How to upgrade operating system in Pocket PC devices

PDAs differ from desktop PCs in the way they use memory and install the operating system. If you are not sure, I recommend that you first read the article “Memory in Pocket PC Explained”, which discusses this area in more detail and will make it easier for you to understand information herein.

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When and why upgrade?

A classic advice to system administrators says one should upgrade only if something does not work and there is a chance that an upgrade will fix the problem. A pocket computer is not a network server but this approach is rational to apply in this area, too. But first things first. An operating system for pocket computers is a set of software applications that contain a certain number of bugs. Only rarely do developers bring their creations to perfection, because before all the bugs come to light and are patched, a new version has been launched and the bug correcting process stars anew. That is why production of upgrades is an essential part of user support of each manufacturer and its level should be taken into account in purchasing decisions.

But enough theorising, let's come to the point. You have just discovered that the manufacturer posted a patch or a completely new ROM for your device on its website. You need to decide whether it is worth downloading and installing. In the first place, you should find out whether it is a completely new ROM version or just a minor bug fix that installs in the RAM the same way as any other application (it should be stated in the description of the file). There is a huge difference between the two. If the update installs like an ordinary application, you do not need to do anything else but install it. However, such update being installed in the RAM, you will have to re-apply it every time you perform a HW reset. On the contrary, a complete ROM upgrade means that changes will be permanent and a hard reset will not affect anything. The rest of this article describes the steps required to install a new ROM.

So, in what situation would it be advisable to venture a ROM upgrade? Well, it is up to you to decide:) Unlike technical freaks who must always have the latest, ordinary users should carefully read about new features and/or improvements a particular upgrade brings and only then decide if it is worth or not. If you experience any problems with the current setup, you should definitely go for the upgrade. However, if the new ROM brings only minor improvements or changes, think twice if it is worth the time and effort the installation and subsequent setting and fine-tuning it would require.

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Preparing to install a new ROM

All right:) You have come to the conclusion that a ROM update is desirable. Let's start with preparations. Installing a new ROM, besides other things, means that you will lose all data in the RAM and ROM. Not even the safe storage is safe in this situation, but it depends on the model - some devices retain data stored in the safe storage, some erase them.

If you have any important data in your PDA (you are likely to have), save them elsewhere. Now, this is important: we can distinguish between four types of user data - system settings, installed applications, PIM (mail, calendar, contacts), and data files, such as documents, multimedia etc. I strongly recommend backing up data files by simply copying them to a memory card or desktop computer, and PIM data by synchronising with a desktop version of Outlook. It is sometimes difficult yet never impossible to establish where a certain application saves its data files. Forget about backing up the system using a special utility or ActiveSync - you may want to do so only if you do not rule out restoring the original ROM. Restoring an old system to a new ROM almost always results in a HW reset sooner or later. I would not recommend partial backups of applications or the system, either. (This can be done e.g. using SpriteBackup.) It will work fine in most cases but if a problem emerges, it will be much more difficult to find the cause and fix it. NB: This is logical. A new ROM often contains new versions of applications and if you force them to use e.g. old configuration files, they may find it hard to digest. It is true that installing all your favourite applications and configuring the system will take time but you will not experience erratic behaviour or crashes due to an invalid file or registry key. In my view, installing everything anew is the safest solution. Naturally, if you do not use MS Outlook, you will have to find a different solution, but that's how it is:)

Now, when data are safe, there remain a few more preparatory steps to do. It may be unnecessary but it pays to manually perform a HW reset in order to prevent any conflicts with installed applications. Now download the installation file and save it onto your hard drive, if you have not done it yet. Connect the pocket computer to a power source. If you are using a laptop for the installation, plug it to the, mains, too. Disable all power saving schemes on the PC (this concerns laptops in particular) - there can be nothing worse than a PC going to sleep in the middle of a long installation process. It is also recommended to shut down any running applications on the PC or better restart the computer. Finally, establish a cable connection between the desktop PC and the PDA (system updates can ONLY be done over the cable), wait for the green ActiveSync disk to start spinning and you are ready to go.

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General guide to installing a new ROM

Manufacturers have mastered ROM upgrades, so we can say that whenever there is a problem, it is a fault of the user who failed to follow the instructions. If you do follow the instructions, you do not need to be afraid of performing an upgrade. The procedure is not identical for all devices and manufacturers have different installation utilities but the principle is always the same. In general, I see three basic rules to observe:

1. Follow the instructions word for word
2. Be patient, be patient, be patient
3. Do not panic (at least not in the first 60 minutes of installation:)

The first rule is clear yet some users break it. The second one is equally important - flashing a FlashROM is a lengthy process. If you are impatient, go for a walk or lunch after starting the installation. A complete install may take several tens of minutes during which you may be unable to see any signs of activity with backlight off, but disconnecting the computer or any other interference may prove fatal, resulting in purchase of a new device, if it comes to the worst. An error during the flashing may occur and the device may freeze but I would consider 60 minutes of inactivity as a limit when "still working" becomes "has frozen". Only then should you start checking what has gone wrong and what you can do about it.

