I am planning to use the Core/Hypercore and/or Pandora's Kitchens to play around with the latest AT&T ROM.
The following is something that has always confused me to some extent in the past.
If I want to delete or change the files that are part of any particular package, I imagine that I need to create a new .DSM file to go along with the changes/deletions I might make.
The HyperCore kitchen provides a utility to rebuild the .DSM file, but from what I can see, the new .DSM file created is nothing like the original. It seems to be lacking a lot of binary information that exists in the original...prior to the file listing.
First...Is it safe to NOT create a new .DSM file if I simply want to delete files from a particular package?
Second...If I merely change some icon/bmp resources in any of the files, and the name remains the same...do I need to create a new .DSM for that package?
And finally...as there seem to be differences between existing .DSMs and the ones that are created by the Core utility, can I really trust the new ones I generate?
Any help/guidance would be appreciated...thank you.
-pvs
Related
Hey everyone,
I have some problems while I am playing with my OS.nb.
I know how to flash the phone, extract and pack the NBH. However, I am looking a way to modify/add/delete the softwares/components inside the OS.nb. I know how to add or remove a file in the OS.nb, I just cant find a way to add a software in it. (I know how to add a file, but what i mean is a "software", which is a group of files, and some registries depending on each other, how do u get all those information from a cab/exe?)
Search for the "Pandora Kitchen" or the "Core Kitchen for hermes", these will allow you do (with a little work on your part) what you need. Look specifically at the "CAB to OEM", and remember to create an initflashfiles.txt that says where each file goes.
Core kitchen is probably better if you want to do some serious cooking, whereas pandora has everything there already to include or exclude.
One word of warning though, Core Kitchen does have a couple of bugs. The only show-stopper I've found is the splash screen generator panel doesn't add the padding required for a hermes device. Not a big problem if you have HardSPL, but it will cause your first flash to hang if you use it!
If you want to replace your splash screens (by including them at the end RUU_Signed.nbh stage in Dutty's tool) then use the guide on mrvanx's site (google mrvanx).
Good luck, and remember to read the forum posts and wiki extensively, this stuff isn't easy for a reason (you are rebuilding an entire operating system).
Hi all
I'm cooking my own rom using Core Pro Kitchen, so far it's going OK.
I read most of this forum and the WiKi, but still have a couple of questions
first:
Do we really need .rgu files in imgfs? AFAIK they are only used to build .hv files.
I tried to delete theese from \temp\dump before creating OS.nb (after running BuildOS), and the ROM works, at least I don't see any drawbacks.
second:
I'm cooking my own custom package into the rom and need all the files in it to be impossible to modify/delete. All files in the package have +r +s +h attributes set, but I'm sill able to modify them on device.
It seems like the modified file is created "above" the ROM one (sort of copy-on-write), because when I use TotalCommander to delete it, it just reverts to the original file from ROM. Is there anyway to make a file completely unmodifiable? Put it in XIP? do I have to rebuild any of three .dsm files in XIP if add my file there?
The file is about 1-2kb
Any ideas?
Thanks, Serge
Hi. I've read hundreds of posts and followed dozens of tutorials. I'm aiming to gain an understanding of what actually happens during the rom cooking process and I think I'm getting there. I've used loads of different toolkits and kitchens and most recently I've been using 'romdonalds' which has given me a better understanding.
However I'm a bit confused about the difference between the dump directory with loads of files and folders, and the OEM/SYS versions of these which I've seen when using packagetool and buildos. I know how to go from the 'flat' structure to the oem/sys structure, but I don't know how to go back again.
I'd also like is to know what really happens behind the scenes when you click the go button in buildos.exe.
TIA
Matt
I could really use a little help to understand what's going on here. If there's some clear explanation of what actually happens during cooking that I've missed, could someone point it out to me please? I've searched thoroughly, read extensively, and pulled my hair painfully... but I just don't get it. I've analysed batch files in just about every kitchen there is but I've reached a point where I need some help.
If there's some unwritten quid-pro-quo requirement that I've missed before I can ask a question then tell me that too - I'm no freeloader, I've just donated to Slither2006 for his cube, and when I've fully grokked the process I'll write up everything I've learned in a really clear guide, I promise.
