Noob needing some direction... - Page 6

mark elmore · #51 (**permalink**) 04-19-2010, 12:32 PM

Wirelessly posted (Omnia1: Opera/9.5 (Microsoft Windows; Windows CE; Opera Mobi/9.5; U; en) VZW:SCH-i910 PPC 240x400)

the mobile shell doesnt see alarms set up via the phone,you are correct.

id suggest hold off on the custom rom/6.5 update a bit longer.

remember you are now using a computer with a phone attached as basically just another program.once that lightbulb came on for me it was just learning cab instead of exe type language
i understand the unemployment/time thing.been there since Dec 9 09

nitrous9200 · #52 (**permalink**) 04-19-2010, 10:11 PM

PIM Backup can be downloaded here. In that specific case, you download a Zip file with an EXE inside of it; that runs directly on your phone. Usually, Windows Mobile programs come packaged as CABs, which will install themselves and place a shortcut in the Start menu. For PIM backup, you will need to copy it onto your phone somewhere - most likely My Storage - and click on it from File Explorer. Once you launch it, all you have to do is click next, change the backup directory if you desire (defaults to Storage Card) and press next. All of the data will be backed up, and then running the program again (after a hard reset, or ROM update), choosing Restore on the first screen and browsing to the file will put back all of that data. My Phone would be easier to operate, so hopefully you can get an account set up.
Managing files on the phone might seem a bit complicated at first, but it's not. I think the problem you mentioned was that in File Explorer, you were looking at My Device - the system memory - rather than Storage Card where you copied the files. Once you get a handle around how this works, it's effortless. When connected with ActiveSync, a Mobile Device icon appears in My Computer. Double clicking that will show your My Documents folder (same as going to File Explorer, choosing My Device then My Documents). Clicking My Windows Mobile Based Device will show you the contents of My Device, and that is where you get to either My Storage (built in 8GB memory) or Storage Card (your microSD). If you download a cab to your PC, copy it to My Storage or Storage Card and then browse to it on your phone that way and click it. In File Explorer, the top left corner shows the current directory. Tapping it will always show My Storage and Storage Card at the bottom, so if that's where you copied a file with your PC, go to the appropriate location and click it. I hope that clears the whole file transfer issue up for you, if not, please post back and I'll be happy to explain further. I think you already understand most of this.
If you haven't got ActiveSync setup yet, download it from Microsoft. Also keep in mind that ActiveSync is for XP, if you are using Vista or Win7 you need Windows Mobile Device Center (and WMDC will automatically install itself when plugging in the phone for the first time). That is by far the easiest way to transfer files back and forth to the phone, rather than emailing them. It makes sense once you figure it out, I promise.

nitrous9200 · #53 (**permalink**) 04-19-2010, 10:21 PM

Another thing about 6.5 ROMs, I don't want to overwhelm you with having to learn a whole new setup but I think it will be easier to essentially start off with a clean slate. A custom ROM does in fact wipe out the original Samsung-modified version of Windows, and you end up with a new version of the OS with little to no added crap. It is an entirely new OS rather than a shell like SPB which coexists with what you already have. The 6.5 interface on the whole is much better, and comes with a new home screen that looks like this:

Since many parts of the OS are overhauled, you'll have less work adding third party programs to make up for the shortcomings of the built in functions and the phone will probably run faster.
Whenever I flash a new ROM, I run PIM Backup to My Storage which saves my important contacts, messages, appointments, speed dials etc and all of my other data is already there, so when I flash back, I just have to restore with PIM Backup and reinstall some of my programs.

LocalHero · #54 (**permalink**) 04-20-2010, 01:53 PM

Mark, Nitrous, et al,
For some reason PPCGeeks stopped emailing me to let me know there were further replies to this thread so I'm just now reading.
I had some success with activesync and opnmarket and have not thrown the phone off a bridge yet!
You are both right in that I'm beginning to understand the mysteries of winmobile. I've uninstalled spb shell, tried Winterface and they leave me wanting. So I've decided that going for one if the custom roms is the way to go.
I think I'm still haveing trouble with backups though and i want to backup before trying the custom rom.
I couldnt' get the myphone account set up thru my phone because the phone won't display the coded characters that I have to type in at the end of the registration process. So I set up an account via my pc. that seemed to go fine and then I used myphone on the omnia and it "synchronized" successfully. when I click "details" it tells me it says: "the following changes were made in your phone or online account

Contacts: 81 new
text msgs 10new
Photos 21 new
etc, etc."

