Need advice on replacing my PDA

[JessicaD]

HansTWN -- you are correct. With the required hardware you can actually install and run Windows XP through XP mode for Windows 7.

For more information on XP Mode, please go here: http://bit.ly/lvAjC

Jessica
Microsoft Windows Client Team

[starrigger]

This might be beyond the scope of MR, but I'm wondering if anyone here knows how to copy the WM operating system from one PDA to another. I now have two Axims here, both with WM 6.0, but one syncs properly between two PCs and the other one doesn't. It would be great if I could use the good one as a source to flash the other one, but I have no idea if that's even feasible. (For a nonhacker, that is.)

[HansTWN]

If you have exactly the same model with the same RAM and ROM you might try the following (don't know if it works or if the program will recognize the second device as a different machine and refuses to restore). Also make sure that you have the exact same ROM version. Not just WM 6.0 but the same user ROM version from the same cook.

1.)Get an evaluation copy of Sprite Backup from handango.com or elsewhere.
2.)Make a complete system backup of the working one (with all settings, etc) to your SD or CF card.
3.)Install Sprite Backup to the PDA you are having problems with, stick your SD card into the expansion slot, and then do a complete system restore.

That is the "non-geek" method. I am sure that there are special programs to do just that, since some companies buy 100s or 1000s of WM devices and set them up automatically.

[starrigger]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

If you have exactly the same model with the same RAM and ROM you might try the following (don't know if it works or if the program will recognize the second device as a different machine and refuse to restore). Also make sure that you have the exact same ROM version. Not just WM 6.0 but the same user ROM version from the same cook.

1.)Get an evaluation copy of Sprite Backup from handango.com or elsewhere.
2.)Make a complete system backup of the working one (with all settings, etc) to your SD or CF card.
3.)Install Sprite Backup to the PDA you are having problems with, stick your SD card into the expansion slot, and then do a complete system restore.

That is the "non-geek" method. I am sure that there are special programs to do just that, since some companies buy 100s or 1000s of WM devices and set them up automatically.

It sounds like that would copy all the settings and installed programs, but not the actual operating system, which I think is what I need. The one that does not sync properly is a flash ROM that I got on that developer site. The other one just came with WM 6.0 already installed, and apparently incorporates the fix that was issued for the sync problem. It's that fix that I'd like to have.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by starrigger

It sounds like that would copy all the settings and installed programs, but not the actual operating system, which I think is what I need. The one that does not sync properly is a flash ROM that I got on that developer site. The other one just came with WM 6.0 already installed, and apparently incorporates the fix that was issued for the sync problem. It's that fix that I'd like to have.

In that case you are right. Now you can do one of the following:

1.)Check on the site and other sites if they have the exact same ROM (check for exact version number under system info) you have on the working PDA. My guess is it will we downloadable somewhere. You can open a thread, maybe you will find a user ready to help.

2.)A more difficult way would be to dump the ROM from the working PDA and then cook your own flashfile from that -- definitely more technical, you will also find instructions on that site.

3.)Ask the person you bought the second PDA where they got the ROM from, it definitely still is a user ROM since Dell never issued an official 6.0.

4.)If you cannot find anything try a number of different ROMs, one of them might include the fix.

You might also search for a simple *.cab file with that sync fix. Must be out there somewhere. If you dump the working ROM (be sure to use a seperate directory, you will get 1000s of files) you might also find the respective file, however, will you recognize it? A comparison of both ROMs might help. You can make a search for all *.cab files of both ROM dumps and compare only those. Dumping is a simple procedure, the question is if you want to go to all that trouble.

[starrigger]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

In that case you are right. Now you can do one of the following:

1.)Check on the site and other sites if they have the exact same ROM (check for exact version number under system info) you have on the working PDA. My guess is it will we downloadable somewhere. You can open a thread, maybe you will find a user ready to help.

2.)A more difficult way would be to dump the ROM from the working PDA and then cook your own flashfile from that -- definitely more technical, you will also find instructions on that site.

3.)Ask the person you bought the second PDA where they got the ROM from, it definitely still is a user ROM since Dell never issued an official 6.0.

4.)If you cannot find anything try a number of different ROMs, one of them might include the fix.

You might also search for a simple *.cab file with that sync fix. Must be out there somewhere. If you dump the working ROM (be sure to use a seperate directory, you will get 1000s of files) you might also find the respective file, however, will you recognize it? A comparison of both ROMs might help. You can make a search for all *.cab files of both ROM dumps and compare only those. Dumping is a simple procedure, the question is if you want to go to all that trouble.

Thanks for the detailed suggestions. No time right now to mess with it. But I'm going to hang onto this page (figuratively speaking). I'm not going to go all technoid (meaning, basically, beyond my current level of skill)--not worth the time. But if I can find it and flash it, that would be worth doing.