I'm not an idiot either - I was a technical architect at a large UK ISP until recently, doing stuff like building a huge virtualised server farm with custom management tools and a homebrewed iSCSI /LVM2 snapshot system that blows away anything commercially available, and now I work for myself... I've used HTC devices since the Blue Angel, also an Exec and now a hermes... but I could really use a hand here.
Thanks!
I suspect you are quite a bit ahead of me here, but here goes.
The OEM/Sys folders are just part of the Dump folder, but extracted and turned into a more logically arranged order for manipulation.
When you run buildos it just takes these and a few other bits such as the XIP section and puts it back in a format for rebuilding.
Best I can do I am afraid.
Thanks for your reply crazyc. It's getting a little clearer now. Can anyone else shed any light? Ideally I'd like to know exactly what buildos does to turn the organised folders back into the dumped ones.
Piecing it all together:
A: I know how to get the dump folder from a source rom (nbhextract->nbsplit->imgfsfromnb->imgfstodump).
B: I know how to make changes to the dump directory manually (add/delete files; extract/convert .hv files to .rgu; edit .rgu files and reconvert to .hv; edit initflashfiles.dat to create shortcuts on first boot)
C: I know that instead of all that I could convert the dump directory to the organised oem/sys pair (pkgtool) and know that in theory I could manage that with BuildOS.exe to integrate oem packages with the option.xml file in them - but I don't understand what's happening here relative to (B) above
D: I can turn the dumped folder (but not the oem/sys folder) back into a flashable rom (imgfsfromdump->imgfstonb->nbhtool)
Can someone who really understands what's going on explain where I'm confused?
Thanks
Matt
Here is my take about cooking....
When the dumped OS has all the rgu files in tact then spliting the dump folder as OEM and SYS will work.
Where as some OS do not have rgu file in them (some cooks prefer to cook this way...all OEM OS have rgu files). In this case you would have to use only the dump folder and edit default and user.hv to add and delete stuff. You cannot use package tool for this method.
You sure can turn OEM and SYS back to ROM, just use the right kitchen (Pandora, Bepe Kitchen, etc)
Hope this helps.
Hey guys. I've done some UPXing on my ROMs, but in my next ROM build, I want to UPX everything that is UPX'able. I've read about issues with certain DLL's causing the device not to boot when UPXed. I've had issues with programs when MUI files are compressed. I know I can pretty much compress any EXE that I want, but which DLL's are safe and which aren't? Which DLL's should I avoid compressing? I need your personal experiences to find out which DLL's didn't compress without problems. Thanks for your contribution guys!
Also, does anyone know of a way to UPX a module? Can you just UPX the file within it? Can I convert it to a file, UPX it and then convert it to a module again?
Herald Owners:
This is all for a Herald ROM I'm working on.
New OEM, new SYS, new laguage MUI packs, all compatible with my current kitchen.
I'm pretty new to this cooking but learned a lot in the past week. I got a slimmed down rom running without problems, compressed some stuff. It works great.
However I can't figure out the registry. For example, I can edit the .rgu files directly with success. But if I add a .rgu myself, the values get overwritten with the defaults. I know they get added because I created some check values.
So basically my question is, can I add my own .rgu or .provxml file and where or do I need to edit the default .rgu files each time when cooking a new rom?
roufneck said:
I'm pretty new to this cooking but learned a lot in the past week. I got a slimmed down rom running without problems, compressed some stuff. It works great.
However I can't figure out the registry. For example, I can edit the .rgu files directly with success. But if I add a .rgu myself, the values get overwritten with the defaults. I know they get added because I created some check values.
So basically my question is, can I add my own .rgu or .provxml file and where or do I need to edit the default .rgu files each time when cooking a new rom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Under SYS, I normally create my own customization folder which gets executed last (alphabetically).. e.g. folder called zzz_Customization. I then put my customization RGU and provxmls there. Nothing in the OEMs or SYS can overwrite them except for provxmls.
Actually I think the RGUs in the XIP can overwrite them but I have not tried it.
Forgot to say thanx for the tip. I got it working now.
Better use provxmls, since they get implemented last.
You can also resort to mortscripting, as it's becoming more and more popular.
A.