Beta testing help - multiple cab install, settings backup, etc

[kakainis]

Just that wanted to ask what ppl have found to be best ways to install all your favourite apps/settings if u are changing roms offten?

I just started recently and have tested some 3 or 4 roms now, but already i find that doing all my customizing and app install is tedious, so i was looking for some method to make it easier.

* i have seen an app that could roll multiple cabs into one - that would make reinstalling all cabs at once after new rom easier, but i cant find the app any more. any ideas on this one?

* backing up rom differences after doing customizations - what app could handle that? propositions?

If we can work some method to do this fast and easy we would get a lot more beta testers hence a lot faster development cycle could be achieved. (=

[romac]

Just that wanted to ask what ppl have found to be best ways to install all your favourite apps/settings if u are changing roms offten?

I just started recently and have tested some 3 or 4 roms now, but already i find that doing all my customizing and app install is tedious, so i was looking for some method to make it easier.

* i have seen an app that could roll multiple cabs into one - that would make reinstalling all cabs at once after new rom easier, but i cant find the app any more. any ideas on this one?

* backing up rom differences after doing customizations - what app could handle that? propositions?

If we can work some method to do this fast and easy we would get a lot more beta testers hence a lot faster development cycle could be achieved. (=

There are no shortcuts my friend. Some apps are installed to main memory and some to storage card, when installng apps there is interaction involved, therefore no universal solution.

[uliba]

Look here - you can integrate the new sys folders (apps) by building your rom in the kitchen (klick it on). http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=317866

[Underwaterdub]

You can do a backup with spb backup. This way you can keep all installed programs and changes. You can restor your backup in different roms too but you have to be aware that this would mess up a few thins.

[kakainis]

Tryed this http://www.freewareppc.com/utilities/pocketpcinstallationcreator.shtml one out - managet to create install with multiple cab files - so far so good.

But when i installed this merged install on my wm5 emulator it ended up adding links to cab files in programms folder - so much for instalation - useless.

Gues the search goes on.

[meschle]

Make your own extended rom with all your cabs in, this will do the trick. Its quite easy - its not like cooking a rom - i could do a simple tutorial if people wish - it only requires 2 apps :)

[kakainis]

Meschle - yes, please, a tutorial for extrom making would be good, as i am still a bit green to start cooking roms - extrom would be nice way to start i suppose.
:D

[macguffin]

Make your own extended rom with all your cabs in, this will do the trick. Its quite easy - its not like cooking a rom - i could do a simple tutorial if people wish - it only requires 2 apps :)

I would be very interested in this as well.

Cheers

[meschle]

Ok i'll post something tonight then in the artemis upgrading forum.
I'll keep it simple - the last tutorial posted by someone was way too complex - in the way i describe you'll make your own in 10 minutes :D

[romac]

Ok i'll post something tonight then in the artemis upgrading forum.
I'll keep it simple - the last tutorial posted by someone was way too complex - in the way i describe you'll make your own in 10 minutes :D

You are one dedicated dude. I like it.

[geezer78]

Ok i'll post something tonight then in the artemis upgrading forum.
I'll keep it simple - the last tutorial posted by someone was way too complex - in the way i describe you'll make your own in 10 minutes :D

That is a super solution! I would love it!

[meschle]

Hey guys one downside to ext rom way - when installing cabs it does not give you option where to install (main memory or storage card) so everything installs to main memory.
This is ok for the programs you normally install there and registry entries. You can make a new cab that installs directly to storage card but that is a different story :D

[kakainis]

OK, now i am a bit confused. As i understand there is a ROM memory on Artemis(128MB) which is divided in multiple areas - IPL1, IPL2, SPL, Splash, Radio, OS, ExtRom.

This ROM memory is writable by way of flashing. There is also storage area(not microSD) in device and operative memory.

So, as i unterstand it, putting apps in ExtROM is a pure saving, cus ur storage memory is not wasted.

Do i understand it correctly?

[meschle]

With the artemis rom, if you omit extended rom in your nbh building you get more storage memory (an addition of roughly the size of the omited ext rom) Likewize if you include extended rom then you loose equivalent memory from storage - so there is no advantage to having apps (i.e executables) in extended rom but for convenience sake to have cabs and settings can be useful. I suggest keeping extended rom small (2mb) so you dont loose much storage space.

[meschle]

Extended rom tutorial added here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=327203

well maybe not 10 minutes then :D

[devdarshan]

Make your own extended rom with all your cabs in, this will do the trick. Its quite easy - its not like cooking a rom - i could do a simple tutorial if people wish - it only requires 2 apps :)

For people who do not have an extended ROM - would'nt it be similar if they kept all the Cabs in 2577 Folder in the Storage Card with Autoexec and config files to execute them sequentially? I remember doing something like this when I was using the XDA IIs - but then now -

In my case, I rarely need to install anything except TomTom and Fullscreenkeyboard from SPB. The rest - I peek into the Cab using WinCE Cab Manager, then export the contents and now have made one big Cab (appx 4MB in size) with all my registry entries, tweaks, executables, shortcuts and copying relevant files into directories.

That way I execute only three cabs after a Hard reset and moreorless everyting is in place.

[meschle]

Yes dev - i used to have that in my orange spv - an autorun.exe in \2577 folder - last time i tried didnt work as i wanted - but i agree worth looking into.
With the ext_rom - the purpose was to add one for those that dont have.

[kakainis]

Ok, was trying a quite a few roms that i had today, extracted em, but did not get the extrom.nb )=
Tried to open os.nb with winimage, but it kept saying something about wrong fat etc.
Is the extrom.nb different form os.nb and other *.nb? Why cant winImage open other nb files? Or is there something else i am missing?


Also, tiried SKtracker(didnt find any free app) demo - made snapshots before and after installing apps, then tried to export relevant registery subtrees.

That brings me to that there is no import functionality in phm regedit, but i found other free regedit app called TRE which can import/export edit etc.
Maybe this TRE tool is worth including in roms, if any cookers are reading. ;)

Any better way to hack registery?

[LondonDweller]

That brings me to that there is no import functionality in phm regedit, but i found other free regedit app called TRE which can import/export edit etc.
(...)
Any better way to hack registery?
I mentioned this on another thread, but I discovered that FdcSoft's understated Task Manager v2.8 has a supperb regedit built in. It does everything that PHM Regedit does, but it can export and import really easily, just like Windows regedit. As meschle pointed out, PHM's is faster, but I still use the bloated Task Manager just because its regedit; and it also has lots of other stuff that comes handy on occasion.

[kakainis]

Oh, great! So many stuff to fiddle with in meschle's PremiumPlus rom that I must have missed this one.
:o

[kakainis]

I was fiddling with cab files, taking them apart and putting back togerher trying to merge, but i cant figure out how to deal with multiple setup.dll files - i cant put more than one of em into my super cab file.
:(