Testing ROMs within Windows Desktop OS - Android Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hey,
I've been looking other this forum and other sites and cant find anythin of use.
Basically I'm wanting to know if there is a way to test a ROM without having to install it onto a phone/PDA.
As I've been looking at buying a new HTC QTEK 8500 (StrTrk) for my girlfriend as she's sick of her phone and wants a new one. The phone comes with WM 5.0 on but I have found a few ROMs for WM 6.1 and before I buy the phone I want to checkout the ROM to see what it'll basically be like to use the phone.
What software do I need to be able to emulate a phone to test run a ROM?
This would be useful for others as well if its a generic way as then everyone can test out a ROM and then decide if they want to flash it to their device.
Thanks alot for the help,
M_Taylor40

i don't know how useful emulating the rom would be since the experience would differ based on hardware. Most developers post what apps their rom contain so users know what their getting into before.

Yeah you are right, just my girlfriend is a bit picky about her stuff and I don't want to spend £70 on a new phone for her not to like it lol.
Just thought it would be useful tho, I'm pretty sure you would be able to do it with the Windows Mobile 6.1 SDK kit and Visual Studio just don't have a clue how lol.
M_Taylor40

I also think that with the SDK and visual studio you might get an idea although based on my very little experience with programming, the only way to know the output is testing it on the real thing. I would say that if she likes the phone originally with WM5 then you can test a WM6 or 6.1 ROM and if you don't like it then flash back to WM5. Many people (including myself) flash all the time to find the best ROM for them.

Lol, thats the thing, I aint bought the phone yet so she can only go off my Kaiser to see what WM6.1 is on there (She aint gettin as good a phone as me lol!)
She likes the look of the phone but I think she wants drivin lessons instead lol, see wot it goes for on ebay lol, was £15 I saw last night!
Thanks anyway!
M_Taylor40

Any solution?

Related

Someone please explain ROM to me

I have read and seen a lot about the ROM for the XDA2 but still can't understand everything abopuut it.
I understand that it is the Memory in the device that loads when you give it a hard reset. So what are the differences between the different ROM's around and is there one that stands up better than the rest?
Also how do you go about changing the ROM? And is it a safe procedure. Can I save the ROM I have and put it back with ease if a new one does not work for me?
All these questions I would love to know the answers to but could not find the answers directly here, is there anywhere I can point my navigator to to find out in simple non geekie language?
I wish I was a Geek but my brain will not cope with too much techkie stuff at one time and shuts down
Adam
Butler,
I understand your pain! But you have to begin somewhere...
Changing ROMs is a dangerous process that can lead even the most experienced " geek" through a lot of frustration and wasted time. It is however, in the nature of us, who are never contented with the normal out of the box" oftenly" flawed solutions, to tinker and experiment with the devices and create customized versions containing only the best for what we want to do.
The ROM is the software that makes your XDA work, the OS(operating system) for your device. It contains all the programs and applications needed to run the phone and PDA aspects. It also contains what is called a Radio Stack, which is what runs the Radio/ Phone version of the device.
Sometimes, these carriers will take the OS and make modifications such as installing their own time measuring/ messagin applications.These apps often cause a lot of issues in regards to performance and memory leaks and etc.
Our devices have an Operating System provided by Microsoft :twisted: and based on the Windows CE ( Compact Edition), which itself has many versions. The latest of these versions is what is called Windows Mobile 2003.
There are many ROM and Radio Stack versions ( like OS's) each with features and functionalities which work best for certain phone providers.
The XDA, MDA and XDAII are manufactured by a company called HTC ( called an OEM- Original Equipment Manufacturer) for many of our carriers.)
So playing with your ROM means potentially lobotomizing your unit :roll: , which is a thought that scares some and excites some! It is a great feeling to bring back a unit that was non-functioning or DEAD and have it working the way you want it to work...
My recomendation is that you read the posts in this and other boards before you decide to do an upgrade or tweak your XDA. Good Luck! 8)
Thanks for that Great Information. I had guessed a few of the things you wrote but it's nice to know these things from a real understandable Geek.
I love to mess with these things as well as long as I have an escape plan. Is there a way to save your exixting ROM on a PC and try others out, and if they don't work or I just dont like them put it back. I am sure there is but I have no idea how. How do you extract and load a ROM?? Also if the new ROM fails and the device does not start up can you still connect the XDA2 to a PC to put back your origional of another ROM. That is the bit that sounds scarry to me.
I use the O2 ROM that came with the phone and it really needs a bit of improving. There are several issues with it that could be looked at. Do you know of any great Radio Stacks out there???
Thanks again
Adam
By the way I am a photographer working for AP based in London and use my phone all the time to transmit my pictures back to the office. The phone does not work as well as a nokia in reliable GSM conections and GPRS and is slower have you any ideas about it?