And that's about all for the general stuff. In the following chapters, I will show you how to update selected devices (their number will grow; if you send me your experience, I'll post it hereunder). As far as official updates are concerned, there is absolutely no problem and if you stick to the instructions, success is granted. Good luck:)

P.S. Just to make it clear – I am seemingly arbitrarily using the terms UPDATE and UPGRADE throughout the article. They differ in meaning only slightly. An Update is a new version of a programme that fixes known bugs. By contrast, an Upgrade is a new version carrying new features and enhanced functionality. However, it is impossible to draw a clear line between them. When speaking about Pocket PCs, the terms have more or les the same meaning – the vast majority of new ROMs both add new features and correct known bugs and issues. It therefore makes little difference which term you use... Some say that an Update keeps the main version number whereas an Upgrade increments it (e.g. Windows Mobile 2003 -> Windows Mobile 5).

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ROM updates for selected devices

• Update for Dell Axim X50v
• Update for HP iPAQ hx4700 to ROM version 1.10
• Update for T-Mobile MDA Compact

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Updating Dell Axim X50v to ROM version A04

ROM update in the Dell is a straightforward and painless operation. Thanks to user nick beecher for documentation of the process. First, download the ROM update from Dell’s website. Unpack the package and run AximUpdate.exe from a newly created folder.

Besides updating the ROM, Dell’s update utility offers also the option to back up/restore the original ROM version, which is an EXTREMELY useful feature, indeed. We will click on Update ROM, though, because it is possible to back up the current ROM this way, too. Follows a warning that all data will be erased and that it is advisable to back them up. The next window displays information about the version of the current ROM and the one to be installed. At the bottom is a check box – if checked, the current ROM will be backed up prior to installation of the update. Leave it unchecked if you want to skip this step. However, we are going to make a backup, just in case...:)

Follows a warning that all data will be erased and the utility requests that the device be connected to a power source. Moving on, you will see a dialogue box with a Save button. After pressing it, you will be able to choose a location where the ROM is to be saved (file name will be created automatically but you can change it) and then wait just a few minutes for a window to pop up informing you about successful completion of the backup.

The update follows immediately with status indicated on the screen. It takes some 15 minutes to copy the files and another five to write them to the ROM. Needless to stress that you’d better leave the device alone during the process.

When you see this dialogue, the update is complete. You can start configuring your device.

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Updating HP iPAQ hx4700 to ROM version 1.10

ROM updates for all Pocket PCs from HP are quite similar and easy to perform. The first step is to download an approximately 25-MB installation file. Below is a series of screenshots with comments:

The installation starts only now:

Take a rest, the update will take a few minutes...

There we go...:)

Updating HP devices is really straightforward and if you follow the instructions, you should be through with it in a couple of minutes.

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Updating T-Mobile MDA Compact

Updating the ROM in your Compact may be rather complicated, mainly because T-Mobile (at the time when this article was written) was not offering any newer ROM than pre-historic 1.01 (at least in T-Mobile Czech). And if it did, experience tells that it is likely that it would have been reluctant to post it on the web for users to download and install comfortably from their home computers. Instead, users would have to visit a service point to get this “complicated” operation done for money (in our country it is an equivalent of around $20 USD). Shame on them!

There is a solution to this problem, of course, but there are two big BUTs. The first issue is questionable legality of the DYI way. It is technically possible to load any language version from any national operator to your MDA Compact. This constitutes a breach of the Microsoft licence conditions. Windows Mobile being licensed as OEM, any change to the original state is not allowed. In addition, there are bonus applications in the Extended ROM and copying them is really beyond acceptable practice. The other issue is that when your Compact needs repair in the warranty period, you will not be able to get free service. Don’t ask what a broken cover has to do with ROM version – that’s a question for T-Mobile and its service organisation. Take it as a matter of fact. So, whatever you do with your device based on instructions herein, you do on your own risk and are solely responsible for the outcome.

I shall leave the moral considerations up to you. For installing a new ROM, you need an installation package in the first place. You will obtain it from another operator’s website or choose your desired version from the XDA-developers server. If you cannot get there, try your favourite FTP client, the address is www.xda-developers.com, user name and password “xda”. Most of you will probably be interested in ROMs whose name starts with “WWE”, which stands for world-wide English, but other language versions are available, too. The name of the file contains also three numbers – the first tells the ROM version, the second Extended ROM version and the third radio version. Choose a package of your liking and download it to your PC. They are mostly ZIP archives, so you will need to unpack it to some folder. You also need a specially crafted file called MaUpgradeUt_noID [107KB], without which you would not be able to install the update. Download it and unpack, preferably to the same folder as the ROM installation package. If you have prepared the device as described in the first part of this article, you can proceed to updating the ROM.

Insert the device in the cradle and wait until connection is established. Then run MaUpgradeUt_NoID.exe (i.e. the extra file you downloaded from this site) from the ROM install folder and follow the screenshots below:

The device has reset itself, started in a special mode and the updating process will start. Ooops, has anything gone wrong...? What, an error??? Yes, an error, but don’t worry, it is normal:) You are performing a not-exactly-official update. So, calm down, leave the Compact alone and run MaUpgradeUt_NoID.exe again and click through the first two screens.

Updating process starts immediately after that and will take some 15 minutes. It has three stages, so sit back and watch it run.

If you see this screen in the end, you have been successful. Perform a HW reset now (press main switch + reset) and start configuring.

It should not be a problem to update the Compact if you observe all the instructions. If the installation fails to start, perform a HW reset and try again. I have done ten or so flashes and encountered no problems whatsoever:)

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