Develop Bugs

Am I wasting my time or just plain stupid?

Hi Guys,
I've had my XDA-IIs for quite sometime now and recently upgraded the ROM - thereby started playing with the Extended_ROM also...I just thought I would like to share my experience with all here - which may be usefull or just another waste of time - for gurus out there..
Firstly - let me explain - I got this idea as I dont experiment a lot with my unit - so hard re-setting my unit quite frequently was out of the question, secondly I recently dropped my IIs and realized how - valuable it is to keep all settings, software and other information intact - as after i got it back from the service center - it was all gone.
Then was the major issue of Space - I found that the 16MB Extended_ROM was a waste as it is only required - When you Hard Reset...so why not use it ?
So i played with it a while and I got this solution : Please let me know If I am plain stupid or just wasted time on somthing simple by re-inventing the wheel !
First - thing I did was to clear all the clutter from my Extended_ROM by removing all the un-necessary stuff from the default CAB files (Thank you XDA-Developers)...
This reduced my Extended_Rom Contents to roughly 9MB - Then I added some of my MUST INSTALL cabs to the same and modified the Config.TXT file to execute them - This made the total Size to 12.4MB...(I still have space for more..in case i Need!)
Then - I made a CAB-File for myself (using CAB Wizard) - with my Shortcuts, Registry Settings, and all the other files I needed - Like my Games, Regularly used applications like BetaPlayer, noteM, VX-Util, PHM Regedit, etc...a complete list is provided below for reference..
Now - for my hard reset - I take the following steps :
1. I do a soft reset - to close all programs and remove from memory..and Since my Extended_ROM is always open - I just format the same using storage tools...
2. I copy the Contents of the Extended_ROM from the Storae Card into the Extended_ROM area...
3. I lock/Hide the Extended_ROM and give it a Hard Boot (No Pun) !
4. All the default and memory based CABS get installed - with no hassels.
5. Unit Automatically boots - So i just open the Extended_ROM and reformat the same...now using Explorer - Click on the Personal CAB that I made...This installs all my Other applications - Those I did not want to install on the Main Menory - the location for Installation is "Extended_ROM" and it also updates the registry for settings, Creates my Shortcuts etc.
6. That's It I Soft re-Boot - I just give a random check to see if all my settings are there...and start using my unit...Whole process takes NO MORE THAN 3-5 Minutes !
Now tell me am i stupid and wasting time ?
Oops - Forgot - abut the items the list is as follows :
In the Extended_ROM Folder (On Storage Card)
----------------------------
-- Filtered Default Installations
AIS_ALL_100104.CAB
Album_BlueAngelAKU26_Generic_WWE_RC20.CAB
AutoConfig.txt
AutoRun.exe
BandSel_BAWWE_140921.sa.CAB
BA_O2Asia_Camera_Driver_Patch.sa.CAB
CAB-Customization-BlueAngel-O2ASIAAIS-19May05.CAB
CAB-MMS-2.0.0.21-BlueAngel-O2Asia-ENU-01Jun05.CAB
Caller_ID_BlueAngelAKU26_Generic_WWE_RC20.CAB
CameraWizard_BlueAngelAKU26_O2Asia_WWE_RC20_Customize.CAB
Config.txt
CW-Album-Association.CAB
default.sa.CAB
Java_V10.1.2.49_BA_WWE_0901_unremovable.CAB
MIDI_RTPI_BA26_RC21.CAB
O2Asia_patch_140921.sa.CAB
O2Auto.sa.CAB
O2_Base_09240402.sa.CAB
RemoveWiFiLogo_140921.sa.CAB
SetButtonLock.exe
STK2240_Ecall_O2Asia.CAB
Version_BA_140.sa.CAB
-- My Personal Programs Installed on Main Memory (Via the Config.Txt File - During Hard Boot)
D_CabInstall.cab
D_ceremote.CAB
D_CrystalBlue_skin.cab
D_DTSysView.cab
D_FullScreenKeyboard.CAB
D_GPRSMonitor.cab
D_IntelliDialler.CAB
D_MyUtils.cab
D_PhonePlus.CAB
D_Regedit.CAB
D_SmiliesPanel.cab
D_StorageTools.cab
D_SysCleaner.CAB
D_ThemeMaster.CAB
D_TotalCommander.cab
D_XTNDUnlocker.cab
In My 10MB Personal_App Cab File - Which I execute Manually After the above are installed !
---------------------------
Games : Monopoly, BubbleBuster, PocketPegs, NeoTiles
Utilities : Unit Conversion, Lamp, Tray Launcher, Off, Reset, Run, Space Detective, Suspend
Ring Tones : My Default and Favorite Rintones placed in the Rings Folder
Alarms : My Favorite Sounds placed in the windows folder
Applications : BetaPlayer, eWallet, Games, Globe, MobiPocket, Repligo, Syscleaner
Registry Settings: Notifications, Sounds, owner, Device ID etc.. etc..and other default application settings like Tray Launch, SPBGPRS Monitor, Notem, Camera, Repligo, Mobipocket, etc..
Shortcuts : to All my Applications - Placed in \Start Menu\Programs and also on the "Start Menu' - Place my regularly used Softwares.
Stupid Question
---------------
But still wondering ? - Why did i create the separate Cab file for the Personal Applications and not just place them in Extended_ROM to execute ?
Well- For one thing - The Extended_ROM has a limit of 16MB and All my applications put together - along with the defaultones were crossing 23MB! So I could not placethem on the Erom and hard boot - I had to find an alternative - secondly I wanted to use the 16MB to install programs !
Also i found it a better option to install my programs on the Extended_rom rather than waste expensive space on the storage and the storage Card was just used for mp3's, videos, etc etc..
That way I could use the Extended Rom for my Installed Programs, The Storage for My Documents etc...and the 1gb Storage Card - For my videos, etc etc. Hence even if I changed my Storage Card - I really did not need to worry abt the setup within. As most of my stuff was saving on the unit.
So thats what I did - Stupid or otherwise - whatever it is - Now when I re-set my machine - It takes me less than 5 minutes to get back on track !
I am attaching some screenshots of the Space after installation and execution of the above...Check it out..
Extrom.jpg - Shows the Items placed inside the Extended_ROM
inside_backup_folder - This is the backup folder inside the Storage Card. It has the folder for Extended_ROM - Which I just copy and also the personal Application CAB installation file.
Space - The Total Space available on the Unit after a fresh Install
Storage - The items On Storage - All my Documents etc Go into the "My Docments" Folder
StorageCard - Contains the "Backup" folder which has my Extended_ROM and also the "My Fun' Folder - Which holds my Movies etc..
Last Question - What happens if I need to Hard Re-Boot and My Storage Card Does Not work !
I keep and alternative - 64MB Card with me all the time along with my credit card etc - this has a replica of the backup folder. I have also uploaded the files on my Google Mailbox - Just being paranoid god knows why !
That's my experience...Too Long a Note ! I hope someone has the time to read this...and tell me I am not stupid !
Rgs/DD

