Trying to Cook

[Guest WinJo69]

All,

I have been reading threads for days and days. Downloading tools and checking them out. Opening and reading the 'how to's' and I still feel so very lost.

I always thought of myself as a smart guy. I package content for deployment to 1000's of systems at my work for over 10 years, but this has me stumped.

Where is the best and easiest to follow 'How to' guide?

1. Back up my existing system and perform a restore

2. Understand how to restore to Factory Spec if I hose the phone

3. Cooking tool(s) - How do you use these things????

I know there are so many threads on this already - (perhaps too many). Just like any good cook, everyone has there favorite pots and favorite Spices. But this is just too vast.

Thanks in advance!

Edited April 16, 2010 by WinJo69

[Guest amdzero]

All,

I have been reading threads for days and days. Downloading tools and checking them out. Opening and reading the 'how to's' and I still feel so very lost.

I always thought of myself as a smart guy. I package content for deployment to 1000's of systems at my work for over 10 years, but this has me stumped.

Where is the best and easiest to follow 'How to' guide?

1. Back up my existing system and perform a restore

2. Understand how to restore to Factory Spec if I lhose the phone

3. Cooking tool(s) - How do you use these things????

I know there are so many threads on this already - (perhaps too many). Just like any good cook, everyone has there favorite pots and favorite Spices. But this is just too vast.

Thanks in advance!

first things first. you are going to need wozzers kitchen. extract it to a folder. inside there are a few folders. SYS folder is the basic windows mobile OS for every device possible. ROM is where the OS kernal lies (also called XIP). The OEM folder is where the device independent information resides. This has all the drivers an VZ crapware. Then there is the tools folder. this is where the files in the three main folders are combined to form a flashable image. there should be a file called buildos.cmd this is batch-type file that runs the individual files in the tools folder.

okay so that is the kitchen. you can build the flash file right out of the gate and this would be the stock ROM. Of course you want to modify the files before cooking your ROM or you just get the same thing that you get right out of the box.

As far as I know, the backup had been completed by wozzer and radiohead (and others I'm sure). so there is really no need to do your own backup.

as far as bricking your phone, that's almost impossible since we now have octans loader. that is what you use to flash the phone. since we are only measuring with the PDA portion of the phone, we can always re-flash.

a few tips to get you started. .rgu files are registry entries. .provxml files are actions taken after hard reset/initial flash. initflash.txt or.dat are actions taken during the cooking process.

for instance. you make a change to the registry, this can be in any .rgu file or making your own unique file (which is preferred). when you execute buildos all the .rgu files combine to form the user.hv and default.hv files which is the wm registry. If there is another .rgu file that contains changes to the same key you changed there is a chance that your change will be overwritten. this is why some cooks make changes using provxml files.

if you need some help just keep posting it here and I'll help you out. This way other new chefs can refer to this topic.

[Guest WinJo69]

Ok. Thank you for your Reply!

1. wozzers kitchen - Where do I find this? I've already downloaded and extracted - i8000 kitchen, octans, and many many others. From the ones that I installed I have not extracted any with the directory structure you outlined so I am guessing i still did not find the right one.

2. I have octans already so the restore should be ok - (once I figure out how to use this thing)

[Guest WinJo69]

OK - I think I got the right stuff - stupid of me - its all in the '_Template Folder'. I think I am following the instructions correctly from the included pdf file, but each time, the kitchen fails and exits.

I took the scariest part of the plunge. I used Octans and flashed the phone to one of the available ROMS and then used the STOCK image available to restore it! (it was actually very easy - just did PDA)

Now if i can only get the kitchen up and running!

Edited April 16, 2010 by WinJo69

[Guest Ninja4Hire]

OK - I think I got the right stuff - stupid of me - its all in the '_Template Folder'. I think I am following the instructions correctly from the included pdf file, but each time, the kitchen fails and exits.

I took the scariest part of the plunge. I used Octans and flashed the phone to one of the available ROMS and then used the STOCK image available to restore it! (it was actually very easy - just did PDA)

Now if i can only get the kitchen up and running!

Here is the link to the i920 kitchen from the Cooking Tips thread.

http://www.4shared.com/file/208020451/be45...20_Kitchen.html

[Guest WinJo69]

Thank you!

