Windows Mobile 6 on your Dell Axim - UPDATE

[mrj76]

I have attempted to flash for two days an no luck. I got the restore factory default screen asking me to select the contact icon or the envelop icon. No matter which I select I get a blank screen. What should I do ?

[hparthur]

I have an X51V, hardware version A00, ROM version A01. I have not upgraded the ROM since the device has performed well since I got it. Have no card recognition problems except for the SDHC card which WM5 will not recognize.

I am running 8 gb CF and 2 gb SD, both of which work fine. Bought a Transcend 8 gb SDHC class 6C from Newegg for about $30 and would like to use it but understand it's only usable with WM6 or WM6.1 installed.

Can I install WM6 without further upgrading ROM to A12 or some later version than A01?

[DaLabrador]

I have an X51V, hardware version A00, ROM version A01. I have not upgraded the ROM since the device has performed well since I got it. Have no card recognition problems except for the SDHC card which WM5 will not recognize.

I am running 8 gb CF and 2 gb SD, both of which work fine. Bought a Transcend 8 gb SDHC class 6C from Newegg for about $30 and would like to use it but understand it's only usable with WM6 or WM6.1 installed.

Can I install WM6 without further upgrading ROM to A12 or some later version than A01?

I'm no ROM guru, but I believe the A12 ROM update does something to the ROM bootloader, so I'd upgrade to A12 before flashing any other ROM just to be sure future updates works like everyone else's.

The part "I'm no ROM guru" is pretty important, so get a second opinion.

[carbonyle]

When I've buy my x51v it was a french ROM (horrible, unstable, ...) I've upgrated once (even worst) then, one day, I've found Football WM5 AKU 3.5.2 A17 football which works a lot better, then i've test A01, A02, A03, A03 RTM (all WM6) and a few of Makku's WM6.1 and all LennySh WM6.1
For the bootloader things I agree with DaLabrador: upgrade to A12 (or like me to A17) and THEN to WM6.0/1

[rlarson_mn]

I have attempted to flash for two days an no luck. I got the restore factory default screen asking me to select the contact icon or the envelop icon. No matter which I select I get a blank screen. What should I do ?

In order to do a ROM update your unit does need to be connected to a AC power supply. Second you need to push the on button, the middle button on the left hand side of the unit and insert you stylus into the hard reset hole on the back of the unit. After holding that position for a second and the screen remains black remove the stylus but continue holding in the other buttons. Within 2-3 seconds the bootloader screen will start, when it does you can stop holding any buttons down. The bootloader appliction will scan your FAT32 formated SD card to confirm the ROM upgrade files present on it at the root level. Select one by using the rocker D button moving up or down sides of the D button. When the ROM you want to flash has been highlighted in blue push the center area of the D button and away you go. :approve:

[mrj76]

Rlarson_mn,
I did not explain fully in my original post. I get to the update finish screen after flashing . The one that tell you to do a hard rest. But when I try to do the hard reset is when I encounter the envelop and contact icon screen asking me to if I want to restore factory defaults.

Form my reading of the forum it seems as if my bootloader (wifi+power+ reset) works but the hard rest(power+ reset) does not.

I have attempted to flash the following, all with the same results
DiAd_K_AximX51v_WM5_A12EN.nb0
DiAd_K_AximX51v_WM6_1_A07EN.nb0
DiAd_K_AximX51v_WM6_A03EN.nb0.

When my bootloader reads the sd card at the top it has sd image A02

I have an x51 by the way

Any help is greatly appreciated as I gave this axim to my wife a year and now that i have attempted to improve what was not broke....

Yep you guessed it I am in the dog house.