Stupid or not...
Good note mate - can't stop wondering why you copy it all back to the extended rom before hard reset...
you could just as well just have them all run directly from the backup folder on the storage card... That would save the time copying and formatting every time...
Since you know how to do a custom cab file, my guess is, you also know how to add a registry setting (or shortcuts in start) to run thoose cab files at the existing location on the storage card at first boot...
(all cabs must be readonly however - otherwise it's a one-shot... and they are all gone)...
In the extended rom, you can just leave one tiny little cab with the regsettings/shortcuts, autostart.exe and config.txt running... That leaves all the rest free... Or - wondering... why not just change the paths in the config.txt file - or - wondering... the kernal might even look for autostart.exe in the root of the storage card??? Might be worth testing...
My cab file includes TomTom3 and settings, but now that tomtom5 is out, the setup is so simple that i didn't bother messing with it... Also, a custom written application for entering orders with replication, ending up in Navision Attain...
(Just showing off, but i like it )
Now see what you did... this note also became too long... can't stop writing when first getting started...
Oh - btw. - you have used a LOT of time making what you did - thanks for the notes, making me think of the above idea - might use that some day too...
Jan

Certified Stupid !
Thanks JanR,
Guess I now need a Hammer on the head to come back to senses !
You are right - Since I already have the CABS in the backup folder - I could have run the same directly from there by leaving the config.txt and the Autorun.exe on the Extended_ROM itself..and maybe a few critical CABS is necessary.
I wonder why the lightening did not strike me then. Please Punch me the next time I try to give out such Grande experience ideas on this forum !
Will change the script to accommodate and see how it works out.
Till then...cheers!

