives us a place to start
THANK YOU -JG

jgdorado said:
1st of all...this site is great and there's an incredible amount of knowledge and inteligence here. I'll be tickled donate once completing the mods on my new *but* locked phone...errrrg
So, I posted this question maybe in the wrong area...'cause there was no response
jgdorado said:
I'm recieving a TYTN II tomarrow locked to ATT. I'm using t-mobile here in Florida. I want to completely eliminate any reference to ATT and run whatever rom's would provide the best of the best. So please entertain my questions as this may quite help many others who are trying to get the big pcture........
1) can I use Win2000Pro(sp4+) for these procedures
2) Should I 1st use Kaiser Super CID unlocker, or CID unlocker 1st?
3) then do I run the HardSPL v1
4) Then it appears that I should run this sim-unlocker
5) Then it appears that I need to load some form of other ROM i.e. Schwab cooked, Dutty V.4RTM or what do you folks suggest is best?
I assume WM6 remains untouched??? and the other operations like GPS, WiFi, etc??
Please treat the above as questions. I'm seeking your advice
Thanks for de-weeding my brain here
JG
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am simply soliciting those who have a wonderfully working 8925/tilt/kaiser/tytn etc tell me what you're running and in what order does the s/w get installed for best operation
Your response is and will be greatly appreciated by all of us who are trying hard to get the bigger picture. I know it's your opinion (goes without saying) but your opinion matters and your experience with a fully functional kaiser gives us a place to start
THANK YOU -JG
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. I really have no clue.
2-5. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=356895 and checkout other articles here: http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=HTC_Kaiser

jgdorado said:
1st of all...this site is great and there's an incredible amount of knowledge and inteligence here. I'll be tickled donate once completing the mods on my new *but* locked phone...errrrg
So, I posted this question maybe in the wrong area...'cause there was no response
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are getting no response because the other members are being nice, and not to flame at you. Your answers are the first 8 stickies in the Kaiser Upgrade forum.

Fellow Floridian here. Hopefully you're a Gator fan. Consider this your freebie .
Flash this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=334679. You'll then be CID unlocked and have the ability to flash another ROM. If you have any issues, start here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=354061.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=361039 This is the SIM unlocker that everyone has used. I have not used it because mine could be unlocked via AT&T.
Then read this http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=356895, the wiki and the stickies before flashing. Remember, you can brick your phone if you are not sure of what you are doing. Take a day or two to read as much as possible. That being said, the chefs have made it super easy.
As for ROMs, they truly are opinion. Everyone has their own needs. I like clean ROMs and don't use things like cubes. Currently using Q-Mobile 1.2. Just flashed from Dutty's V2 medium. Loved them both. Also really liked Alex's and Custel's. Even tried Jack's for a while and liked it. The differences are often minute and sometimes even just perception about speed and performance. Someone recently did a performance review of a bunch of ROMs - there's an excel file around here somewhere. I have spent a couple of months trying to find my ideal and may never (as fast as great new ROMs come out here.) It's an addiction. Go ahead - take your first hit.

Again thanks for your answers.
I get the fact that I need to CID and Sim unlock the phone 1st. What I'm not quite getting are the different ROM's. I must assume the phone has one for its out-of-box operation. So when I flash a new rom does it overwrite the old one or does the old need to be unloaded (saved somewhere??). Does the WM6 remain untouched? How about the other features of the phone like GPS, WiFi, MP3, 3G, GPRS, etc-etc? Are they part of the rom or hardware withing the circuitry
After all the reading (2 weeks now) these items remain unclear to me. Thanks for not flaming at me, but if in the midst an answer is unveiled....I have thick skin
I feel like I'm getting somewhere and this thread will help others too.

jgdorado said:
Again thanks for your answers.
I get the fact that I need to CID and Sim unlock the phone 1st. What I'm not quite getting are the different ROM's. I must assume the phone has one for its out-of-box operation. So when I flash a new rom does it overwrite the old one or does the old need to be unloaded (saved somewhere??). Does the WM6 remain untouched? How about the other features of the phone like GPS, WiFi, MP3, 3G, GPRS, etc-etc? Are they part of the rom or hardware withing the circuitry
After all the reading (2 weeks now) these items remain unclear to me. Thanks for not flaming at me, but if in the midst an answer is unveiled....I have thick skin
I feel like I'm getting somewhere and this thread will help others too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, flashing a ROM means to replace the default operating system with a modified one, so, the answer is yes to your question whether or not WM6 is touched. No matter what ROM you flash, you will have GPS, WiFi, MP3, 3G, GPRS, etc-etc. Think of it this way: You will still have your CD-ROM drive, your ethernet card, etc. if you reinstall Windows or upgrade to another version.

