WM5 to WM6

I hope that doesn't seem as cryptic as it really seems, at least to the Windows Mobile users out there. Yeah, I really meant the upgradation of OS in HTC Pocket PCs from WM5 to WM6. It actually speeds up the whole thing and frees valuable system RAM(mostly in cooked ROMs, donno about the official versions), in addition to having better Bluetooth stacks with more services, updated Java Manager, updated Radio ROM( (if u plan to update Radio also, but I'd recommend it as it really improves the handling of calls and GPRS functions), new display codecs, improved A2DP support, etc....(there are lot of improvements, which makes it worth the effort and the risk involved)

When I talk about the risk, I really mean it, coz the process can effectively render your prized possession into a useless junk (BRICK, in PDA parlance). But if u follow the instructions given by MrVanx word by word, I'm sure u'll definitely be safe and happy.

Before starting anything, I'd like to tell u that this blog concerns the upgradation of HTC Hermes and its variants only. Check out the whole list:

HTC Hermes

HTC TyTN

O2 XDA trion

T-Mobile MDA Vario II

Vodafone 1605 VPA Compact III

Orange SPV M3100

Dopod CHT 9000

Dopod 838 Pro

DoCoMo hTc Z

Qtek 9600

iMate JasJam

Cingular 8525

AT&T 8525

Swisscom XPA v1605

SoftBank X01HT

Vodafone PDA 1605

Vodafone PDA 9600

This page gives u an idea of what all options are available as upgrade for the models mentioned.

A word about ROMs and Radio ROMs.

ROMs are the OS only versions of the installation. U may or may not upgrade your Radio version, but it is recommended to upgrade it to the latest version for improved function. If u are upgrading ur Radio version also, u need the Radio ROM too, the version u want to upgrade to, normally the latest one. Shipped ROMs contain both the OS upgrade and the Radio upgrade. The other OS only ROMs are called cooked ROMs and they are, IMHO, far better than the shipped ones or official releases. I'm not going into a discussion on which cooked version is better. U can just go thru the materials and the threads to find out the answer. Personally I now use the latest version of LVSW ROM and 1.41.xx Radio ROM with the recommended Bootloader of SPL 2.1 olipro. The theme here is, To each one, his own. An interesting thing here is, after upgradting Radio to the latest version, u can play around with different ROMs, and these are updated frequently.

Now, extended ROMs are actually customizations or add-ons distributed normally by the provider to enhance the capabilities of the device, but they take up RAM space. So while it is prudent to disable the Extended ROM installation by pressing reset after a hard reset just before the installation of the Ex-ROM starts (u can see a prompt there, which waits for arnd 3 seconds, depending on the device, so be watchful!), most cooked ROMs come with bare minimum ExROMs which add great functoinality, without affecting storage space. So, need for being extra cautious. Let it run. They are good. But ur device can work perfectly well with the standard ROM only.

U can check out other LVSW versions too.

A revamped version of Jasjamming's WM VI Black edition ROMs named Black Majik is also an interesting release with fewer or no bugs, just like the LVSW edition.

For me, the experience was one of fun rather than a nightmare, just coz I took pains to go thru each and every article and the threads for the specific ROM I was going to try. Believe me, it pays for itself in the form of peace of mind and NO Downtime at all(no data loss)

Now, get a stable XP machine (with .net framework 2, stable USB drivers, good power backup), charge up the PDA batteries to the full, get ample time(arnd 30 mins- 1 hr, I took 20 mins in all), grab a coffee (u'll need it, to kill the time and the anxiety) and GO PLAY!

WELCOME TO THE LEAGUE!!

The Complete GEEK CODE

The GEEK CODE is a complete reference code for the geeks and wannabes...

According to the author Robert A. Hayden

"The geek code consists of several categories. Each category is labeled with a letter and some qualifiers. Go through each category and determine which set of qualifiers best describes you in that category. By stringing all of these 'codes' together, you are able to construct your overall geek code. It is this single line of code that will inform other geeks the world over of what a great geek you actually are."

Check out and project your GEEKSELF.

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Human intervention to an extent cannout be ruled out, though...