You could just create a self executing sprite backup of everything as you want it and put it in ExtROM and call it from the config file. That's what I did and it works fine on XDAII and MDAIII. Just Hared Reset and its all done in a minute or two.

Once again suggesting...use SPB Clone software......it is bestg back up tool

spb clone
Don't you think it's a bit pricey for your average user?

I totally agree..
Some of these softwares are "Nice to have..but not really necessary" if you can find work arounds.
What i started of from a complicated process has by far progressed and reduced itself trementously and - i can thankfully say I dont need nothing more....
I have achieved the initial objective of using the Extended_ROM for installing softwares, keep all my docs are in Storage - so I could Switch Cards without issues...
...and that my friends, thanks to all of you here in XDA-Developers have been achieved.
Devdarshan

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!

WM6: Storage vs. Storage Card challenge...

Today I have installed 3 WM6 Roms:
- Vijay's
- Infidel's
- Midget's
All 3 are good, whith differences in apps and as far as I remember Infidel's has MMS installed (where can I find the CAB?).
Once major concern that I have is that the Extended ROM is not hidden anymore and therefore all my attachment in the emails go to 'Storage' rather than to the SD card (='Storage Card'). All 3 ROMs have this issue and with attachments of about 10MB each (all PPTs). I will run into a major issue real quick... (say after 1 email...?)
Having access to the 10MB Extended Storage is a nice to have, but how can I save my attachments on the storage card? Is there a registry tweak?
All help highly appreciated.
Having said this... The ROMs are all great. Thanks for all the hard work and sharing these dewdrops of technology with us...!
-Ireneus

ill try and find a solutions sood, btw mine has mms

Sorry Mate
Midget,
Sorry about that... I have been installing too many ROMS today..
Do you have the CAB for MMS?
Thanks,
Ireneus

no, it was integrated already, ill try and stick it in a cab when i get time

I didnt see a phone lockup issue in WM5 AKU 3.5... Also email synchonising tries to save the attachment by default into ext rom eh? I never had any such problem with Infidels ROM. Try again.
Also this phone lockup issue is only in Crossbow. Just set a password and let it ask you after a lot of hours.
btw if you decide to throw away your device, just as a second thought send it to me. XD

I test all the previous trick and it did not work
I think every kind of memory is shown as a storage so you will be able to encrypt it
Outlook is the only application in which you can not select where to store files.
If you change the path in the registry , WM6 will create another storage called "STORAGE CARD2" pointing on extended rom

Guys,the way for to hide the visibility of "Storage" (ExtROM on WM5)directory..???

nuclear said:
I didnt see a phone lockup issue in WM5 AKU 3.5... Also email synchonising tries to save the attachment by default into ext rom eh? I never had any such problem with Infidels ROM. Try again.
Also this phone lockup issue is only in Crossbow. Just set a password and let it ask you after a lot of hours.
btw if you decide to throw away your device, just as a second thought send it to me. XD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really dude, stop pretending, I know your a fool, you know your a fool, we all know your a fool. the sooner you stop posting the better.
just FYI nuclear <=> Infidel.

what is the reg tweek for 3.5 . as every time i reset windows name the memory card (storagecard 2. )

here is how to move your mails and attachments around:
You can free up even more memory on your phone by moving all of your downloaded mail and attachments to your Storage Card.
Step 1.
Using the file manager in activesync, create the following folders on your Storage Card.
\MAPI
\MAPI\ATTACHMENTS
(You can actually name them whatever you want, "Inbox" for example.)
Step 2. Now browse to \Windows\Messaging (SmartPhone) or \Windows\MAPI (PocketPC)
If you want to save all of your existing mail, move everything in this directory to the new ones on your Storage Card.
Step 3. Now fire up your registry editor and navigate to the following.
[ HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MAPI ]
Then create the following keys.
"AttachPath" (Value)= \Storage Card\MAPI\Attachments
"PropertyPath" (Value)= \Storage Card\MAPI
Step 4. Reboot your phone and then goto your inbox. If you can see all of your mail then mission accomplished. Double check your attachments as well.
found on:
http://www.tleone.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61&Itemid=59