Think of a ROM as a full hard drive image. On your laptop you have Windows XP, Office and a bunch of other programs. But you like your buddy's setup better. He tweaked his registry and has chosen free programs that you like better, etc. So you are using his full hard drive image and overwriting yours. You'll be using his copy of Windows XP, but it will be legal because you have a key that came with your machine.
The ROMs here overwrite everything. They include everything basic you need to run your PPC and have tweaked the settings and registry keys to get the most out of all of your equipment. The differences are in those tweaks and then the programs they add on. Check out Alex's new wiki. http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=Alex's ROMs He gives a great idea of the range of ROM options...everything from the absolute basics (all hardware works and comes with the supporting software but you get to add everything else you want, including Office - so this basically equates to just a windows install for your laptop) all the way to all the possible "bells and whistles" including .pdf readers, games, etc. etc. All of the programs that are add-ons to the ROMs are freeware, because XDA doesn't allow warez. As such, you may find a piece of paid software that you like better than something that is used a lot here (for example, I've purchased Opera Mobile), but you'll learn which are the best free options via the ROMs.
The beauty of ROM flashing is it's fast. Takes about ten minutes to flash a new ROM (plus time to install all your add-on programs). If you don't like the one you tried this week (or in some cases day), try a new one next week (or tomorrow). Just make sure you use the radio that is suggested with most ROMs (some include the radio, some allow you to install the radio separately - this will be documented in the post/wiki). Thus you can figure out which optional programs you like the best and use the appropriate ROM. Learning to flash is relatively easy. Figuring out which of the ROMs and other programs you like best - that takes time and it is truly individual opinion.
Edit: BTW - you do not HAVE to SIM unlock your phone before messing with ROMs. I didn't when I started because I'm using on AT&T anyway and wasn't that worried about it. FYI.

With all the reading I've been doing here I never came accross the thread you referred me to....PRICELESS (THX)
Guilf said:
Check out Alex's new wiki. http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=Alex's ROMs He gives a great idea of the range of ROM options...everything from the absolute basics (all hardware works and comes with the supporting software but you get to add everything else you want, including Office - so this basically equates to just a windows install for your laptop) all the way to all the possible "bells and whistles" including .pdf readers, games, etc. etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also I now have the impression that the only reason he's made ATT vs HTC Roms has noting to do with the labeling on the phone (Mine's ATT) but only to do with using the ATT .09 radio, otherwise I can use any of the HTC roms and pick a radio that works for my T-mobile service. If I'm wrong please say so.
Also, still wondering whether I can get away with NT2000(sp4) as an OS on my pc.

im fairly certain that you will have no issue using win2k, as its the same kernal as winXP(just not as pretty), which is what most people use to do their flashing. as long as you are able to install activesync and its not vista you should be good to go.

His wiki is pretty new - perhaps that's why you haven't seen it yet. Again, there will be 20 people on here that will swear the ROM they use is the best. You could go equally well starting with Dutty's work (or Q-Mobile or whichever). However, Alex's work is topnotch and as good a place to start as any of the top cooks.
Without knowing precisely, I believe he made the AT&T versions because he's in the U.S. and probably uses AT&T himself. His AT&T versions use the standard AT&T radio and come preconfigured with all the standard AT&T Medianet settings. I've flashed both versions and they work great (I'm on AT&T). But, yes, in your case I would use the standard HTC ROMs.
Good luck.
P.S. As for your PC OS, not really sure. Too much of a newbie for that one myself. Have only heard about specific problems with Vista, but it seems they've made a fix for that. My guess is that you're fine (I know it's the same kernel as XP), but if you're concerned try Pof to find out about HardSPL.

thanks for all the input.....
Here's my new dilemma
It's a G4....so now I need to find nothing but G4 soft/hardSPL along with G4 Rom's and of Unlock the SIM of a G4

That's a Wizard variant. Check the Wizard forum. I think there's also a G4 specific area. http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=343

will that work for the Kaiser/Tytn II/ tilt?
I was reading about the Wizard but nothing from there was actually working on my phone

I'm befuddled. Do you have a Tilt/Kaiser/TYTN II or a G4? Perhaps I didn't understand your previous post. No, the Tilt stuff will not work on the G4 and the G4 stuff will not work on the Tilt. Different units/different hardware/different CID unlock/different ROMs.