In order to do a ROM update your unit does need to be connected to a AC power supply. Second you need to push the on button, the middle button on the left hand side of the unit and insert you stylus into the hard reset hole on the back of the unit. After holding that position for a second and the screen remains black remove the stylus but continue holding in the other buttons. Within 2-3 seconds the bootloader screen will start, when it does you can stop holding any buttons down. The bootloader appliction will scan your FAT32 formated SD card to confirm the ROM upgrade files present on it at the root level. Select one by using the rocker D button moving up or down sides of the D button. When the ROM you want to flash has been highlighted in blue push the center area of the D button and away you go. :approve:

[carbonyle]

Rlarson_mn,
I did not explain fully in my original post. I get to the update finish screen after flashing . The one that tell you to do a hard rest. But when I try to do the hard reset is when I encounter the envelop and contact icon screen asking me to if I want to restore factory defaults.

Form my reading of the forum it seems as if my bootloader (wifi+power+ reset) works but the hard rest(power+ reset) does not.

I have attempted to flash the following, all with the same results
DiAd_K_AximX51v_WM5_A12EN.nb0
DiAd_K_AximX51v_WM6_1_A07EN.nb0
DiAd_K_AximX51v_WM6_A03EN.nb0.

When my bootloader reads the sd card at the top it has sd image A02

I have an x51 by the way

Any help is greatly appreciated as I gave this axim to my wife a year and now that i have attempted to improve what was not broke....

Yep you guessed it I am in the dog house.

maybe it's a misspelling but: you say to have an x51 and you try to flash with DiAd_K_AximX51v_WM5_A12EN.nb0 which is a x51v rom. so it cannot work... (and it never works)

[ursoouindio]

It's important to be sure that the rom is for your device!

You could end with a brick if you try to flash a rom that was not designed for the specific hardware you have!!!

[mrj76]

No typo I have an x51 and it has be a long time snice iI jave really used this device I forgot there was a real differnce between the x51/x50 and the x50v/x51v. Does anyone know how I might restore WM5 if possible ?

maybe it's a misspelling but: you say to have an x51 and you try to flash with DiAd_K_AximX51v_WM5_A12EN.nb0 which is a x51v rom. so it cannot work... (and it never works)

[Benjamminz_IS]

It's an illegal activity, and while you don't support piracy you do support the facilitation of piracy. Brilliant use of contradiction!
< / sarcasm >

Wrong decision, mate!

John

wow... brilliant use of sarcasm there... no really I had to put my sunglasses back on for that one and it's almost 2a.m. here... jeez... when will people like you get over yourselves... ???

[rlarson_mn]

wow... brilliant use of sarcasm there... no really I had to put my sunglasses back on for that one and it's almost 2a.m. here... jeez... when will people like you get over yourselves... ???

He has a right to his opinion just as you seem to. This site is operated by individuals that request we respect others opinions and that we do that with out entering into slinging mud or arrows at each other. The site is to assist users of the axim product lines be they a rookie or veteran. :)

[lennysh]

Rlarson_mn,
I did not explain fully in my original post. I get to the update finish screen after flashing . The one that tell you to do a hard rest. But when I try to do the hard reset is when I encounter the envelop and contact icon screen asking me to if I want to restore factory defaults.

Form my reading of the forum it seems as if my bootloader (wifi+power+ reset) works but the hard rest(power+ reset) does not.

I have attempted to flash the following, all with the same results
DiAd_K_AximX51v_WM5_A12EN.nb0
DiAd_K_AximX51v_WM6_1_A07EN.nb0
DiAd_K_AximX51v_WM6_A03EN.nb0.

When my bootloader reads the sd card at the top it has sd image A02

I have an x51 by the way

Any help is greatly appreciated as I gave this axim to my wife a year and now that i have attempted to improve what was not broke....

Yep you guessed it I am in the dog house.

For one, the message you are getting about restoring factory defaults is the correct message. The factory defaults will be the new ROM since the old ROM is overwritten in order for the new one to have room. So your answer to that question should be yes, which will be the button just to the left of the D-Pad. For two, please before you attempt this, make sure that your device is the X51v. All three ROMs I see you listed is for the X51v. Says so in the filename.

