Replacing hand-held's custom dashboard with my Windows CE application

Question

I have a Chinese GPS hand-held with Windows CE on board and I would like to install my own applications on. The problem is that this device starts its own UI and doesn't have the option to shut it down (this is basically new dashboard with GPS, media players etc.). I would like to get rid of this app completely so I have a clean system that I can write programs to.

When I connect the device to my computer it first asks if it should be used in USB mode (where it acts as a removable drive) or should it just use USB to recharge the battery. In USB mode I can see the contents of the SD flash card that is inserted to the hand-held but it contains only some sample videos and music.

My guess is if there's a Windows CE under the hood there should be a way of installing and uninstalling custom software on the device but I just don't know where to start.

The question is how can I do that? Is it even possible? Can that kind of device be changed into a device where I can write software on my own or do I need to look for something else?

If it make the question easier this is kind of device I'm talking about.

Answer 1

If you have Windows CE 6.0 OS Builer version on you desktop, and have VS2005/8, you could create your own build of Windows CE for the handheld, and deploy it using ActiveSync. This would be the equivalent of clean reinstall of the OS on the handheld.

Otherwise, check for hidden/system files when you connect it via USB, and edit the autoexec.bat. But I'm not completely sure this would be visible.

Answer 2

I think what you have is a PNA (personal navigator assistant). These are based on WinCE, but hide it under a custom dashboard, which provide limited functionality. Now, the way to get into the internals of the OS and customizing the apps depends largely on what the device is. There are forums (like gpspassion.com) that explain how to 'hack' into these devices.

From personal experience (albeit with an older version - WinCE4.2 .NET and a german PNA) there are two options:

1. Flush the ROM of the device with another (equivalent) one built by MIO or some other vendor and which allows you to see the undelying OS

2. Find a way to get access to the /Windows folder when in USB mode. Then you can force it to start the regedit utility and remove the auto-run key (the autoexec.bat file is rarely used from what I saw). Again, from the question, this doesn't seem to be allowed by default, but depending on the actual model, you might find a hack on the gps dedicated forums.

Once you get to the OS you will need to put in some dll's to make most PDA programs work, but it should do the job.

Best of luck.

Answer 3

Did you manage to hack into it? because I have the same problem, and managed to hack it to win ce 6.0, my problem now is that I cannot change USB mode to ActiveSync mode, anyone of you know if this can be done? I already managed the registry and added all RNDIS info to it (under drivers) but can't find the way to make it BOOT in active sync mode, nor change it from within windows, the USB Mode in control panel doesn't do it, it gives an error and states that it cannot be done

Any ideas PLEASE?

Tribilin