Do you have a Tilt/Kaiser/TYTN II or a G4?
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Click to collapse
they are the same. The Tilt/Kaiser/TYTN II comes in both the G3 and G4 versions.
So now I seek the G4 versions of the CID and SIM unlockers as well as a G4 safe ROM
Any help is greatly appreciated

ROM Advice for SPV C600

Hi,
I am really wanting to upgrade my SPV C600 to WinMo6. But first i need advice.
What ROM will keep all of my current working functions, working?? i want to be able to use my phone as i do now, just on WM6.
Also, i would quite like it to look like this IF possible.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wv5aeDB6kwY
What are your recommendations?
Keith.

Which ROM?
The video you've been looking at is the standard WM6.1 Home screen. GnatGoSplats WM6.1 Clean ROM uses this interface, and it seems to be a good, stable ROM. Personally though, and this is just a matter of personal preference, I've found that although WM6.1 is the latest, WM6 ROM's tend to work better, be more stable and keep your device running with most if not all of your current 'stuff'.
I'm using SGregory's WM6 with the 'Neo' home screen, which in my opinion is a far better home screen interface than the standard WM6.1 you're talking about - but again, it's just personal preference.
One thing you will find though is that most ROM 'cookers' remove a lot of useless apps which most people never use so you can have more free memory to install the stuff you do use - I think it's called 'user choice'! Rather than Microsoft dictating which software is on your device, you can add the stuff you want and leave all the crap out.
If you're worried about upgrading your ROM because your device won't be the same, don't do it... that's the whole point of upgrading - your device WON'T be the same, it will be BETTER!!

Haha, thanks.
Have you got any screenshots of NEO? Also, could you link to that rom you thought was best and say what i would be losing/gaining?
Also , how easy is it to get it back to stock orange?

All the info you need my friend is right here in this forum. It's too time consuming for anyone to list all the pros and cons of various custom ROM's - just try one, if you don't like it, try another.
If you want to put the original Orange ROM back on (you won't when you've tried a decent ROM), you can download it from Orange website. Just type 'Orange SPV C600 ROM' into Google.

Is it really that easy to put it back as it was? If i did the recovery (hold 2 soft keys) would that not work anymore?
Also, will upgrading the radios not bother it in any way?
And by the orange rom, do you mean the one that adds the push email?

By 'Recovery' I assume you mean hard-reset. If so, no, that won't put it back to how it was. That will just reset all the settings to default and remove any third-party software which you have installed, thus leaving the device in a 'new' state (new, according to the ROM you have installed, not new as in just bought from Orange).
If I were you, I would leave it as it is because you're obviously way too concerned about messing up your device

I dunno about that last part, he's just a newbie. When I first got my Tornado I was scared to death to upgrade from WM5 to WM6 because I was afraid of bricking my phone. But I had a buddy who owns a Wizard watching over my shoulder while I followed the tutorial step-by-step, which was a big confidence-builder. And when it installed perfectly, I had the hang of it, and I've been experimenting occasionally with new ROMs ever since.
Keithoms, as long as you follow Karhoe's tutorial you're golden. And you'll never want to go back to the original ROM again - this I promise you. WM6 and WM6.1 are light years better than WM5. And don't you worry about bricking your phone - you have to seriously screw up the process to do that. Upgrade the radio for better reception, upgrade the ROM for better functionality.
And, I recommend doing like I did: read. Spend some time on this forum and just read threads. Read, read, read. Forums like this are great for getting questions answered, and chances are your question has been asked at least once before, and you're quite likely to find the answer to your question before you need to post it. If you can't find it, post, and we'll answer away. And, as an added bonus, by digging through the forums each day, you're likely to come across questions that you never thought to ask, and answers that fix problems you didn't realize you had.
And, last but not least, ENJOY! I've been in love with Windows Mobile phones ever since I got mine, and the number of things you can do with them are limitless.
Some threads you should read:
Karhoe's WM6 upgrade how-to. It looks like a lot of steps, but it's not really. It goes very fast - if you're SLOW, it might take you 25-30 minutes.
Nitro's WM6 ROM - you can substitute this for the ROM suggested by Karhoe's tutorial without any ill effects at all.
A whole collection of ROMS and software for the Tornado.
Hope this was helpful, and hope you have an awesome day!

