Guide to Modding your A1200Last Updated: Oct 4th 2007
This guide explains how to perform most of the main modifications that can be made to your A1200.
It was created by combining and summarizing the information provided in the dozens of threads on this forum and then rewriting it as easy-to-follow steps that new users can print off and have all the information that they need in one place to (hopefully) easily and successfully perform the mod. It does not attempt to describe everything you can do with this phone, but covers the following topics:
A1. What are rar files and how do I use them
A2. How do I copy files to my phone
B. What is MPKG and LINLoader and how do I install them
C. How to Install programs and games
C1. How to Uninstall Java and PKG apps
D. How to Change an Application's Permissions
E. How to change shortcuts 1 and 2 on the bottom of the Home Page (to something different than web browser and video)
F. How to install themes and skins to change the way the screens look
G. How to increase the volume of the phone
H. How to turn off the camera "shutter" sound
I. How to change the fonts on your phone
J. How to use RadioComm to enable Edge
K. How to use RadioComm to fix Voicemail and Network Time bugs
L. How to Change an App's Icon and/or Name
M. How to Telnet to your PC
N. How to Seem Edit
O. How to Write Directly to Phone's Memory
• There are often different methods described for installing a program described on different threads (eg for installing linloader) - and different versions of the programs. Part of this is because programs often have to be installed differently on the A1200 than other Motorola phones - but this was only discovered through trial and error - so some of the methods described in the threads are out of date. In other cases, what works for one version of the firmware does not work for another - but it is often not clear which works on what. This writeup describes the most straightforward method that worked on my phone (with firmware bint .08p). If you follow this method and it does not seem to work then review the relevant thread and try one of the other methods or try to download a different version of the program.
• Most of the software mentioned here can be found in the Developed Softwares section of the A1200 forum. If you can not find it there, then you should be able to easily find it by doing a search in the threads. You get to the Search screen by clicking on the "Search this Forum" link at the top of the forum.
• If you do not understand something here or have any problems then each section has the thread(s) listed where you can go to get more information.
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TIP: Many of the program installs in this Guide have instructions that include replacing the .system folder on your SD card with a new one that has the new app already installed (eg Superman or SmartAssistant). The .sytem folder is where the information for all apps installed to your SD card is kept (think of it like the "Program Files" folder on Windows) and when you replace it on your phone you then have to reinstall all your apps again to put their info back into this folder.
An alternative method is to use the program Beyond Compare for Windows (runs fine with wine too). Install it on your PC then extract the app you are trying to install's archive file to a temp folder and use Beyond Compare to compare its .system to your phone's .system folder. BC allows you to copy the differences into your phone without disrupting existing apps.
Always make a backup of your phone's .system folder before making any changes like this to it. If something goes wrong then simple task of copying it back to phone again to restore it