[lawizard]

The Axim is no longer sold by DELL so getting an upgrade from them is not going to happen. However, our AXIMs have the capability to run the new OS and improve performance. Microsoft has seen fit not to offer Mobile OS 6 except to handset providers. We no longer have a handset provider. I would pay for the upgrade if Microsoft made it available but they haven't so the only avenue left is to get a copy from somewhere else.

[s1Nn3R]

Aiding individuals in returning the original state is a good stance since you're helping restore the functionality that they were granted upon purchase and steer them away from piracy, considering it a 'lesson learned.' However, helping them continue to use an illegal ROM is another ballgame. To me, it's no different than:

1.) A member downloading a pirated, modified version of Vista, having the 'reduced functionality mode' (pre-SP1) clamp down due to the uploader not being thorough in circumventing the anti-piracy controls, and then asking for support to resolve the problems so that (s)he can continue to avoid purchasing a legal copy.
2.) A thief stealing a car, having the wheels blown out by tire spikes in a police chase, and then asking you to repair them so (s)he can continue driving the stolen car.

The point is that without support in fixing the illegal ROM they would have to instead ask for support in returning to a legal state. Conversely, by allowing other to offer support in fixing the illegal ROM you are facilitating piracy, more or less giving them a pat on the back and saying 'it's OK, you don't need to give up on piracy...someone here may help.' Thus, I believe the relaxed rules take it too far, crossing the line of both legality and ethicality.

John

1.) A person can legally purchase upgaded/better OS for other computers. Not in this case. An upgraded/better legal OS for axims do not exist.

2.) A person who buys a car (since we have all paid for our axim's), but is having electircal problems. The person wants to by a new electrical harness only to find out the manufactuer of the car no longer supports the car. The car can function with the electrical harness it has now, but it is unreliable. That person calls the manufacturer to try to get help and are told "we dont support that car anymore sorry, we cant help you. You should buy a new car." So, instead the person goes to you and you know another person, who has a legal map of the electrical harness, can make that person a new electrical harness that is superior to the OEM and gives it to that person for free (doesnt make a profit from the legal copy of the map to the electrical harness), all so that person can have a reliable car that the person bought legally. That is what is happening here.

You talk about legality, ethics and morals? Where is the legality, ethics, and morals of Dell and Microsoft here? Do they not have any legal, ethical, and moral obligation to the people who paid for a product with a faulty OS? They can not include/support the people who purchased their product and OS, when an upgrade/better OS is made? Especially when the people who bought the product and the faulty OS are more than willing to pay for an upgraded/better OS, that they should fix for free.

Is it really piracy when someone buys a legal copy and hacks it to include their product, then gives it away for free, not sells it, or makes a profit over it, but gives it away for free? Is it piracy to want your perfectly good hand held, that is not obsolite and has hardware the still rivals anything newer, to function at its best, but can because they want you to buy a new hand held, to go along with their new OS? Now if Dell and Microsoft annouced they were going to make a patch that included the axims, and everyone still downloaded the hacked copy, I would agree with you. But the patch is not coming, not now, not ever. They left us high and dry and figured we should "Just buy a new one", "if we dont support them, they will give in evertually and buy a new one". I for one am never buying a Dell or microsoft product again. Im switching to Apple and getting an iPhone. All because Dell and Microsoft refused to support their product.

They could have kept me for years just by supporting my axim. I would have paid $40-$100 for an upgraded/better OS. But, they did not. Now they will never get the money I spent on software and hardware, Apple will.

So talk to Dell and Microsoft about legalities, ethics and morals, not the people who just want their, expensive and paid for, hand helds to function properly and correctly.

[gibsonjunkie]

I did the upgrade today. I'm glad I did. My Axim had grown tired and wasn't syncing well with companionlink software to my Time & Chaos software. It was really ready for the scrap heap. I loaded 6.1 today and it's like a brand new unit. Everything worked immediately - wifi access, my bluetooth keyboard, all my old programs. :approve:

I guess I feel justified in putting it on my Axim due to the fact that I BLEW $89 for the Vista upgrade for my computer that was so bad I had to reinstall XP Pro. I count us even, Microsoft!!!:(