Custom ROMS, OEM's, etc?

[BlackDynamite]

First off- this site is awesome!

Okay, so I have been reading a lot about how to cook your own ROM, and the various discussion threads about all the custom ROMs people have created. I have a few questions though...

1: What do you need to do with the OEM folders (each individual app) on the ftp? Do you just drag them to the OEM folder on your kitchen? Do you need to do anything else with those?
2: What is the difference between all the MMS OEM folders? Is one of them better for Sprint?
3: When putting your apps on a custom ROM, does it save memory or storage or something? What is the benefit to putting it on a ROM over just installing everything manually and then making a backup file?
4: I'm still running ROM version 2.06.00. What has been fixed (or made better) with the 3.5 version? I'm still trying to decide if it's worth it to upgrade.
5: What's going on with a WM6 upgrade? Any word on when we might be able to get that (on another board they were saying MS has already released it to HTC)?
6: There are a few MS Live OEM folders- is one of them the Live Beta (the new Pocket MSN) or are they all the Live Search thing (the one that's kind of like Google Maps)? I just uploaded the Live Beta (the new Pocket MSN) to the apps folder here by the way.
7: Based on my app list (below) is there anything else in the OEM folder list you think I might find useful?
8: Anything else you think I might find helpful? I've basically already read the tutorials and threads on how to create your own custom ROM. I'm just asking the questions that weren't really covered in those threads.

BTW- in case anyone is wondering, or needs to know what I'm running in order to answer my questions, my device is a Sprint PPC-6700, with the following:
ROM version 2.06.00, ExtROM version 2.06.300 (and I took the junkware out of it myself back when I first got the device, thanks to instructions on this site), Radio version 1.12.00, A2DP patch installed, MS VC over bluetooth hack, Sprint MMS patch. And the software I run is: MS Voice Command (1.5), PocketCalc, Adobe Reader, Flash Player, Card Export, Resco Explorer, Sling Player Mobile, Spb Backup, Spb Mobile Shell, Google Maps, Live Search, MS Live Beta (the new Pocket MSN), Total Commander, and Griff.

[finster869]

Ok, those are a whole lot of questions. There are specific threads that tell you how to do everything in more detail, but I will give you some quick answers:

1: What do you need to do with the OEM folders (each individual app) on the ftp? Do you just drag them to the OEM folder on your kitchen? Do you need to do anything else with those?

Yes, you just place them in the OEM folder in the kitchen.

2: What is the difference between all the MMS OEM folders? Is one of them better for Sprint?

I have one on the ftp server that is customized for Sprint's settings.

3: When putting your apps on a custom ROM, does it save memory or storage or something? What is the benefit to putting it on a ROM over just installing everything manually and then making a backup file?

It saves a ton of storage space. The rom uses 64 mb of storage regardless of whether you have it completely filled or not. If you fill the rom up to capacity, or leave it empty, it still takes up 64 mb. By loading it up with apps, you will have a lot of empty space. Most people have all of their apps loaded on the rom and still have 35 mb of free storage space available afterwards.

4: I'm still running ROM version 2.06.00. What has been fixed (or made better) with the 3.5 version? I'm still trying to decide if it's worth it to upgrade.

Everything is much faster. There are a few new programs too, such as internet sharing. I definitely recommend upgrading.

5: What's going on with a WM6 upgrade? Any word on when we might be able to get that (on another board they were saying MS has already released it to HTC)?

We don't know for sure.
6: There are a few MS Live OEM folders- is one of them the Live Beta (the new Pocket MSN) or are they all the Live Search thing (the one that's kind of like Google Maps)? I just uploaded the Live Beta (the new Pocket MSN) to the apps folder here by the way.

Some are "live search" others are the full live messenger. Most people do not like the live messenger or msn messenger at this time (we usually remove msn folders from our OEM kitchen to get rid of it)

7: Based on my app list (below) is there anything else in the OEM folder list you think I might find useful?

Didn't see your app list.

8: Anything else you think I might find helpful? I've basically already read the tutorials and threads on how to create your own custom ROM. I'm just asking the questions that weren't really covered in those threads.

JUST GO FOR IT!!!! YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY!!! Good luck, and let us know if you need help.

[BlackDynamite]

Wow, thanks for the very helpful response.

Okay, I'm going to go for it. I just have a few more questions first...

1: I just purchased the upgrade to Voice Command 1.5 (already had 1.5). So what exactly do I need to do to the OEM Voice Command folder? I saw a few posts mentioning something about copying an exe- is this the setup exe that I downloaded after purchase or some other exe that I have to dig for after installing 1.6?
2: Do I need to do any kind of patches or anything to get A2DP working or voice dialing over bluetooth with Voice Command 1.6 (in the Helmi 3.5 kitchen on the ftp here)?

[willysp]

Hi and welcome!

Some friendly advice, and then an answer

Advice: the questions you are asking are answered in other threads. Yeah - I know, there's a lot of threads to read! But that's the best way to learn, and you'll pick up a LOT of other things you haven't even thought about in the process.

Answer: You need to (1) extract the VC cab from the exe [run activesync with device NOT connected, then look for it in the Activesync folder, IIRC] (2) extract voicecmd.exe from the cab (3) drop it in the OEM, (4) create OS from Kitchen.

Good reading and good luck!

[willysp]

OH, and a very useful tip when you start to search the forum for answers:

Click the radio button for 'Posts' (not Topics) in lower left of search page - search results will be fairly worthless if you don't (default Topics will point you to a sometimes very long thread containing a buried answer)

Another answer: you have an old ExtRom and Radio ROM on your device. Update both with the latest Sprint or HTC release FIRST (contains 303 in file name), then update just the OS.

[xyzzy]

Originally Posted by SaltyDawg

Wow, thanks for the very helpful response.

Okay, I'm going to go for it. I just have a few more questions first...

1: I just purchased the upgrade to Voice Command 1.5 (already had 1.5). So what exactly do I need to do to the OEM Voice Command folder? I saw a few posts mentioning something about copying an exe- is this the setup exe that I downloaded after purchase or some other exe that I have to dig for after installing 1.6?
2: Do I need to do any kind of patches or anything to get A2DP working or voice dialing over bluetooth with Voice Command 1.6 (in the Helmi 3.5 kitchen on the ftp here)?

The setup.exe is for the PC. This will install on your PC and will then transfer a CAB to your device that will install. When the CAB installs on the device, it will create a folder called \program files\voice command, you should copy the voicecmd.exe from that directory. You may want to copy the file to your PC and then hard reset your device to bring it back to factory settings before copying the voicecmd.exe to \windows

[willysp]

Originally Posted by xyzzy

...you are in a twisty maze of passageways, all alike