Now I feel like I got the right tools. But I still feel too stupid to actually use them! ;)

Still could really use a good guide on how to configure everything and actually execute.

So I'm sure its asking for a lot, but here goes!

1. How to install and confiure tool set for usage

2. Perform the very first Decompile\extraction from Phone ROM

3. Add an App (Or update OS to 6.5.3??)

4. Remove an App

5. Tweak registry setting - (modify Default Memory Settings or Default install Paths - for example)

6. Recompile and restore to Phone

7. Restore phone back to Factory Spec

I know this seems like I lot, that's becuase it is a lot. But if I can get this information together, I could create an actual Complete How to Guide - (Complete with Pictures etc) convert it to a pdf file and post it up for all to see. In a perfect situation it would include methods to upgrade the tools and convert to different phone builds. I used to teach - ( in a past life - it seems) - so its what I would do just for myself.

We would end up with a lot more people cooking up ROMS - as well as a single reference point for any and all questions

Anyone willing to take on the challenge and help me?

Thanks in advance

[Guest amdzero]

Thank you!

Now I feel like I got the right tools. But I still feel too stupid to actually use them! ;)

Still could really use a good guide on how to configure everything and actually execute.

So I'm sure its asking for a lot, but here goes!

1. How to install and confiure tool set for usage

2. Perform the very first Decompile\extraction from Phone ROM

3. Add an App (Or update OS to 6.5.3??)

4. Remove an App

5. Tweak registry setting - (modify Default Memory Settings or Default install Paths - for example)

6. Recompile and restore to Phone

7. Restore phone back to Factory Spec

I know this seems like I lot, that's becuase it is a lot. But if I can get this information together, I could create an actual Complete How to Guide - (Complete with Pictures etc) convert it to a pdf file and post it up for all to see. In a perfect situation it would include methods to upgrade the tools and convert to different phone builds. I used to teach - ( in a past life - it seems) - so its what I would do just for myself.

We would end up with a lot more people cooking up ROMS - as well as a single reference point for any and all questions

Anyone willing to take on the challenge and help me?

Thanks in advance

While I don't know it all I can answer some of your points.

1. The tools that come with wozzers kitchen is easy. There is only one thing to do and that is run BuildROM.cmd This will load the command prompt and then a buildos window. In this pop-up window is where you select items you want removed. of course to begin with it will be blank as there are no addons and no options created. Just press the Play button, wait for it to say done, and then close the window. In the background the rest of the scripts will run and will leave you with a flashable file called "FlashRom.nb0" (285MB stock). This is flashable with octans.

2. I don't know how to extract a ROM from the phone, luckily there are more talented individuals than I who might be able to shed some light on this subject.

3. In order to add an app since this is not a visual kitchen, you must find or create OEM packages. OEM packages are hard to come by as many chefs who spend hours building them don't want to share their hard work for nothing. You can use "package-creator-v2.7" to build a package from a .cab file. This usally works, however there may be some tweaking involved (which is why it can take hours to figure out) especially with more complicated .cab files like SPB Mobileshell for instance. Once you create the OEM package just copy the folder to the OEM folder in your kitchen and then use BuildROM.cmd. This time when you do it you will see an item that you can check/uncheck so as to cook or not to cook in the ROM.

4. Removing an app from an existing SYS or OEM can be tricky. I suggest you make a backup of your entire kitchen before attempting to delete an app as this can lead to other undesired results in the process. Your first place to look is in initflashfiles.txt or .dat like I previously mentioned. For example...

To remove Opera 9.5 from wozzers kitchen you go to \OEM\OEM_Lang_0409\initflashfiles.dat

open that up with a text editor (I prefer Notepad++ by the way)

scroll down till you see "; Add-On : Shin Chang Hoon [2008. 11. 20] - Opera Browser"

After this you will see all the copy/create directions for the files/folders.

you can either REM (remark for coders) them out using the semicolon or delete them all together. This of course does not get rid of the files, just stops the ROM from copying them to the Opera9 folder. So you have to go file by file and erase them from the \OEM\OEMApps\ folder, staring with the first file "Opera Browser.lnk"

its a pretty long list of files but you get the point. Afterwards Opera is pretty much gone. You may want to look for any Opera Registry keys, but Opera will not show up to the user of the ROM.