FASTEST most STABLE ROM? - What is it?

Hello everyone,
before I bought my TouchDual, I had a usual HTC Touch. Well, at first the device was horrible slow. Then later on some one released a light ROM which works great till this day (my brother owns the Touch now).
Well, I got the TouchDual, but can't find a slim, fast, stable ROM. Its horrible.
I don't need a overloaded Divice. Just a slim one with all updated drivers and fixed bugs.
Is there anything out there which even comes close? My current ROM is driving me crazy! I prefer an older build it just has to be fast and stable.
PS: Couldn't someone stick a Thread like that? I'm sure plenty people are searching for such an ROM. (Yes I used the search-function)
Dino Crisis said:
PS: Couldn't someone stick a Thread like that? I'm sure plenty people are searching for such an ROM. (Yes I used the search-function)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason why there isn't such a sticky is if you ask 10 people this question, you'll get 8 different replies. There aren't many ROMs for the Nike anyway, so why not try all of it? I did..
It also depends on if you want WM6.1 or WM6.5.
There's not many 6.5 ROMs but NemanjaLO was doing the only Lite ones - as to whether they're completely stable seeing as WM6.5 is still undergoing development well, that's for you to judge.
But, as Lukesky says, it's all down to personal opinion and preference so do a few searches and try some out - you get usually get a good feel for the ROM by people's comments in the thread.
try this one... I've been using the manilla edition of it, and was stable and for a manilla rom packed full with all kind of apps it was fast. I think it will satisfy your needs.
If not, wait untill tWolf sees this thread. He must have flashed every single "basic", "clean" or "lite" version of the roms on this board to his niki and will surely be able to tell you which one was the best
Well I don't need 6.5. I just want an ROM on which I can run Tom Tom smothly, browse for Files and don't get interrupted writing SMS. My current ROM has some very annoying settings.
Such when you use T9 and want to add a custom word, it doesn't automatically switch to ABC-Mode... which is absolutely stupid.
The "Clean Black" Rom doesn't seem too clean with all that stuff on it. Especially the skin...
Where are you Mr. tWolf & NemanjaLO?
PS.: Even though it's right that every ROM has to kinda fit personal need, it is impossible (for people who need their phone everyday) to just try a whole bunch. It's just like buying a car. I need advice for a compact, small, efficient one.
Thanks so far.
If you don't even want the skin, then it's best you cook for yourself, else the lightest nike rom I know has to be this : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=435153&highlight=lite
Can you even use that one with an Nike?

Any of the "regulars" working on 6.5?