Hi, thanks for the replies. For the radio, i was only meaning, would it bother the old orange rom in any way if i decided to go back with the radio still updated.
I am a bit paranoid, but that is only because i bought the phone yesterday and spent all of my money on it.
I have read karhoes guide around 20 times. Giving it a thought, i take it the only way to brick it is to either not SuperCID it before its flashed, to do format BINFS wrongly and to knock out the cables and/or run out of batterys as it is doing GMSUpdate and the actual rom flash.
So if i avoid those things, i should be fine? :S

I'm on nights so I'm moody!
- Perhaps I was a bit short with you to tell you to leave it alone. djsleepwalker is right... if you follow the guide to the letter, you shouldn't have any issues. Even if you do, someone in this forum has the answer you need.
You will never regret upgrading your ROM and you'll never want to put the original Orange ROM back on, that's for sure. I've used Windows Mobiles since 2002 and I've only started messing with ROM's a couple of years ago.. I wish I'd done it sooner. The benefits far outway the risks

Well, i just went ahead and did the full shebang!
I bought a new housing from fluffcat1, fitted that.
Then.... installed GGS's WM6
Uber-Epic romz....
Thanks to all that helped me get through this without any damamamagamage to my phone.

Is there a HOWTO or a tutorial somewhere?

Hey guys,
Sorry for the extreme noobness of this post, but I am completely lost here. It appears that ROMeOS 4.1 is the ROM to get. But then I read that you need to install HardSPL first, then you need to pick the right radio and install that, but you need to be sure that it is the right radio for you, etc. None of this makes any sense at all to someone who has never done this before. Will I lose all the apps I've installed when I do this? If so, what is the best/easiest way to back them up so I can reinstall them after the ROM update? I also read that you need to install a keyboard fix, a screen freeze fix, and extra apps that came originally on the device need to be downloaded and installed.
I guess what I'm asking is, how do I make this $650 piece of junk that HTC won't support (they refuse to give me ROMs for it since I bought it through Amazon) into a device that is worth using with some simple step-by-step instructions? The speed and unreliability of it in its stock form for this price is completely inexcusable. I am very ready to make some donations as well.
Any help is appreciated. Thank you!

Start here

Thank you so much Kareem! That pretty much answered all my questions. Maybe I'm blind, but I did not see a link to that particular wiki in the stickied thread about tutorials. I think there should be a sticky in this forum with a title: HELP! I'm a noob and I need to flash my ROMS! With that link included.
Thanks again, you rock!
Oh, and I do have one last question, what radio has had the most reliability with the ROMeOS 4.1?

If you are looking for a section dedicated to n00bs, check out GWENI, linked in my signature. It was written for n00bs, by a self-proclaimed n00b.

baldcyclops said:
Thank you so much Kareem! That pretty much answered all my questions. Maybe I'm blind, but I did not see a link to that particular wiki in the stickied thread about tutorials. I think there should be a sticky in this forum with a title: HELP! I'm a noob and I need to flash my ROMS! With that link included.
Thanks again, you rock!
Oh, and I do have one last question, what radio has had the most reliability with the ROMeOS 4.1?
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Click to collapse
According to Hang Tuah's (the creator of ROMeOS) post in the dedicated thread here: "I personally tried NEON 1.58.25.17, KAIS 1.65.24.36 & KAIS 1.71.09.01".

Hi, the trickiest part of the bussiness is to do the HardSPL, which will allow you to flash any ROM or radio.
Then, if you do not want to complicate your life too much, flash one of the HTC WM 6.1 official ROMs.
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=Kaiser_ROMs
Or pick a cooked ROM that has all included (i.e. not Lite ROMs), operating system, Office, Windows Live, and a radio firmware.

hardSPL install is not tricky but its the MOST IMPORTANT thing you need to do. just follow the directions carefully and you will have no issues. Radios are personal preference BUT newer WM6.1 roms need the newer 1.65.xx.xx radios but again there is a whole thread explaining this also
enjoy your toy!

wow someone who posted with concern before bricking the device..and he did his homework as well he could before hand CHEERS!! As you'll quickly learn most noobs flash first, brick, then want the xda community to fix it without them having to do anything(like read). So I applaud you.