5. Not sure what you mean with Default Memory Settings or Default install Paths, Every files is copied into the \windows folder on the device no matter what.

6. see note 1.

7. just decompress wozzer's kitchen again and run BuildOS, flash the resulting file.

Hope this helps and would love to see a pdf in a sticky for this forum. There are some great ROM alternatives to VZ stock, but more chefs would be welcome (especially by me).

[Guest thekevster]

Thank you!

Now I feel like I got the right tools. But I still feel too stupid to actually use them! ;)

Still could really use a good guide on how to configure everything and actually execute.

So I'm sure its asking for a lot, but here goes!

1. How to install and confiure tool set for usage

2. Perform the very first Decompile\extraction from Phone ROM

3. Add an App (Or update OS to 6.5.3??)

4. Remove an App

5. Tweak registry setting - (modify Default Memory Settings or Default install Paths - for example)

6. Recompile and restore to Phone

7. Restore phone back to Factory Spec

I know this seems like I lot, that's becuase it is a lot. But if I can get this information together, I could create an actual Complete How to Guide - (Complete with Pictures etc) convert it to a pdf file and post it up for all to see. In a perfect situation it would include methods to upgrade the tools and convert to different phone builds. I used to teach - ( in a past life - it seems) - so its what I would do just for myself.

We would end up with a lot more people cooking up ROMS - as well as a single reference point for any and all questions

Anyone willing to take on the challenge and help me?

Thanks in advance

i don't cook for the omnia II so i can't really help with the kitchen and gettin a ROM built with it successfully, but just as some advice, you want to learn how to build a basic ROM with nothing tweaked first, and then learn how to cook in tweaks and modifications. its kind of like riding a bike (i know kinda cliche, eh?) you have to learn how to ride it in a straight line without falling over before you can start to learn how to do the cool tricks. i've only been cooking for a month, but i still have good deal of stuff to learn.

[Guest WinJo69]

OK. Getting one step closer. I've been flashing every ROM I find on this forum for my phone.

I've downloaded all of the tools I could possibly find and did A LOT of reading.

I've got the complete kitchen for the i920, and starting to work with it.

Currently, I have "dumped" the Stock .nb0 file as well as a few other .nb0 files.

Do I move the OEM Stuff to the OEM Folder?

Do I need to split everything up to match as its broken down in the i920 Kitchen Template?

How do I avoid turning my phone into a Brick!?!

I will continue my reading looking for now.

I'm so much more comfortable with Desktop and Server OS's - This is like a different language.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Edited April 23, 2010 by WinJo69

[Guest amdzero]

OK. Getting one step closer. I've been flashing every ROM I find on this forum for my phone.

I've downloaded all of the tools I could possibly find and did A LOT of reading.

I've got the complete kitchen for the i920, and starting to work with it.

Currently, I have "dumped" the Stock .nb0 file as well as a few other .nb0 files.

Do I move the OEM Stuff to the OEM Folder?

Do I need to split everything up to match as its broken down in the i920 Kitchen Template?

How do I avoid turning my phone into a Brick!?!

I will continue my reading looking for now.

I'm so much more comfortable with Desktop and Server OS's - This is like a different language.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I hear ya, I'm a desktop/server programmer. I know my way around them MUCH more than WinMo.

if you are referring to OEM Stuff as in OEM packages you built or found, then yes put them in the OEM Folder. Actually any folder in OEM or SYS will do. It is recommended that you put something in front of the folder as in "Cool Program 1.0" becomes "PACKAGE Cool Program 1.0".

If you can flash your phone with a custom rom, you are in no danger of bricking you phone. What you are flashing is not the CSC, but the PDA. If you mess up the CSC then you can brick your phone. PDA is like the windows installation, and CSC is like the BIOS for desktops.

You can organize your kitchen anyway you like. I reccommend you use the standard layout/template that comes with the i920 kitchen for 2 reasons.

1. Upgrading/Porting info over will be a breeze.

2. It can be hard to find the file you need to modify if they are all over the place.

Hope this helps.

