You change one feature at a time when you edit seems in a hex editing program. These seems control every aspect of how the phone behaves such as: SMS being turned on or off by default, enbaling the roaming icon, raising the volume level on the various speakers of the phone, enabling ENS, etc. Seem - The phone has numerous seems programmed into the operating system of the phone. If it should become corrupted you will need to use a Smart Clip to fix it, otherwise your phone will be dead. The PDS is the most sensitive part of the ROM. It holds critical information like your IMEI, ESN and any subsidy locking information. Just read the description that the file comes with so you know what it does before installing it. They come in many varieties, some are unbranded for Motorola, some are Cingular, O2, Rogers, and can come with various features already enabled. Monster Pack - Includes the flash and the flex and a language pack for a specific language all in one file. Your phone will essentially function, but any of the network connectivity for the Cingular network will be lost and you'll need to reprogram the connection data specific to your carrier, or just flex again.
The most important thing to remember is if you have a Cingular phone, then don't install a T-Mobile flex on it.
They also include all the programming needed to connect you to their Internet service and text messaging on their network. It also contains the specific menus and labels for programs they use like T-Zones or MEdia Mall. This is where things like your start up animation with the Cingular or T-Mobile logos and sounds come from. They are called this I imagine because you use them to reflash a phone after you have already installed a monster pack on it but now you want the most recent flash.įlex - These are the files that contain the cell phone service provider's branding on the phone. A flash can be used on most any carrier's phone unlike the flex, which is carrier specific. You will not lose any of your media or any of your specific settings when you flash. When you flash your phone it will adjust the various features of your phone. The flash is essentially the operating system of the phone.
There is no real reason to upgrade one, so don't be tempted to.įlash - This is the most common thing you modify on the phone.
Bootloaders can be upgraded and downgraded.
It is low level software telling the phone what is what and where to find what it needs to operate. They all refer to whomever you pay to get cell phone service from, like Cingular.īootloader - This can be compared to the BIOS on a PC. By the way, I use the terms operator, carrier, network and service provider interchangeably throughout these instructions. It's important we are all speaking the same language when it comes to working on and trouble shooting our phones. TerminologyHere are a few definitions of some terms that you'll hear a lot of when you start modifying your phone.