New to the Excalibur

[Wingzfly]

Hi all! This is my first time posting in here as I'm just now getting one of the "new" T-mobile Dash phones. I've been reading the different threads, especially the ROM threads, trying to figure out which is the most stable/usable.

I know my way around PDAs pretty well, having had an IPAQ 1945 and then a Dell Axim x30 (the 624 MHz processor one), which I still love and have with me constantly. But this new Dash will be my first smartphone and my first entry into the WinMo 6+ world.

I'm interested in hearing which ROMs you guys like and what are some of the good and bad with them. I've read the version changes and all of that, but there's nothing like reviews from the guys that use the software/hardware every day. Basically what I'm looking for in a ROM is:

1) WinMo 6.1
2) Updated radios for bluetooth and wi-fi (might as well have the hardware at its best if you've paid for it, right?)
3) SDHC compatibility (Anyone know what the largest size memory card is that the Dash (Excalibur) can read and fully utilize? I've heard 16 is the max.)
4) Stability. If the phone isn't constantly crashing, it'd be great. haha

So to all you Excalibur users: What ROM do you recommend and why?

Thanks all for your time and I'm glad to be joining the Excalibur community!!!

~Walter

[stylez]

Your best bet is to flash them all and see the ROM you like as best ROM there is none, it's down to personal preference, won't take more than 30 mins to get base set, with regards to SDHC all WM6.1 support 16GB "taken from other threadz" as i only have tryed 8GB.
Hope that helps.

[PrimoFreek]

i had used the 6.1 final from kavana, and flashed to the rose Rom by Ricky and Stylez last night. so far, i like the Rose rom the best. but like said, its all personal preference as to which is the best. and like Stylez sad, 16gb is what people say will work. i havent even tried anything over a 2gb yet lol

[phatmanxxl]

I tried the various 6.1 roms from this site and from my experiance with them, IMHO I think the Kavana 080408 WWE is the most stable and less laggy over the Rose 1.7 rom.

But I have to agree its all about personal opinion and what features you are looking for. Your just gonna have to try them out for yourself and decide wich one you like the most.

MY favorite improvement is that I can now use my 4gig SD over the 2gig I had to use with inMo 6, I was so dissapointed about that.

[Wingzfly]

Thank you guys for the response. I'll start with the suggested ROMs and then work my way around to others.

I just got off the phone with t-mobile, my Dash should get here either tomorrow or Friday. I'm going to spend the whole weekend flashing ROMs and loading all my favorite software onto it! haha

Okay, a related question: I've been looking into Java games for the phone since it seems most of the ROMs on here have Jbed or Esmertec Java loaded on them. The games list phones they're meant to run on, but I know on my old Sony Ericsson phone I could run Java games that weren't meant for that device, but were compatible.

So are there any phones "like" the Excalibur that I should keep in mind when doing my Java game buying? (Like will games that work on the Blackjack II most likely work on my new Excalibur?)

Thanks again!

[rilbel]

I thought I will use this thread since I am new to the Dash too.

I just got a couple of easy questions. I tried to look here and even on Google, but I either suck at searching or the answers I am looking for are not there.

I read the wiki on how to flash and I read that: If necessary, unlock your phone using either the SDA Application Unlock program or Surreal Networks' AppUnlock or both. This will enable third-party software installation. Not performing this step properly is the primary reason why Error 270 happens.

So, either or? The reason I ask is because I would do both just to be safe, but SDA unzips fine but Surreal does not. When I unzip it, it copies the files that are in the zip in the folder I chose to unzip them into. Do I have to do both? And if so whats wrong and how do I fix this. Same thing happens for other supposed CAB files I downloaded. They just copy themselves but don't "change" into one cab file to be installed. Same happens with tegic.

romupdateutility.exe... where do I find it and what is it? I saw all the videos possible about flashing Kavana's and even Jamerican doesn't use this.

Is it true that if I update to Kavana I will not be able to use MMS and the Internet or are those an older update problems? The new 6.1 works flawlessly correct? (I saw a thread on how to fix the sms, mms, and web problem) Where can I find an original uncooked WinMo 6.1 update?

It doesn't seem hard to flash, but I am a newbie to this smart phones WinMo stuff. My Dash, I got it yesterday and I already run low in memory. I closed all the apps and I still only have 7.212 Kb of memory! That sucks! I hope WM 6.1 is better because WM 6.0 is not good.

[stylez]

Captain Totti,

Please read the sticky "guide to flashing"
With re: to surreal check our RoseRom remade first post there is a guide to flash click the if stuck @ 3%, as both files & what to do there..
Re: MMS either connection setup or input of settings manually will work.

stylez.

[phatmanxxl]

Capitan Totti you will not be dissapointed in 6.1. Imagine your drowning in a pool and someone finally decides to pull you out of the water and you finally get to breathe, thats what going to 6.1 feels like! IMO WinMo 6 is complete garbage and 6.1 should be the standard for every phone out there thats running 6.

Flashing is very simple as long as you read the directions. Good luck!

[rilbel]

Oh I have been reading a lot alright! Yes, it does not seem hard, but I just wanted to make sure I don't brick the phone.

[rilbel]

Double post.

[phatmanxxl]

I screwed it up the first few times (from not reading the directions first) and still came out ok.

[rilbel]

I found some good threads and done a lot of reading, but I guess no one had this problem so far but me. As I said above, I got the tegicet9 files and also the fullet9 files... (I am Italian so I would like to have both Italian and english on the phone) but when I unzip them into a folder I called New Folder for all my unzipping... they just copy themselves and don't change into one icon like say the SDA unlock or the USPL thing I got makes itself as more than one folder... ?? Thanks.

[rilbel]

Was wondering if I should also call T-Mobile to SIM Unlock the phone, you know so I can use the Dash with any SIM. I am gonna have to do it anyway for when I go to Italy but I was wondering if NOT sim unlocking the Dash and then upgrading will cause issues on the phone. ???

So far it seems easy.

Connect Dash, run SDA unlock from desktop, once its done unzip (if you have not before) SurrealNetAppUnlock (which is another file that does not unzip for some reason), place it in My Documents (I don't have a memory card yet), go to Dash itself, go to File Explorer and install it from Dash itself. Once done turn off Dash.... turn it back on connected to ActiveSync, run USPL.Bat (Mine says USPL.Batch but I take it its the same), click enter on keyboard and ok on dash when prompt to, after a bit it will go black then white (bootloader mode), open RUU.Kavana and follow the steps (if I pass 3% I know I am good)... now I got a question... When the upgrading is complete 100% and you can click finish... I know it does a cold reboot, do I have to (ever? I've seen videos and all but this part is not clear also sound wise on say YouTube) unplug the usb cable or no?I know that for et9 I got to just place it and install it on the Dash but like I said, it does not unzip insto an installable file. If someone can read this and answer my few questions and help, I will be done hacking this baby in less than 30 minutes. Thanks :)