Overwhelmed Newbie

[darren.wlsn1]

well put sir. (mojary)

[ModmyPPC]

Thanks for the open arms guys its really awesome.

While I have you guys attention just some quick questions.

Originally Posted by lipidfats

yeah absolutely make sure you only flash CDMA ROMs if you're on sprint. flashing a rom that's intended for a GSM phone will turn it into a paperweight.

Are you telling me that installing a rom that is not intended to your phone can break it? Will a hard reset fix the problem? Just curious because I want to know how cautious I have to be with modifiying my phone.

Originally Posted by lipidfats

First you have to HardsSPL the phone using the CDMA TOUCH PRO2/Rhodium unlocker before you can flash custom ROMs. must be the tp2 one in the cdma upgrade section in this forum: *link had to be removed to post*

- Why does sprint offer Windows mobile Shell 3 for the touch pro 2 without giving you this unlocker? Is there a difference between there custom roms vs the people here?

- You said you only have to unlock your phone once... Do you have to unlock it every time you do a hard reset?

I have taken a look into the CDMA roms here but some of them mention windows mobile 6.5. I have 6.1 and I've searched this forum and google and it mentions that Sprint doesn't offer the 6.5 yet. So does that mean the roms that require a 6.5 wont work with my 6.1?


it's really easy, just follow the instructions to unlock. you only need to do it once. then you can easily flash any CDMA ROM at any time

Originally Posted by lipidfats

edit: it's recommended to hard reset your phone before and after flashing. i only do it before though.

I guess this goes with my earlier question. Flashing a custom rom will stay even after a hard reset (restore to factory settings) is done?

Finially,

Ive been reading and Windows Mobile Shell 3 is really captured my attention however its expensive and Im a broke college kid.

Is there any rom similar to Mobile shell without causing me to go hungry for a week? haha

Once again thanks for all the advice and warm welcome! I think there should be a thread dedicated to the lingo so someone could become familiar without all the headaches.

[Mojary]

Are you telling me that installing a rom that is not intended to your phone can break it? Will a hard reset fix the problem? Just curious because I want to know how cautious I have to be with modifiying my phone.

yup! and once you brick it, you can't take it to sprint and ask them to fix it for ya. unlocking your radio to flash another ROM voids the warranty.

I have taken a look into the CDMA roms here but some of them mention windows mobile 6.5. I have 6.1 and I've searched this forum and google and it mentions that Sprint doesn't offer the 6.5 yet. So does that mean the roms that require a 6.5 wont work with my 6.1?

some carrier (vzw) already released their 6.5 for the tp2 and some installed the 6.5 htc released for tp2. but you don't need to have 6.5 to install the custom ROMs out there. the chefs already cooked their ROM in the 6.5 build. so if you, let's say, flashed to mighty ROM, it will already have 6.5 in it. of course, 6.5 is only one of the perks you get from all these different ROMs you can flash on your phone. all, if not most, of the cooked ROMs run on 6.5 from what i understand (of course, i stand corrected in this).

the other questions you have, i will leave to the other members more knowledgeable than me....because i'd like to know the answer to them myself..hehehe.

[Mojary]

Originally Posted by darren.wlsn1

well put sir. (mojary)

only speaking from the heart my friend! (btw, i've learned a couple of things from your posts as well =D>)

[NIKKG]

Originally Posted by ModmyPPC

Well guys,

First off, I applaud alot of you guys. This is truly a really great site. Everything is usually referenced neatly and you guys seem to want to help each other so Im happy to be here. I just got my first Touch Pro 2 and I absolutely love the phone!

Id like to think I know my way around a computer but Ive been searching for the past week on the touch pro 2 forum. Trying to figure out things like sense UI, CDMA, GSM, kitchen, cooking, cabs, widgets, and other very confusing acronyms as well as lingo. My head hurts! lmao Thanks to google and ref. links from post I have been able to modify my

Home page
back ground,
slide to unlock,
clear clock,
Start menu as well as others Im sure Im forgetting so Ive made progress.

Now I want to take a look at modifying my ROM for my Touch Pro 2 (sprint) and Im alittle too reluctant as to which ROM to use or to modify my phone with.

I dont know which Roms apply to my phone and what exactly I should be looking for as far as which Roms dont.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks guys

Can you still exchange the phone for something else? Get the Samsung Moment with Android, trust me, it’ll be pay off in the long run. With the TP2, all you will do is rom upgrades and fixes and never actually use the phone much, at first its fun but after a while you get sick of it. I have 3 TP2’s and I’m selling them all, I’m so damn sick and tired of putting up with this garbage.

Take it from me, its best to learn a new OS like Android that is a lot better, more stable, and growing quickly than an end of life (EOL) phone like the TP2 with an antique OS like Windows Mobile (WinMo). Also, this WON’T upgrade to WinMo 7, so you’re just throwing your money away.

Take my advice, I tell it like it is, a lot of Microsoft employees visit these forums and try to BS you about how great WinMo is, but its all a lie, I’ve been using WinMo for many years and it just can’t compete any longer, that’s why they have forums devoted just for rom upgrades.

