Sylvania 7inch Netbook (from CVS in USA)--Windows CE 6.0R3 or remove shell?

Hi, sorry to trouble you all, but I had a question about the Sylvania 7inch Netbook (also from CVS in the USA). (specs 8505 arm 300mhz, 2gb flash).

Let me preface, I would prefer option one, but I can deal with option two.

Option one-Install CE 6.0R3? Microsoft has some newer apps out for R3. I tried the H/PC:Update file for the Wabook Sky (spelling?) (CE6 R3) and of course, there is a resolution difference. I've been searching everywhere for R3 for a 7" like mine.

Option two-CE6 rom (any build) without any shell! I DO NOT LIKE THE SHELL! Sorry, I'll refrain from CAPS, but its very annoying. The taskbar is hidden and it is very difficult to switch programmes. Plus that sidebar which is very useless to me is profoundly taking up screen space. (I've tried a bunch of ROMS but the only one seeming to work out okay is the Digital Gadgets version with the horrid shell).

-torchwood04

Hey, guys, it's torchwood04! (Seriously, nice to hear from you again. )

I don't get your complaint about the taskbar, though. How hard is it to go to Start -> Settings -> Taskbar and Start Menu and uncheck "Auto hide"?

As for R3, I doubt that the Wabook Sky ROM image is R3 - the only devices I have that seem to have components of R3 (Internet Explorer Embedded, Flash Lite, etc) are my Zenithink ZT-180 and SmartQ V5. (I haven't seen an R3 ROM image anywhere thus far.) The "sidebar" is a component of the WM8505 OS build that most CE 6 netbooks these days, including the Sylvania, Maybe there's a way to disable it in the registry, but I haven't looked for it thus far because it hasn't bothered me.

Thank you.


Well, I did that, but the shell seems to be skinned over the taskbar. I found the shell and killed it with a process manager and the taskbar was completely gone, though I could press the sleep button to pull up the startmenu, but I still have no programme manager! lol


Oh, I see. The H/PC:Update for it I thought said R3, but could be wrong.

I know it says R3, but I doubt it anyway. (I didn't assign that OS to it in H/PC:Update; you'll have to ask C:Amie or Rich. )

Now I'm not sure what "shell" you're talking about. I assumed you meant the core CE shell (with WonderMedia's "enhancement" on the right-hand side). In the taskbar settings, is "Always on top" checked?

Hey buddy, I have wondered how you have been. LONG TIME!

CE Geek, I have uploaded the picture here: http://i54.tinypic.com/neiyj6.jpg . Note that the taskbar has autohide unchecked, the always on top option seems to do nothing. When I kill the process for that shelled taskbar, it disappears, still no CE taskbar or the skinned one. Basically, I want to restore the full CE taskbar with the programmes being listed like normal Windows.

Yup, Yoldering, it has been a long time haha.

Whoa, haven't seen that before. You indicate that you've identified the file that generates that bar; have you checked \Windows\StartUp (or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\init in the registry) to see if the file (or a link thereto) is there? I'm assuming it kills the taskbar when it executes. There are a few applets that can sometimes restore the taskbar - I've attached them below:



Attachments
----------------
ShowTaskbar.exe (3KB - 31 downloads)
TaskbarShow.exe (3KB - 27 downloads)
TaskbarToggle.exe (3KB - 21 downloads)

I've been tinkering around with the Digital Gadgets version from the script thing and I am definitely getting somewhere. I removed the bloatware in the system folder, save stock CE and driver stuff, and the built in games. It looks like I'm getting somewhere, I got that dreadful sidebar out, now just need to clean out that shell. It's DGSHELL in the Windows folder on device, but cannot find in the script folder.

CE Geek, your programmes work great, but they do not seem to load on startup when put into the 'Startup' part of the 'script' folder. (Fyi, 'script' is basically the name for the "ROM" folder)

If you want a program to run when you boot up the computer, put the application in the startup folder that resides in the windows folder...

I am aware of that, and I did try. It does not work.

Edited by torchwood04 2011-07-22 6:40 PM

I'm trying to get up to speed on this -- got a replacement Sylvania netbook after a battery failure, and they gave me one with this new shell.

Are you putting stuff in the script folder because it copies stuff out of there when it boots? (Replacing any changes you made in the usual locations)

Yes, the script folder seems to be actually more or less the CE image that is copied to the device. I say less, as there seem to be some .bin files that are extracted as well into the image that I can't seem to tamper with.

I was able to get the original CE shell taskbar restored, but only post-install--though, in actuality, that's not that bad, as unless you tinker with it a lot, a script flash should not be necessary..

I removed the 'DGSHELL' or 'dg' or something like that in the Startup init a la what CE Geek mentioned.. I also brought up the start menu (since you have the Sylvania netbook, its the sleepy looking button between control and alt) and went to the taskbar/startmenu properties in the settings->control panel thing. There I checked 'always show taskbar' and something else--I don't remember..

That answers the question about the taskbar. The setting you're referring to is "Always on top." Normally, it's checked by default, but whoever built this particular platform must have changed the registry value for this from 1 to 0. The custom UI then overlays the core CE shell, thereby hiding the taskbar.

Oh, yes, thanks, yeah, I forgot what the setting was called.. I just wish I could figure out how to enable 'always on top' and 'always show' in the script, so CE gets flashed in this manner, without the horridnessity of the shell. Granted, it's a less than minute fix to fix it upon flashing, but I've been messing a lot with CE6 platform builder, trying to get the Office 2007 viewers and QFEs; so these 'less than minute' fixes equate to a bit more than that.. Oh well, at least I can fix it back in any form..

I have a solution for the dgshell.exe issue. I alos have the Sylvania 7" smartbook, and I also went through all the same stuff you have to get rid of it, then I figured out how.
First, download http://www.digitalgadgets.com/netbooks/SYNET_NEW_SHELL_IMAGE.zip from another PC, Extract the zip to root of SD card formated in FAT32.
now, seach for amazon.exe on the SD card, rename amazon.exe to dgshell.exe ( that's the file I used, you can use another useless file to rename or a copy of a usefull file, seems that the new file named dgshell.exe will autorun on windows start weather you like it or not amazon.exe just opens Internet Explorer, so it's OK. )
Now, turn off the Sylvania, Insert SD card, Turn on Sylvania. It will now boot to the SD Card and preform an update. when it's done you'll be in a temp windows CE, kinada like safe mode.
Just Turn of the netbook, take out the SD Card, turn back on, and now no more of the messed up shell.
If you want to change the start-up image, instead of the orange SYLVANIA, just edit the jpg on the SD Card in the root, or scripts folder before you do the update.
Hope this helps you. I know it did me GL