Develop Bugs

What is Ext Rom ?

I am a newbie and just bought my first PDA phone - O2 Atom
Trying to learn as much about it so that I can fully utilize it.
Reading the posts in this site is my first step.
I know this may sound stupid to the experienced users but
I've been reading posts asking about unlocking the Ext. Rom
What is the purpose of doing this ? What are the additional things I can do if I can unlock my ext. Rom vs just leaving the device "as is" ?
Anyone care to enlighten me ?

When you unlock the ext-rom you can see what's in it? Also you can turn it writeable, so you can do anything you like with it, make a copy of the content first. As it it persistent storage on most devices the content won't be erased by hard-reset.
On my magician for instances the ext-rom is concatenated to the internal storage folder enlarging it from 7 to 27MB.
Regards, M

Basically, the ext (extended) rom includes extra settings like operator network settings, extra operator programs and operator visual customisations. Really, if you are new to this, it is best to leave as-is, as unlocking only allows you to edit the Ext rom, which you will probs not want to do yet.

Thanks all for the info. I guess I need to find out more before I try this.
There seems to be 3 kinds of memory on my device:
1. Storage
2. Memory Card
3. Device (which itself seems to be broken into 2 ? One for programs and another for program storage ?)
One of the reasons I asked this question is because I encountered a low memory warning but when I checked the Settings/memory 1 & 2 still showed lots but on the General tab it showed Storage as .5KB left not sure how to interprete the info.

The memory on your device is called RAM & is devided dynamically, by the OS, in a storage & a program part. When you install programs Via Act.sync & choose default they end up in ram, program files folder, this will cost precious space to run an application. So try to install to SD or storage folder. that's why BS is nice. You can use cabinstl to choose where you want to install when you install a cab directly on your magician.
Got the idea

You mentioned the operator blah blah.. does that means that i can unlock my simcard by unlocking the ext rom?

no extented rom and sim locks are 2 different things

Actually, oltp is a bit mistaking in his description of the memory regarding your specific phone.
The Atom is Windows Mobile 5 device.
On WM 5 phones there are two physical types of memory:
RAM and FLASH.
Unlike in older models, on WM 5 the RAM also called 'program memory' is only used to run programs, just like RAM in your PC.
The ROM or flash memory (slower, but isn't erased when power is lost) is divided in to 3 partitions:
ROM / OS - locked partition where the operating system resides. Only special tools like ROM upgrade utilities can write to this section.
Ext ROM - a locked partition where the operator / vendor of the phone stores some extras which are automatically installed after hard reset. As you already know you can unlock it and use as regular storage. Any data stored there will not be erased during hard reset.
Storage memory - this is the part of internal memory (flash) where you can install apps and store your documents and other files. Just like a PC hard drive.

...
Is there a sticky or a thread somewhere about editing ROM/Ext.Rom?
Thank you.

It's all in the WiKi!

How to manage RAM without a new ROM?

My Wallaby (with Windows PPC 2002) is too central to my life for me to risk losing it by daring to flash it with a new ROM. This means that new tools, ringtones and things have to go into its mere 32 MB of RAM. On the other hand, this RAM is also cluttered up with "skins", sounds and things (including a version of Windows Media Player that has always resolutely refused to work) that Microsoft, HTC et al. have decided I must have. Mostly if I try to delete them, either using its native File Explorer, or via the cradle with Explorer from my computer (Windows XP Pro SP2, local adminstrator account on the PC), I get an error message, "File in use or write protected", that sort of thing, i.e. I'm not allowed to delete them.
Can anyone help me with the following?
- An explorer tool which will let me see and change attributes and permissions where necessary, and delete unwanted files from RAM?
- Any information on possible Windows PPC 2002 equivalents of accounts, local, administrator, etc.? My unsuccesful attempts to delete files have a distinctly "not local administrator" feel.
Another thing that would be marvellous, would be the option to use the (currently 128 MB) SD card as a sort of hard drive, i.e. to put large executables on to that and start them with something like a shortcut, so that they only load into RAM when they're actually needed. Can anyone tell me any more about whether this is possible, and if so how?
Thanks to all in advance.

you cant delete files in rom of the device and even if you could it would not add more program memory or storage on wallay you can only access the rom at flashtime
and at all other times it's readonly and dont take up any of the ram of your device

Thanks for your reply, Rudegar, but I'm looking to delete things from RAM, for instance \\device\program files\windows media player\*.* Am I wrong to think all this stuff loaded from ROM into RAM after the last cold reset?