I do a test with
"AttachPath" (Value)= \Storage Card\MAPI\Attachments
"PropertyPath" (Value)= \Storage Card\MAPI
and with : (syntax on msdn)
"AttachPath" (Value)= \Storage Card\\MAPI\\Attachments
"PropertyPath" (Value)= \Storage Card\\MAPI
did not work

Tried but failed...
I tried this as well, but no success... anyone got this to work?
I created 2 String Values in my Registry directly under MAPI... I assume that is what is meant by the instructions?
Thanks,
-Ireneus

ireneus said:
I tried this as well, but no success... anyone got this to work?
I created 2 String Values in my Registry directly under MAPI... I assume that is what is meant by the instructions?
Thanks,
-Ireneus
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you use the Today Messaging Plugin, I don't think these hacks work, see explanation at http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/in...can_store_your_activesyn&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
Cheers,
Steve.

I think that is a tweak in SKtools that you can move the inbox to any storage card.
I applied the tweak and see the folder Inbox.xxx inside the "storage card", although inside the Mail's Storage setting (option) you may still see it pointing to "storage". [Note the difference between "storage" (created after unhiding the ext rom) and "storage card".]
Regarding the naming of "storage card2", I got rid of it by turning off the phone, take out the card, restart, reinsert the card => the naming is back to "storage card". [Note: this is not a unique issue of WM6!]

Attachements forever stick on Storage
I know now, nobody knows
The machines are getting smarter than humans
Cheers Leo
poussin69 said:
I do a test with
"AttachPath" (Value)= \Storage Card\MAPI\Attachments
"PropertyPath" (Value)= \Storage Card\MAPI
and with : (syntax on msdn)
"AttachPath" (Value)= \Storage Card\\MAPI\\Attachments
"PropertyPath" (Value)= \Storage Card\\MAPI
did not work
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

attachements to storage card
Laurentius26 said:
I know now, nobody knows
The machines are getting smarter than humans
Cheers Leo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
You little misunderstood me in the other thread.
So I decided to attach this little program. Try yourself.
Install:
-------
- unzip pr.zip
- copy pr.exe to Universal's \Windows\StartUp directory
- tap on pr.exe. You should see a Ready message in a messagebox
- Enable Messaging today plugin in Start/Settings/Today/Items tab
Now send yourself a message with an attachment.
First try with small attachments. ( 50 - 100 KB ), than you can try bigger ones.
Your attachments should be in :
\Storage Card\Inbox.mst29833559.4051713536\Mail Attachments
Check file sizes.
Warning! You mustn't go to Messaging app's tools/Options/Storage tab.
If you press OK in this tab your attachments will be again on Extended ROM.
Now try soft reset. And again send yourself a test message with attachment.
Report your experiences here.

Storage issues
The reason many of the WM6 ROM shows the extened ROM is that there is a broken module in them! I have created a new WM6 for JasJar's and corrected this issue, mine has the Extended ROM hidden as it should be, and can be unlocked via software. You can use my version it can be found here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=1134781#post1134781
It will resolve your mail issue...
Take care,
Jwrightmcps

Jwrightmcps said:
The reason many of the WM6 ROM shows the extened ROM is that there is a broken module in them! I have created a new WM6 for JasJar's and corrected this issue, mine has the Extended ROM hidden as it should be, and can be unlocked via software. You can use my version it can be found here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=1134781#post1134781
It will resolve your mail issue...
Take care,
Jwrightmcps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's OK, but Laurentius26 is using Helmi 1.1.
Extended ROM is also hidden by default in this version.
I think Laurentius26 would like to see a solution to store attachements on Storage Card while Extended ROM is visible, after unhiding.
That was the reason why I attached that small program above.
Hmm, I'll try your version