[neuteboomt]

Are you telling me that installing a rom that is not intended to your phone can break it? Will a hard reset fix the problem? Just curious because I want to know how cautious I have to be with modifiying my phone.

Yes, if you try to flash (install) a ROM intended for a GSM phone it will brick (break) your phone. This will make your phone worthless even a hard reset will not fix.


- Why does sprint offer Windows mobile Shell 3 for the touch pro 2 without giving you this unlocker? Is there a difference between there custom roms vs the people here?

The unlocker allows you to install other windows mobile operating systems. Sprint would not release the unlocker because they do not want you changing the core OS of the phone. Sprint released the TP2 with WM 6.1 but Microsoft has released WM 6.5 and WM 6.5.3 (has the start button on the bottom left corn) is still in testing mode.

- You said you only have to unlock your phone once... Do you have to unlock it every time you do a hard reset?

All you have to do is unlock your phone once http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=93252 . The link is for the unlocker for CDMA phones. Please do not use the one for GSM phones. The hard reset only brings your phone back to the fresh install. This would be how your phone came from Sprint or if you flash a custom ROM how it was before installing anything.

I have taken a look into the CDMA roms here but some of them mention windows mobile 6.5. I have 6.1 and I've searched this forum and google and it mentions that Sprint doesn't offer the 6.5 yet. So does that mean the roms that require a 6.5 wont work with my 6.1?

You can install the WM 6.1, 6.5, or 6.5.3 custom ROMS in the CDMA TP2 upgrade forum after you have unlocked your phone. Sprint has not released there WM 6.5 yet. It is rumored to be out in the first quarter.
I guess this goes with my earlier question. Flashing a custom rom will stay even after a hard reset (restore to factory settings) is done?

The hard reset would take the custom rom back you how it was when you first installed it.


Is there any rom similar to Mobile shell without causing me to go hungry for a week? haha

Just look through all the custom ROMS in the CDMA TP2 upgrades forum to she what the cooks have to offer. Most will have pictures of how the ROM looks.

[fishingmedic]

Originally Posted by NIKKG

Can you still exchange the phone for something else? Get the Samsung Moment with Android, trust me, it’ll be pay off in the long run. With the TP2, all you will do is rom upgrades and fixes and never actually use the phone much, at first its fun but after a while you get sick of it. I have 3 TP2’s and I’m selling them all, I’m so damn sick and tired of putting up with this garbage.

Take it from me, its best to learn a new OS like Android that is a lot better, more stable, and growing quickly than an end of life (EOL) phone like the TP2 with an antique OS like Windows Mobile (WinMo). Also, this WON’T upgrade to WinMo 7, so you’re just throwing your money away.

Take my advice, I tell it like it is, a lot of Microsoft employees visit these forums and try to BS you about how great WinMo is, but its all a lie, I’ve been using WinMo for many years and it just can’t compete any longer, that’s why they have forums devoted just for rom upgrades.

Nikkg, Didn't you post that you were tossing your TP2 and going to android? What the heck are you still trolling here for? He's asking for help for his TP2 and he's getting it from others with TP2's without you trolling and ranting about how much WM sucks and how Android is gonna rule the world... go hang out in the android thread rather than make useless posts in here. If you don't want WM, you don't need to have it, that's what's so great about the current carriers carrying both kinds of phones, but for you to jump onto a thread where someone is asking for help for his WM phone and all you have to say are negative things about what you no longer want, is freaking childish...

[NIKKG]

Originally Posted by fishingmedic

Nikkg, Didn't you post that you were tossing your TP2 and going to android? What the heck are you still trolling here for? He's asking for help for his TP2 and he's getting it from others with TP2's without you trolling and ranting about how much WM sucks and how Android is gonna rule the world... go hang out in the android thread rather than make useless posts in here. If you don't want WM, you don't need to have it, that's what's so great about the current carriers carrying both kinds of phones, but for you to jump onto a thread where someone is asking for help for his WM phone and all you have to say are negative things about what you no longer want, is freaking childish...

I'm warning the guy, if he still has the 30 day return policy, that its best to take it back and get something better than to have him get stuck with it. What are you a Microsoft employee or something. Also, who are you to tell me where I can and cannot go? I have a TP2 and so I am entitled to be here just as much as you are.

[fishingmedic]

Originally Posted by NIKKG

I'm warning the guy, if he still has the 30 day return policy, that its best to take it back and get something better than to have him get stuck with it. What are you a Microsoft employee or something. Also, who are you to tell me where I can and cannot go? I have a TP2 and so I am entitled to be here just as much as you are.

I'm not a MS employee, not even close, and I may end up going android eventually also, but for you to hang out in the TP2 forum and just constantly bash WM, it's uncalled for. He didn't post asking "Should I buy a TP2 running an EOL OS or get an android phone?" He was asking for assistance on tweaking his WM phone... If you can't help him tweak it or give him directions on it, why even bother posting? And we're getting off topic, hit me on PM if you want to continue.

[ModmyPPC]

I have to come back to this when I get home but I just want to set the record that THIS PHONE IS AMAZING IN MY BOOK!

I dont need the latest and greatest. So far its beyond what I need and completely satisfied with.

Thanks for the warning though!