Oops, I just discovered I can delete the files mentioned above (and did), from the native File Explorer. However, when I tap and hold \\device\windows\player (the media player executable, presumably player.exe) the "delete" option is greyed out in the context menu.

total commander is way better then file explore

I installed Total Commander, with thanks to Rudegar, and to Lumpistefan for being able to use his site as a hop. It's certainly a better tool for file management, but I'm not yet able to delete files I want to.
Roaring guitar.wav is a sound I particularly hate, and a colleague at work is already using it as his ringtone. Therefore there is no way I want to keep that ringtone in RAM. Total Commander lets me see the attributes, which are Read only, System (and in ROM, grey of course). It seems as if I can "greytick" and untick Read only and System, but when I come back to the file these attributes are there again. If I try to delete Roaring guitar.wav using Total Commander I get the message "Warning! Could not delete 1 file(s)!".
As I said, all this has a very "not local administrator" feel to it.
I tried searching the registry for "roaring" but the string was not found. I also cautiously experimented with switching the values of the following keys between 0 and 1:
HKLM\ControlPanel\AdminPassword\Group
HKLM\ControlPanel\Password\Group
but neither had any discernible effect on the behaviour described. Of course Roaring guitar.wav is just an example (and no offence meant to my colleague), I would like to remove a number of sounds and wallpapers I'll never use, and free up some more of my poor Wallaby's hard-pressed 32 MB RAM for everyday use.
Does anyone know how I could do it?

Hate to tell you this, but if TC says the file is in ROM, its in ROM and you can not delete it.
I am not familiar with Wallaby in particular but I guess the file your are attacking is not copied in to RAM. No reason to do so.
Windows Mobile was never designed for multiple users so no 'local / remote' administrator and stuff. Just trust me when I say this, if you can't delete it - it is in ROM.
There are two programs I can recommend:
MemMaid - it will show you exactly what is clogging up your RAM and automatically clean out what it can.
CabInstl - this little free app will let you choose where to install programs so you can put most of your apps on the SD.
Also in ActiveSync, when asked if to install to default location select 'NO' and you will get an option to install to SD.
One more hint:
You can keep all your themes, including the one you are currently using on the SD. Once you selected and installed the theme the *.tsk file is no longer needed.
When my iPaq was my only and primary PPC I also struggled with 32MB RAM (total). I kept everything on my trusty 512MB SunDisk except what I needed on startup.

Yes, another Extended Rom question re:ExtRom from official Dopod

Dopod ROM has Quickmark, and I removed it from add/remove programs. I noticed cab is still showing up in Ext Rom. Could I save space by removing? and what impact would it have on SR or HR? What other changes must I make? I plan on adding Quickmark to Storage card. 2nd question, I would like to remove Task Manager version 1 from device (presumably in Ext Rom,couldn't quite see the cab in extrom) and replace it by HTC x button 1.5 or 1.51.. How easy can this be done? I suppose I could just install this new version pure and simple, but trying to reduce redundancy .. I noticed a lot of posts lately on ExtRoms , as people are looking to the "outer limits" for the storage starved.

You could try to extract OS.nb to the dump folder using imgstool, remove task manager from that folder and recook.

You will not save any additional storage memory by removing Quickmark from extended memory. You have already freed up that storage memory by removing it as you have from "add/remove programs". You will free up some extended memory if you need to do that. The task manager is "baked in" to the rom, and is not taken from the extended rom.
Hope this helps,