Heh. Thanks liquidfork. I'm pretty big into Linux and open source, so I know to read as much as I can find first and then attempt.
So, I did successfully flash ROMeOS 4.1 on my device after putting HardSPL 3.56 on it and the newest radio (forget the version offhand). It's blazing fast now. But, a small problem: When I try to restore my sprite backup, the phone will start up with the "bios" screen, but it just sits there and never boots. Now, Sprite backup complains that it needs a .sbu file that I can get from their website. I see nothing on their website about .sbu files. Is there any way to restore my stuff, or am I hosed? I do miss the HTC today screen and some of the utilities I had. I'd hate to have to roll back to an "official" ROM for this.
Thanks again for your help guys, this community is great.

Anyone? I would like to avoid reinstalling everything if at all possible. Thanks.

baldcyclops said:
Anyone? I would like to avoid reinstalling everything if at all possible. Thanks.
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You cannot restore Sprite Backups from ROM to ROM. It is designed to restore your files and settings when doing a hard reset of reflashing the same ROM.
Sprite Backup does have a ROM Upgrade feature, but I've yet to see it work.

Through experimentation, I figured as much. That's too bad. I've come to find that while the ROMeOS is quite a bit faster than the WM6 that came on the device, it is very spartan. I've gotten used to the little gadgets in the HTC roms, particularly their today screen, some of the settings, and some of the utilities. I think I'm going to flash with a shipped WM6.1 from HTC and see how it works, I will try doing a Sprite backup restore on that as well, but I'm not holding my breath that it will work. Is there a huge difference in speed between the shipped HTC ROM and a cooked ROM? Better yet, is there a cooked ROM that gives most or all of the HTC functionality but is faster?

baldcyclops said:
Through experimentation, I figured as much. That's too bad. I've come to find that while the ROMeOS is quite a bit faster than the WM6 that came on the device, it is very spartan. I've gotten used to the little gadgets in the HTC roms, particularly their today screen, some of the settings, and some of the utilities. I think I'm going to flash with a shipped WM6.1 from HTC and see how it works, I will try doing a Sprite backup restore on that as well, but I'm not holding my breath that it will work. Is there a huge difference in speed between the shipped HTC ROM and a cooked ROM? Better yet, is there a cooked ROM that gives most or all of the HTC functionality but is faster?
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Click to collapse
The perfect ROM is like the perfect beer. Everyone has their own opinions and taste.
However... I will say this. It is better to find a fast rom and then search these forums for the appropriate cabs for those applications you can't do without.
Not only will you only have the ops you want, but I have all those cabs on a secure digital card... then you use sashimi to load them when you perform a flash...
Because once you have done a flash... you will be doing more...
As they say on the TV about golf weenies... these guys are good... and there is always a new ROM that looks marvy.

cyjeff said:
The perfect ROM is like the perfect beer. Everyone has their own opinions and taste.
However... I will say this. It is better to find a fast rom and then search these forums for the appropriate cabs for those applications you can't do without.
Not only will you only have the ops you want, but I have all those cabs on a secure digital card... then you use sashimi to load them when you perform a flash...
Because once you have done a flash... you will be doing more...
As they say on the TV about golf weenies... these guys are good... and there is always a new ROM that looks marvy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, I can see that now. I think the main thing I'm missing that I can't live without is being able to click in the upper right on the today screen and stop running processes from there. Especially since with ROMeOS 4.1, going into the task manager has locked up my phone twice now. If I can figure out how to get that functionality back, I think I can live with the rest. Is that functionality in the HTC home CAB that is in the extended cabs for ROMeOS? I'll probably install the CAB anyhow just to see.

Download and install this cab I've attached.

Heres a link to AllTheWays 4Shaered pages he's one of the mods on here. It has all the applications you're looking for.
http://www.4shared.com/dir/5551593/20b4549a/sharing.html