As the title says---any of you working on the 6.5 that has appeared here? I'm running the "clean" 6.5 posted, but I miss Pampooh's Neo-themed 6.1.....What say you all??
This is my understanding of the situation, as far as I know. Erofich hasn't committed to a 6.5 project. Pampooh says he doesn't have the time, at the moment.
That takes care of the regulars, I think.
You can try one of the posted 6.5 ROMs. I flashed one yesterday, thought "this looks cool/promising" and an hour later was running Pampooh's 1.05b again.
"clean" ROM
Yes--I'm running the "clean" 6.5 posted--but I miss Pampooh's Neo---very nice look & the feature-set that works for me---I might look into cooking one--never done it & it looks interesting......
I don't have the device too. Both of my StarTrek's have gone to their rest.
Sorry to hear that!!!
May your 'treks RIP!!! I still like your themes....could you point me towards a tutorial/info to cook a ROM?
Ive tried the 6.5 roms - but my phone has finally killed its battery cover and I cant find a new one for love nor money - so its sort of academic.
Can say from experience though that the 6.5.3 (or equivalent) on the startrk is pretty good - even if the version I have is half in chinese.
I've seen them on eBay---
So you might take a look there---I have a HTC listing-watch going. Thinking of buying a Elf--should be "fairly" easy to run Android on it........
As for the Chinese bit---have you had any luck finding a "cure" for the non-english parts?
autocrosser1 said:
So you might take a look there---I have a HTC listing-watch going. Thinking of buying a Elf--should be "fairly" easy to run Android on it........
As for the Chinese bit---have you had any luck finding a "cure" for the non-english parts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've looked and their without exception black and mostly second hand and scratched all to hell most like - Its the one girlie phone I have ever bought - but then for £50 it was a steal at the time... I'd prefer to get a pink one if I can but dont really wanna spend alot of money on an entire phone :S
only way to cure the chinese language bits is to get a full wwe rom cooked, I dont know how to do that and im not really all that bothered since I am pretty much exclusively using the WG3 as my phone and Diamond 6.5.3 as a sorta baby internet tablet.

How many users would be interested in Android

I have been messing with android on my blackstone for a while now and would love to run it on my athena, I have a copy of 1.0 android that boots that was posted ages ago on here, and have tried to no avail to boot a later version either 1.5 or 2.0.1.
I feel that its pretty close but need someone with some linux/android experience as I think the problem lies in the initrd file.
With this is mind if there is enough interested I would like to see how many people would be willing to donate to a developer/developers to get this running on the athena?
I have seen bounty threads before and they seem to work, so post if you interested in donating to the cause.
What about perfectng the wm6.5 ROM along side the Android for takers?
Thanks mate.
in all honesty i have a x7500 im actually going to sell my iphone and get a x7510 just to have them both .. if im gonna get rid of an iphone i dont think i'd be going to an android
i too am very excited about this as have android 2.1 working on Blackstone so you would like to see it om here. i am not a dev in that sense but i am happy to contribute in any way.........cash not a problem
By the looks of it not many people want android for athena? for anyone who does bear with me as I am spending a huge amount of time behind the scenes working on trying to port 2.0.1 with some help from some experts
Would find Android an interesting idea
Hello avergerpenguin,
Would be very interested in seeing this happen, I have been keeping an eye on your work for WM 6.5 but not yet had time to try flashing one of the roms but if your work on there is anything to go by then I'm sure this will be good. Is this going to be full rom for the phone or run as an app over the top of win mobile?
Oberth said:
Hello avergerpenguin,
Would be very interested in seeing this happen, I have been keeping an eye on your work for WM 6.5 but not yet had time to try flashing one of the roms but if your work on there is anything to go by then I'm sure this will be good. Is this going to be full rom for the phone or run as an app over the top of win mobile?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At present it is not possible to run android without winmo, however mitchy has created a rom for diamond that only loads the drivers etc needed and then autoloads android meaning that you cant get to the winmo underneath.
But firstly I need to compile a working android kernel, see what does and doesnt work and then go from there and possibly create a android only rom, but depends on functionality
I am in avengerpenguin
Id love it on the x7510
Android on Athena
I would love to have Android on my Athena, or even Maemo5
Hey Avengerpenguin, I am VERY VERY interested in Andriod on my Athena. I would love it. I am happy to make a donation to help this along if there is a real chance of us getting it going. I wish I knew how to develop so I could help out that way, too.
New Advantage user also interested in Android. I flipped my mytouch to pick up a G1 to use Android and an Advantage for everything else!
Looks like we're preparing to declare against the new dell mini 5 tablet. Its neat to see how ahead of their time these athenas really were.
Also interested in Android on Athena
Now that it looks like WinMo is a dying OS (no new versions after 6.5), I'm also interested in Android.
The new Windows Phone 7 isn't going to be based on WinMo, so I have nothing to gain by staying with Micro$oft software.
Would love to avoid buying a new phone for as long as possible. The Athena has everything I need in it; all I'd have to do is obtain new programs, which I'll have to do anyway.
I am late to the party, but ya, android would be awesome to have. I still have my athena kicking around, and would love to really use it again.
Very interest in Android
Please do this. Thanks for all your work
I'm 100% looking forward to using my Athena again if Android 2.1 can be made to work. It's a sensible OS moving forward given that wm6.5 is towards the end of its life cycle.
Cheers.
eaglesteve said:
I'm 100% looking forward to using my Athena again if Android 2.1 can be made to work. It's a sensible OS moving forward given that wm6.5 is towards the end of its life cycle.
Cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EAGLESTEVE!
thought you had dropped off the planet, nice to see you still around
Regards
Jay
Hi Jay,
I went off and bought a Touch HD. Sold it and got a 3G, followed by a 3gs. Hence the absence. But I still have my Athena with an almost dead battary though. Each time I turn it on I'm always attracted by it's hugh and beautiful screen. Somehow I find myself unenthusiatic about using winmo applications again after using iPhone, sorry to say. That's why I hope to see Android on it. It would really Be an awesome device once again I reckon if that's done.
BTW, which is the newest and most popular ROM you guys are using these days? Might try it out for fun before Android is available for my Athena.
Cheers and good to be home.
eaglesteve said:
Hi Jay,
I went off and bought a Touch HD. Sold it and got a 3G, followed by a 3gs. Hence the absence. But I still have my Athena with an almost dead battary though. Each time I turn it on I'm always attracted by it's hugh and beautiful screen. Somehow I find myself unenthusiatic about using winmo applications again after using iPhone, sorry to say. That's why I hope to see Android on it. It would really Be an awesome device once again I reckon if that's done.
BTW, which is the newest and most popular ROM you guys are using these days? Might try it out for fun before Android is available for my Athena.
Cheers and good to be home.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me personally, I have been using Lennie's 6.5 rom. I have not liked 6.5 at all before Lennie had his latest V3.00 out, and now I quite like it. I would still say that 6.1 has the edge for ease of use and speed, but Lennie's latest offering is much improved on speed and looks. We dont have many cooks left on here now, so people seem to be trying out some of the old stuff again. We seem to be getting posts from roms way-way back now. I have a G1 myself now, and very good they are to. I do like to keep up with the WM stuff still.