stoker1 said:
Dopod ROM has Quickmark, and I removed it from add/remove programs. I noticed cab is still showing up in Ext Rom. Could I save space by removing? and what impact would it have on SR or HR? What other changes must I make? I plan on adding Quickmark to Storage card. 2nd question, I would like to remove Task Manager version 1 from device (presumably in Ext Rom,couldn't quite see the cab in extrom) and replace it by HTC x button 1.5 or 1.51.. How easy can this be done? I suppose I could just install this new version pure and simple, but trying to reduce redundancy .. I noticed a lot of posts lately on ExtRoms , as people are looking to the "outer limits" for the storage starved.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can delete (better yet move it to pc for backup purpose) the QuickMark-Dopod-Hermes-v3_2r2182.cab from extended rom and uninstall it. It will not affect your SR. But you might want to edit Config file and remove CAB: \Extended_ROM\QuickMark-Dopod-Hermes-v3_2r2182.CAB line, so that Autorun (auto config) will not produce error after HR.
As for the task manager, you can install the new version.. it will overwrite (if i'm not mistaken) version 1. But it didn't use much storage though..
Now, Iwhat i want to know is, if anybody could tell me which file in that ext rom is for the network wizard. I notice it is newer than p_netwiz_2.05_dopodasia_wwe_rtm_20060703.cab.

Memory trouble! Fusion?

Hello everyone!
As usual let's start with the description of my current situation:
I have a HTC P3300, with the official HTC WM6 Update.
I have also installed the HTC Touch layout, provided in this forum. ;-)
I have a MicroSD of 2 Gb, only half full.
Now after two years I am starting to notice a loss of speed of my PDA (yeah I know, the P3300 is not the fastest machine so I should not be surprised, and I am not)
Some programs won't start anymore because of "not enough memory". Current Solution: I have to start my P3300 again.
My "Running Programs List" is always empty, so no need to look for a solution there.
The solution is clearly to be found in the Memory status:
Storage 2.50 Mb of 32.45 Mb (and Program 18.25 Mb of 47.90 Mb)
So what I am thinking of:
1. Is there any possibility with the Regeditor to do some kind of fusion of the "Storage and Program Memory", so that I can use the available space on the "Program"side needed on the "Memory"side?
2. Or in case that's impossibe, can something be done about those temp files, without starting the P3300? (best would be that they are deleted immediately after the program that has created them is closed)
3. Or if even this is impossible, can't I use the empty space from my MicroSD Card? Of course the files should also be deleted automatically.
So I hope I have explained clearly enough the problem and my preffered solutions. I am gratefull for every help offered. I was always pleased with this forum, and this time I am awaiting nothing less! Thanks alot in advance.

93 Views and no reply

I think that’s normal the last time, lots of readers but no solutions, most of them download a rom and after that it’s done, no feedback en no help when someone have a problem. Only when the have a problem there self than the know to scream here at XDA. Sorry I'm not that tech that I can help you.

Your device has very little internal storage free, best solution is to move large files, and install software to your memorycard.
Your program memory seem to be normal.
Some cooked rom's have far more storage memmory than the official wm6.
My device have around 30 diffrent software's installed mostly to memorycard, i have 36mb internal memory left and 18-21 program memory.
I have moved most of the content of my documents to memory card to free upp internal storage.
I dont think you can change the relationship between internal storage and program memory, to do that you have to change to another rom.
You can try oxios hibernate to release program memory, visit oxios homepage to see if it's something for you.

Thanks for the help.
My Documents are all on the memorycard. Well, except the "my documents" that are put per default on the P3300, so let's say my REAL documents are on the card.
Concerning the programs, unfortunately those I have installed hadn't any possibilities to be installed on the card (except for some program's extensions, like for example TomTom's maps).
So after this my choices are pretty limited.
But thanks anyway that someone has tried his best.

Install big programs to the memory card instead of the storage memory.
With meschle's Artemis Touch 4.02 full with no cube, TomTom installed amongst other applications (Phone's been on for two days with Tomtom running and activesync:
Storage:
Total: 46.22MB
In use: 14.01MB
Free: 32.20MB
Program:
Total: 50.86MB
In use: 32.65MB
Free: 18.21MB
After using Oxios Hibernate, the Free program memory has gone to 22.46MB free.
Download Oxios Memory and run Hibernate - that frees up program memory very quickly

Okay so I have installed Oxios Memory.
Until now I have "won" 0.10 Mb Storage Memory and 0.97 Mb Program Memory. I will test this a little bit, seems a good solution before I find the courage to try to reinstall all programs on the memory card (as I said before there are some programs who did'nt asked where to be installed...or I haven't seen it. Everything is possible )
Thanks a lot.