[Guest WinJo69]

I hear ya, I'm a desktop/server programmer. I know my way around them MUCH more than WinMo.

if you are referring to OEM Stuff as in OEM packages you built or found, then yes put them in the OEM Folder. Actually any folder in OEM or SYS will do. It is recommended that you put something in front of the folder as in "Cool Program 1.0" becomes "PACKAGE Cool Program 1.0".

If you can flash your phone with a custom rom, you are in no danger of bricking you phone. What you are flashing is not the CSC, but the PDA. If you mess up the CSC then you can brick your phone. PDA is like the windows installation, and CSC is like the BIOS for desktops.

You can organize your kitchen anyway you like. I reccommend you use the standard layout/template that comes with the i920 kitchen for 2 reasons.

1. Upgrading/Porting info over will be a breeze.

2. It can be hard to find the file you need to modify if they are all over the place.

Hope this helps.

I am refering to these directories

OEM_Calendar

OEM_DPI_192

OEM_LANG0409

OEMApps

OEMDrivers

OEMDriversHigh

Etc

When I dumped the .nb0 file these are in the SYS folder that is created. But in the i920 Kitchen it looks like there were moved to the OEM Folder. Just wanted to make sure that I am doing this correctly.

Also - so if I am only Flashing the PDA - I am fine right? But you mentioned if I mess up the CSC File? Where it it? How does it get messed up? Is there a way to back it up? How would I restore it if I do hose it? I'm still under warranty for the phone and I bought the advanced protection. If its completely hose I will bring a 'bag of phone' into the store to get a replacement. (lol)

I just want to avoid this if at all possible.

Oh and the initflashfile.xml - this is like a LOG more than anything right? It just tells me where to take stuff out?

Thanks in advance!

[Guest Ninja4Hire]

I am refering to these directories

OEM_Calendar

OEM_DPI_192

OEM_LANG0409

OEMApps

OEMDrivers

OEMDriversHigh

Etc

When I dumped the .nb0 file these are in the SYS folder that is created. But in the i920 Kitchen it looks like there were moved to the OEM Folder. Just wanted to make sure that I am doing this correctly.

Also - so if I am only Flashing the PDA - I am fine right? But you mentioned if I mess up the CSC File? Where it it? How does it get messed up? Is there a way to back it up? How would I restore it if I do hose it? I'm still under warranty for the phone and I bought the advanced protection. If its completely hose I will bring a 'bag of phone' into the store to get a replacement. (lol)

I just want to avoid this if at all possible.

Oh and the initflashfile.xml - this is like a LOG more than anything right? It just tells me where to take stuff out?

Thanks in advance!

Yeah in the i920 kitchen all the OEM stuff is in the OEM folder. It's just easier for some of us to keep it there.

Also don't worry about the CSC as we don't have the ability to edit that yet. So basically don't worry to much about bricking your phone, since the PDA part can always be reflashed with a working rom.

The initflashfiles.dat (If that is what you mean) is like a list of things to do. if you remove something from it, it will not get installed where it needs to go. You will of course want to remove all the files as well to save space.

[Guest Robtao]

While I don't know it all I can answer some of your points.

2. I don't know how to extract a ROM from the phone, luckily there are more talented individuals than I who might be able to shed some light on this subject.

I appreciate all you guys putting info here and I am trying to learn, maybe enough to cook. I am one of the less talented individuals.

I did learn this much already, though. To extract a ROM from the phone, you need SORG's tool (dskdump.exe) which is placed on your storage card (root?) and run. In about 5 minutes, it will create a rom_dump.bin file over 200 MB in size. You can move that to your PC and convert it to a rom_dump.nb0 file, which can be renamed as Flash"whatever".nb0 and reflashed back to your phone. Drag and drop rom_dump.bin onto o2util.exe to convert to .nb0, and that file will appear under Documents and Settings/"user folder"(whatever you are using).

I found Sorg's tool on his profile page after searching for Sorg and dskdump.exe. http://www.modaco.com/user/349124/sorg/

I found o2util.exe here: http://www.modaco.com/content/i8000-omnia-...lity-for-i8000/

Edited April 23, 2010 by Robtao