I want, I want... But WHY!!!!

Ok, So the HD2 has been out for some time now and there isnt a day where someone isn't begging for someones secret stash of Android to put on their phone or showing off some bogus video that their friends friends friends brother uploaded last night.
I have a two part question...
1. WHY?!? Why is it so important to have Android running on this phone.
I have played with android and to tell the truth it is no easier to navigate or use and the android market is FULL of half @ss junk usless apps that dont make the OS "to die for"
2. What? What is so bad about WinMo. Most of the issues I have had with this phone have nothing to do with WinMo and everything to do with HTC's rush to get it out to the market and failure to test and intigrate.
DON'T GET ME WRONG!
As soon as a fully functioning port comes out I am on it like a fat kid on cake but I just really want to be as excited as everyone else!
yup, i got you there, it works, it works very well, i cant think of any reason at the mo to change to android or WM7 assuming they get them working on it.
I think what it comes down to is, "its android, it must be better" the reality of course is yes its a bit different but better? i doubt it, but ill give it a shot and see what its like but more then likely after a few days trial ill be back with my sleek fast, stable WM 6.5.x
and as for WP7, well ive fiddled with the new UI and again, im not blown over, infact, the very fact it doesnt support my slightly older programs means its already in a bad place. Its a shame but i guess thats life!
..... i wonder in a couple of years if rather then folk trying to get new OS's on an old device people will be looking at getting an old OS (6.5.x) on a new device...

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