You could use ClearTemp to have the temp folders emptied upon startup: http://www.scottandmichelle.net/scott/cestuff/cleartemp.zip
There are also several tools to change the standard temp folders so they are located on the storage card. Maybe Schaps Configuration tool can do that or maybe WinXplore can't remember, but those tools exist.

getting rid of extrom

hi,
this might be a stupid question being asked and answered 20 times before but i didn't find anything and that's why i'm asking here in particular:
is there a way to get rid of the extrom?
i did this with my blueangel before and it was easy and since the universal has too little memory for my needs and the programs in my extrom suck, i want to do it with that device too. plus i don't want the extrom to be flashed and compiled into a nbf file, but, again, comparable to the extrom for the blueangel i want it to be pt simply on the sd card, which brings the enormous advantage to be highly customizable and i don't need to carry around cabs (in the moment for programs that i don't want anyway) while i don't have space for the programs i need.
so my actual question would be:
- can i use repart_doc.exe and xda-unlock.cab to resize the extrom to 128kb and put an extrom on the sd card instead?
- does the extrom have the same format as on the blueangel (autorun.exe, cfg.txt, bunch of cabs)?
- can i do that in wm6.1, because on the BA i had to go back to wm2003 and couldn't do it in wm5 and above?
greetz, Chef_Tony

Don't think that by getting rid of extrom you will increase your memory. I think maybe blueangel was able to change amount of memory used between storage and program. This is not possible on uni, and it's set at 64MB a piece.
Perhaps wiki:MemoryStorageTypes will help.

the point is: it is generally possible, i know that from the blueangel, and it has nothing to do with the ratio of "program memory" to "storage memory" because that only exists for ramdisks, like back in the day in wm2003. the extrom is always a part of the storage space, just that it's hidden and locked by default, and with the blueangel you could easily resize it.
to explain a little more, since apparently this is not known to universal users:
the blueangel in wm2003 has:
32mb rom
112mb ram (program memory and ramdisk storage space, dynamically, still both lost in power failure)
44mb storage
16mb extrom
for wm6.5:
32mb rom (nothing changed so far)
112mb ram (ONLY program memory, RAM like known from the pc)
60mb storage (old storage space + old extrom made to one partition, usable for installing programs and storing files.)
don't get me wrong, i appreciate your answer, it just doesn't quite get my point.
and about your link:
let me quote a small passage:
Code:
ExtendedROM
Type: Internal Storage
Size: Is usually 9.96MB
What: Extra memory which doesn't survive a soft-reset.
Use: Anything you don't mind losing :)
eh?: This could be considered as a RAMDrive on a PC (that is, in that it's volatile, but not that it takes up any Program Memory)
+info: I use this for all cache (eg PIExplorer, Opera etc)
NB. Again, this is either made available or wasted space you can't use (see FlashDisk NB).
really? the extrom is lost after a soft reset? and how does it install the system enhancements after a hard reset? /irony
the contents of that article are simply wrong. or maybe something got mixed up...
i will just give it a try with the blueangel's tools, and if it works, i will re-post because it will revolutionize the way to look at roms, like it did in the BA section, although i fairly doubt that it would work since i can impossibly be the first to think of something like this.
thanks for your answer,
cheers,
Chef_Tony

ok, i fugured out how to unhide and unlock the extrom and deleted the contents. if i manage to join the former extrom, now "storage" with the original storage space, i finally can use the full memory potential of the device. if anyone wants to give me a hint, i would really appreciate it. probably then, the extrom can also be installed from the sd card and my original plan, not to carry around useless cab files, finally worked.

You are right, I've changed the wiki. Storage does survive soft rest (I wonder if it survives a hard-reset).
VNint did some tutorial on combined storage - can be found here. And Cotulla made a ROM - can be found here.
Hope this is helpful.

great to have you here at the Universal forum Chef_Tony. Sorry I can't offer any technical assistance, just came to give some encouragement
Keep up the good work!

-Jonny- said:
You are right, I've changed the wiki. Storage does survive soft rest (I wonder if it survives a hard-reset).
VNint did some tutorial on combined storage - can be found here. And Cotulla made a ROM - can be found here.
Hope this is helpful.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great change -Jonny-!!!
It is getting better every day!