However when I go back to my windows live account online none of that is there. I thought it was going to "synchronize" those items with my online account and essentially back them up there. Not so? I was assuming that if I were going to flash a rom I'd have to back up anything I wanted to save online but are you saying I can back it up on my microsd card? (Online sounds safer and would also work if I lose the phone one day.)

I'm ready to switch up to 6.5 but I just need to know I'm backing up first.
I'll post this and then try pim backup again.

BTW,
If it isn't clear from what I've said so far, I do have the phone/pc connection via usb going now. From the pc I can access the phone files.

Thanks,
John

LocalHero · #55 (**permalink**) 04-20-2010, 02:06 PM

I still had the pimbackup exe on the omnia (I had already gotten it from that same site) and I ran it again and this time it worked. I don't remember what I had done differently last time but I got a bunch of error messages and the backup was unsuccessfull.
Anyway it worked this time so I guess I can just copy the backup file to my pc and save it there as a safety measure.
I'll go come back to figure out how to flash a rom a little later but I have to head out for now.
Thanks,
John

LocalHero · #56 (**permalink**) 04-20-2010, 07:42 PM

OK, I have the whole pimbackup thing worked out now.
I went to the lioryte link above and I see that there's a ton of files to choose from and I see that Nitrous, you're running 23551....how do I tell the difference between all those versions? Is there a difference really or are they just bug fixes and occasional add ons?

I really want pretty simple for now. I use the phone as a phone mostly but I am texting more and more (my daughter's influence) and I do want to be able to go to Gmail regularly....the reason I chose the Omnia was because it was a large screen (I'll be 55 this fall and it's getting harder to focus on the small stuff) and it had wifi. Also because I could buy one used on ebay cheaper than what I'd just paid for the Straight Talk phone that doesn't do as much.
I found I liked a plain black background for almost everything.
I want a decent looking and functioning clock/date thing on the home page.
A easy to use alarm/countdown timer would be nice.
Easy, finger friendly access to contacts for calling and texting.
Clear feedback on whether wifi or evdo is connected.
Clear battery feedback.

There's a longer laundry list of course but I'm telling you this to ask; is this the type of stuff that's built into these roms or are all these little do-dads things that I would need to add afterwards?

All told, spb shell was mostly acceptable. Things seemed well enough laid out and pleasant looking. It was more than I needed. I didn't really need two types of home pages, a carousel and much of the rest but didn't bother me that it was there. They failed on the alarm clock which is something I use a fair amount.
Odd that MS doesn't seem to have the money to hire programmers/designers that can turn out a better interface.

nitrous9200 · #57 (**permalink**) 04-20-2010, 09:33 PM

Good to hear that the phone hasn't been turned into a projectile yet.
The number after the ROM Name is the build number of that version of Windows. There are changes made with each build number, though I'd wager most of them are unnoticeable so better to just get the latest one. The idea behind these ROMs is that they are like a blank slate; they include the essentials but leave lots of free memory available for your own programs. Another advantage is that you don't have the overlap of having two different programs for certain functions like the default software, for example, there are two contact managers, one built in and another from Samsung. The 6.5 contact manager and most of those apps are more finger friendly which is great.
Clock/date thing is taken care of by the Titanium interface that I put in a screenshot in a post up above somewhere. Each ROM may come with a slightly different setup with different panels, but the clock will definitely be there. It's very clean, has big fonts and is easy to use. Alarms are built in, I believe they're similar to 6.1's but may be improved. I don't use them because I have no need for an alarm on my phone. Countdown timer could be handled by G-Watch, may have been suggested before. That would require a separate install.
WiFi connection status is shown by its own icon (don't know how to describe it) that as I said before, will take precedence over the EVDO connection. Cellular data is shown when the cell tower icon changes to two arrows. Battery shows up at the top too, and tapping it will bring up a more precise meter.
It's unfortunate that 6.5 is being killed off and, as you say, why they couldn't enhance the UI anymore. Once you get on these new ROMs, you will see where they have made significant improvements, which I love, but it's a shame because I know they could have done a lot more to breathe life into this aging platform based on the enhancements they've already made, but once Windows Phone 7 is out, it's basically game over for WM6.

When you're ready to flash, I would try this ROM if you haven't installed the latest Samsung software update - DC22. I used this one in the past but switched because it wasn't being updated regularly, now it is. If you need a guide to flashing, go here and like always, ask back here if you've got any questions.

LocalHero · #58 (**permalink**) 04-20-2010, 10:01 PM

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