iPAQ Filestore and how to fix it.

What is the iPAQ filestore you might ask? Well the iPAQ is a pocket pc. I am writing this from it now. It has 64 mb of RAM (like the memory in a PC) and 128 mb ROM (like a SD flash memory card). You try to keep the RAM pretty empty as the iPAQ uses that to do stuff. You install the programs you use alot on the ROM. The OS uses up some of the ROM and leaves you about 96 mb free. This is more than enough. Its best to put music and media onto SD Card. Anyway, Ive had the iPAQ for a couple years and have heard of this bug but I never ran into, till now. Aparently when you put to much on this filestore,as its called, you lock up the memory. You can use whats there but you can not delete it, or save anything else to it. Not even flashing the ROM (re-installing the OS and the very basics of what makes the device work) would clear it out. I chatted with HP, they said to send it in for repairs. Yea, no, I'll fix it my self. I did lots of surfing and reading through message boards. I tried a couple things but was coming up empty. On the fun side I am going to get mobile phone soon an considered this to be good time to get PoketPc Phone. I found one last thing to try... and it worked. I'll give you the basics and then the whole thing for anyone who might actually be looking for this fix.

It involves flashing the device with a ROM for another language then flashing it back to your own language. you also have to trick the flash program into thinking you have the correct language... For those who need it and for anyone else, enjoi.


1. Download the latest English and German ROMs.
2. Unpack both.
3. Make copies of the unpacked English and German ROMs.
4. With the original German ROMfolder, rename "d2b10111go.nbf" to "d2b10111uo.nbf ".
5. Run "ROMUpdateUtility.exe" in the original English ROM folder.
6. On the screen just before proceeding with the ROM update (After the checks) copy the renamed "d2b10111uo.nbf" from the original German ROM and overwrite the " d2b10111uo.nbf" in the original English ROM.
7. Proceed with the ROM update.
8. It will take a very long time to start and longer than normal at 90% but be patient.
9. Now you have a German pda. Check that the filestore is now fixed by deleteting the backup folder in the filestore and/or running the format filestore found under sttings (use the icons to direct you if you can't read German).
10. If it works you now need to install the English ROM back again we need to trick the ROM update again.

11. You can now delete the two original unpacked English and German ROMs just leaving the copies of them. (This is purely to make it easier and I will refer to them as just the English and German ROMs).
12. With the English ROM, rename "d2b10111uo.nbf" to "d2b10111go.nbf".
13. Run "ROMUpdateUtility.exe" under the German ROM folder.
14. After all of the checks and just before proceeding with the update copy the " d2b10111go.nbf" from the English ROM and overwrite the "d2b10111go.nbf" in the German ROM.
15. Proceed with the ROM update. Again, it will take a very long time but be patient.
16. Run the format filestore program found under settings just to make sure it is fixed.
17. Now you are back in English with a fixed filestore.
18. Enjoy!

Short Timer...

... Sniff, sniff. Do you smell that?

It smells like a new job to me...

Sniff... 10+ miles closer to home.

Sniff, sniff... More money, full benifits...

Sniff... regular hours and paid time off...

Yhea... thats what it is...

Next Thursday I start, nice.

Finished the garage mini-ramp

Here are some final construction photos. I got to joes about 2:30. We got the top layer finished at around 9:30 and pulling the garage door tracks down took another half hour or so. We skated till about 1am. That was a bit late but it was the opening night. But its just like riding a bike... great little ramp.