@szilamer
Hi,
Thank you.
Sorry about previous post, last post I was teasing you a bit
Anyway I tried your little tool, and it worked before softreset,
but.... after softreset it's a complete mess.
Now I have three maps:
Extended_Rom, Storage Card (e-mail att. are there now), and Storage Card2. So I can't reach my programs installed on storage card anymore because it's changed to Storage Card2.
If I take the Storage Card out I see that the Storage Card map is still there in main memory, in this map I see the IE Cache (think that's the problem because I moved it to Storage Card with SKTools) and the email attachements. Tried to delete the map but this doesn't work because the cache is there, so I put the device in flight modus, removed your app from Windows\Startup and did a softreset.
Now I can delete the map!
Than I put the Storage Card back in and softreset again.
Everything back to normal pffff...., I'm happy again
Can you tell me what this app is doing and where to look for in the registry? It's intresting it worked before softreset!
btw. I like Jwrightmcps work to so I'm going to flash his new WM6, but it would be great if I could fix the Attachements story first, than I can make a complete backup with SPB before I flash, because there is a lot of work in this Rom already and I would like to keep it for reserve!
Cheers and thanks again,
Leo
szilamer said:
Hi,
You little misunderstood me in the other thread.
So I decided to attach this little program. Try yourself.
Install:
-------
- unzip pr.zip
- copy pr.exe to Universal's \Windows\StartUp directory
- tap on pr.exe. You should see a Ready message in a messagebox
- Enable Messaging today plugin in Start/Settings/Today/Items tab
Now send yourself a message with an attachment.
First try with small attachments. ( 50 - 100 KB ), than you can try bigger ones.
Your attachments should be in :
\Storage Card\Inbox.mst29833559.4051713536\Mail Attachments
Check file sizes.
Warning! You mustn't go to Messaging app's tools/Options/Storage tab.
If you press OK in this tab your attachments will be again on Extended ROM.
Now try soft reset. And again send yourself a test message with attachment.
Report your experiences here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Attachments to storage Card
Hi again,
Did forget something I see! Before I started this procedure I forgot to disable the today plugin!
So I have to do two things:
Disable today messaging,
Disable Messaging apps\tools\Storage tab.
Ok, going to give it another try, I know now how to disable it wright
Leo
szilamer said:
Hi,
You little misunderstood me in the other thread.
So I decided to attach this little program. Try yourself.
Install:
-------
- unzip pr.zip
- copy pr.exe to Universal's \Windows\StartUp directory
- tap on pr.exe. You should see a Ready message in a messagebox
- Enable Messaging today plugin in Start/Settings/Today/Items tab
Now send yourself a message with an attachment.
First try with small attachments. ( 50 - 100 KB ), than you can try bigger ones.
Your attachments should be in :
\Storage Card\Inbox.mst29833559.4051713536\Mail Attachments
Check file sizes.
Warning! You mustn't go to Messaging app's tools/Options/Storage tab.
If you press OK in this tab your attachments will be again on Extended ROM.
Now try soft reset. And again send yourself a test message with attachment.
Report your experiences here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

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.

[Trick] Use Extended rom as storage without Unhiding extended rom

You can use extended rom as a permanent storage without unhiding the drive. The main benefit is that Pocket Outlook does not see it as a storage device and make it the primary storage over your storage card.
Instruction:
1) Unhide extended rom (either with Advanced config or do it manually via registry)
2) Create a Folder in Extended Rom
3) Make a short cut of that folder and place it in My Device or anywhere you want.
4) Hide Extended rom.
You can now access extended rom from the shortcut. Windows will not see it as a storage card.
Some known issues:
1) Up directory button does not work when you are in the extended rom folder shortcut. You need to use the drop down box to change directory
2) The extended rom folder does not automatically refreshes itself. You need to get out of the folder and get back in to see changes.
Another odd thing I noticed is that when I dump my extended rom out with itutils, extrom extractor says the format is invalid. And if I flash the extended rom, it will say the image is corrupted. If anybody could dump the extended rom out for me with nothing but a folder called Storage in it, that'd be great

Schap's uses his extended ROM to store some files in them and access it through shortcuts...predominantly exes, and I have tried them too, it sure does work.
But I think there is a limitation on how many exes you can have in there!! When I had more than 10 exes one time, extended ROM did not work very well...but when I reduced the count, everything worked great..
Just my 2 cents.

You can definitely run exes in there. However, this thread is not to tell people that you can run exes in there, which had been discovered some time ago. As far as I know, almost all cooks either fill the extended rom with cabs for auto installation, or some exes that doesn't require hard coded files in windows to run. Others will unhide the extended rom (which I did previously) so that you can use it as storage. This is about the latter case, but with this method you'd avoid the pocket outlook storage card issue if you decide to use extended rom as a storage card.