Windows Mobile update is broken, how about ROM update OTA via AppToDate?

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Since the dawn of Windows Mobile time, there has been talk of 'over the air' device updating.

Microsoft has built Windows Update into the OS and nobody uses it, and everybody blames everybody else for the fact that today, we still can't keep our devices up to date without tethering with a PC. A real pain if, like me, you don't generally tether due to using Exchange, and even more of a pain if, like me, you use a Mac :D

Fellow MVP Mauricio Freitas actually wrote about this recently entitled 'Windows Mobile update distribution is broken', and he's spot on.

While the people who supply us our devices decide who takes responsibility for deploying our updates, and as scores of users take to trying 'Cooked ROMs' to get the features they want, why not develop an OTA (Over The Air) update method of our own? It sure is possible using the work already done by others on custom bootloaders, and the work i've already done with AppToDate.

Check out the video, and remember you can grab AppToDate here!

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[Guest awarner (MVP)]

Nice one :D

[Guest Confucious]

Isn't AP4.0 for the Athena already in AppToDate?

And OliPro has now merged with cmonex to become Olinex :D

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

AP4 is in ATD, and there's no reason a future update can't be OTA in this way. All that's required on the client is a copy of ATD!

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[Guest Jerome2811]

Hi,

The device will use a lot of power when using WiFi, what about low battery level and flashing?

Does the updater check for consistency before flashing of the image?

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Good thinking, i'll build that in :D

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[Guest leonxki]

Clearly, this ROCKS!! Good Job P.

[Guest ghozd]

Since i updated, when i reboot my device it is stuch in bootloader modus. I am almost sure it is due to apptodate. No problemo, but any idea how to fix, because now i cannot get into my TyTN II.

[Guest ghozd]

Odd, Connected my TyTN II to Laptop, and then it booted normally.

[Guest tsutton]

How does it work? Where is the ROM hosted? Phone company website or someone else?

[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

I think this is the cue for me to mention again the idea of chaining together app installs and re-installs.

Supposing you flash your ROM, and it wipes all data. Then how about the idea of it finding app to date on the SDHC card. It could then install app to date automagically. App to date could hold a cache of your installed applications and serial numbers, and reinstall them to the correct locations as appropriate. I guess it doesn't even need to support app to date for application updating, but thats the extra bonus.

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Since i updated, when i reboot my device it is stuch in bootloader modus. I am almost sure it is due to apptodate. No problemo, but any idea how to fix, because now i cannot get into my TyTN II.

Updated what? There's no way ATD could make your device get stuck in bootloader!

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[Guest Paul (MVP)]

How does it work? Where is the ROM hosted? Phone company website or someone else?

ROM can be hosted anywhere!

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[Guest Paul (MVP)]

I think this is the cue for me to mention again the idea of chaining together app installs and re-installs.

Supposing you flash your ROM, and it wipes all data. Then how about the idea of it finding app to date on the SDHC card. It could then install app to date automagically. App to date could hold a cache of your installed applications and serial numbers, and reinstall them to the correct locations as appropriate. I guess it doesn't even need to support app to date for application updating, but thats the extra bonus.

The first stage of this exists already, you can save your app list and CABs to SD... the reinstall featureset will grow over time.

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[Guest WearTheFoxHat]

Fantastic :D

Have I missed a thread on this one? Should the CAB's be put into a certain folder structure, or just all dumped into one big folder?

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

It currently supports apps that are AppToDate supported, and doesn't re-use downloaded CABs, yet... :D

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[Guest REem]

The first stage of this exists already, you can save your app list and CABs to SD... the reinstall featureset will grow over time.

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Will there also be the option to select a folder by yourself. Now the folder is apptodatecabs and is put in the root of your SD-card. I'm the kind of guy who wants to keep the root as clean as possible. :D

So the 17 MB ROM file will also be written to the storage card .... as I understand correctly ?

Anyway I'm impressed by the video and can't understand why all the different upgrade programs (Windows Update, Webis Update, Resco Update) can't combine their efforts and use one simple upgrade standard.

This is again one of the modaco programs which makes life more easier.

[Guest gsleon3]

Updated what? There's no way ATD could make your device get stuck in bootloader!

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Come on Paul, that's your answer?

To the gentleman stuck in BL, Paul is right, ATD didn't do this. Most likely its an RUU flag from the flash being incomplete or just not clearing the BL instruction.

You can usually fix this in MTTY issuing the RRU Flag clear command. Look for tri-color or stuck in boot loader over in forum.xda-developers.com, FYI most noobies call it tri-color, but you see I've walked probably a hundred thru recovery.

BTW, Nice point Paul! Could come in handy indeed.

Edited May 5, 2008 by gsleon3

[Guest Confucious]

What Paul said was that it is nothing to do with ATD - if he was running an RUU then he needs to look to that for the answer to his question.

[Guest ghozd]

So, i updated AppToDate. (Through ATD) . Next time i had to reset my device i got stuck in bootloader menu. EVERYTIME i tried to reset the device

Then i connected my TyTN II to my laptop , tried to reset again, and i started normally, but every time i resetted my device Without hooked up to my laptop when i reset the device it would enter the bootloader. Really odd.

So i started the device again (while beiing connected to my laptop), removed ATD, disconnected from my laptop and tried a reset. This time it resetted normally.

I have no idea how this is possible, i only know for sure this is what happened.

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

None of that scenario makes sense...

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[Guest gsleon3]

What Paul said was that it is nothing to do with ATD - if he was running an RUU then he needs to look to that for the answer to his question.

No Kidding??? Isn't that what I said? :D I was just giving Paul a hard time for not throwing the guy a little bone & at least pointing him in the right direction.

I may not have any Modaco posts, but please don't mistake me for a noobie. Look or ask around the Dev forums & you'll see just how many bricks & stuck in BL devices I have resurected.

Anyway, the above scenario may make some sense. If he use ATD for a ROM or Radio update, depending on where he has DL'd to it may be invoking a RUU call. Not a direct result of ATD, more a result of having a ruu file on the device, or an RUU flag thrown from a flash gone slightly awry.

Particularly the former, especially if he's using a rom cooked with SD Auto Config & UC.

Edited May 8, 2008 by gsleon3

[Guest Confucious]

Don't give Paul hard time we :D him!

ATD can't download any ROMs at the mo - it's just a POC.

Only another 929 posts here and you'll have as many as at 'the other place' :(

Welcome to Modaco.

[Guest Paul (MVP)]

No Kidding??? Isn't that what I said? :D I was just giving Paul a hard time for not throwing the guy a little bone & at least pointing him in the right direction.

I may not have any Modaco posts, but please don't mistake me for a noobie. Look or ask around the Dev forums & you'll see just how many bricks & stuck in BL devices I have resurected.

Anyway, the above scenario may make some sense. If he use ATD for a ROM or Radio update, depending on where he has DL'd to it may be invoking a RUU call. Not a direct result of ATD, more a result of having a ruu file on the device, or an RUU flag thrown from a flash gone slightly awry.

Particularly the former, especially if he's using a rom cooked with SD Auto Config & UC.

There's no available version of ATD that does ROM updates yet tho! :(

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[Guest Paul (MVP)]

Oh and be nice everyone!

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