How To: Load a Custom ROM onto Your Windows Mobile Phone

Want to get Windows 6.5 on your phone? Or just want to flash a custom ROM for faster performance, to unlock Wifi Tethering, load themes, load TouchFlo, Sony Panes, etc. or any of the other great benefits of custom ROMs? Here’s how…

First off, loading a Windows Mobile ROM consists of 3 main parts; loading the HardSPL, loading the latest Radio, and then loading the ROM itself. All of these steps are done in the same way and must be done HardSPL, THEN RADIO, THEN ROM.
Each HardSPL and ROMs are specific to only ONE SPECIFIC PHONE MODEL, so do not use a HardSPL or ROM for a phone it is not meant to be used on (this includes using the CDMA version on a GSM phone, and visa versa).

Before You Begin…

  • Make sure you have downloaded and installed Windows Mobile Device Center (Vista or higher) OR Windows ActiveSync (XP) and that your device can connect to it without any issue
  • Always remove your memory card and SIM card before beginning

I. Load HardSPL

1. Download the appropriate HardSPL zip file from our Downloads > Windows Mobile Downloads > ROMs section of our site. Select the HardSPL at the start of what phone you have.
2. Plug your phone into your computer via the USB cable.
3. Sync it with Windows Mobile Device Center (or ActiveSync if using Windows XP). *This is important, it must be recognized and sync with Windows Mobile Device Center before continuing.
4. Unzip the HardSPL file and double click on the .exe file inside (while the phone is still plugged in.
5. Follow the programs instructions and let it flash to the phone.
6. The phone should reboot when done. Now you can load a Radio…

II Load a Radio

1. Check to see what Radio version you have by tuning off the phone and turning it back on.
2. On the first load up screen you should see some writing at the bottom of the screen, the number next to the letter R is your radio version (i.e. 3.42.50)
3. Then check to see what the latest Radio is for your phone in our ROMs section. If you already have it or a Radio with a higher number than it, then skip this. If you have a Radio with a lower number, then download the Radio file from that section.
4. Plug your phone into your computer via the USB cable.
5. Sync it with Windows Mobile Device Center (or ActiveSync if using Windows XP). *This is important, it must be recognized and sync with Windows Mobile Device Center before continuing.
6. Unzip the HardSPL file and double click on the .exe file inside (while the phone is still plugged in.
7. Follow the programs instructions and let it flash to the phone.
8. The phone should reboot when done. Now you can load a ROM…

III. Load a Custom ROM

1. Download one of the appropriate Custom ROMs from our Downloads > Windows Mobile Downloads > ROMs section of our site.
2. Plug your phone into your computer via the USB cable.
3. Sync it with Windows Mobile Device Center (or ActiveSync if using Windows XP). *This is important, it must be recognized and sync with Windows Mobile Device Center before continuing.
4. Unzip the HardSPL file and double click on the .exe file inside (while the phone is still plugged in.
5. Follow the programs instructions and let it flash to the phone.
6. The phone will reboot when done, enjoy!

65 thoughts on “How To: Load a Custom ROM onto Your Windows Mobile Phone”

  1. I am using windows 7 RC 7100 64 bit. The HardSPL says that it is incompatible with 64 bit operating systems when I double click on it. This is on a mogul. Any sugestions?
    Thank you for this website!!

    1. Hello David,

      Use the search bar we put at the top of the ROMs page and type in titan HardSPL for 32 bit or something similar and see if it comes up.
      If you find it please let us know here so I can put it up for others 🙂
      Sorry!

  2. Hi, The above looks very simple and you have done a great step by step video. however, do you have the right downloads for a V1605 on the vodafone network. The phone is currently on WM 5 and I would like to upgrade to 6.0 or above. Can you help? Processor shown in settings is a SC32442-400Mhz
    Regards
    Dave
    In UK.

    1. Hello Michael,

      Correct, can’t put WinMo on an Android phone (yet).
      Yes, that is exactly what you can use this for. Just find a Windows 6.5 ROM from our downloads section for the Pro2 and then use that.
      Make sure to get the HardSPL and Radio first before trying to load the ROM.
      Good luck!

  3. Hi There, think i’ve missed your response earlier on.

    Does the htc TYTN II (Kaiser) requires a Radio for the WM6.5 provided by your link?

  4. Thanks for replying. I’ve downloaded the files. Many Thanks. How about my files, sms & etc? i’ll need to back them up right?

  5. Please can someone tell me what ROM etc I need to use. I am on T-Mobile and my fphopne is an MDA Touch Plus. I don’t want to brick it by putting the wrong thing on.

    Thanks.

  6. Hi, Im new to this flashing of smartphones I have a TP2 with T-MOBILE,but doesn’t mean I haven’t read some posts. I have many but I still can’t flash hardspl. I keep on coming upon issues like: 1)0% after waiting 5 minutes,2)This package is not intended for your device type high chance of bricking!!,3)ERROR [262] THE ROM UPDATE UTILITY HAS ENCOUNTERED COMMUNICATION ERRORS DURING THE UPDATE PROCESS… Help please..

    1. Karlos,

      Use our custom search at the bottom of the post and type “TMobile Pro2 Hard SPL” and see if that gives you a link to a better SPL for you, then follow the procedure using that SPL.

  7. hi again. whenever i try to flash my rom by downloading it through google chrome, i keep opening it and it opens in a new blank tab, and downloads again, and when i click on that, it opens in a new tab again and downloads and this keeps happening. could u please help?

    1. Linda,

      your phone is called the TyTn, search for that name on our Windows Mobile ROMs section of our site or type Tytn ROM into the search bar at the top of the Windows Mobile ROMs section.

  8. I am trying to flash my att tilt and every time my phone screen goes grey and it wont reconnect via activesync so I can finish flashing the hard spl….Help

  9. When the tri color screen is supposed to come up it just turns grey and freezes like that….Att tilt…trying to flash hard spl

  10. Unlockr , everytime i try to load the hard spl i get to the screen that says “device not responding ” please help man ?

  11. Hey Unlockr,

    I’ve to send my phone back for insurance…
    Is it possible to set the original SE X1 WM6.1 back on the phone??
    Thanks in advance!

  12. Im trying to load a rom and none of them work. I get to where it gives the insturctions but then it says ERROR[240]: FILE OPEN, ive tried about 10 of them and they all turn out the same way. Please help.

  13. i need a little bit of help if i update my htc 8925 unlocked from windows 6.0 to 6.5 will it locked it again ???sorry for the noob question.

    1. Faraz,

      Not a noob question, that is a good question and the answer is a theoretical no lol It shouldn’t relock it because the baseband isn’t being changed so you should be fine. If anything, do you have the unlock code still? You can always reuse it to unlock the phone again if for some odd reason it locks again (but again it shouldnt)

  14. Hey unlockr,

    When i’ve installed a rom following your procedure. It works great. Thank you so much
    Now i’ve found an other rom, do i have to install the radio and hardspl again or can i just load this rom like show’n in the last steps…?
    thanks

  15. hi, i wanted to ask why i cant hard spl my touch pro 2(tilt 2). every time i try, it tells me a “fatal error” and sating i have to have my radio turned on and retry. my radio is on and it tells me to turn it on. i cant to a manual or automatic flash. can u please help?

  16. hello,

    i dwnlded the hrdspl files for the htc td2 when i click on it nothing happens gives an error msg saying you dont have rights to use this file. secondly whn i run the radio update it disconnects the phone from the computer and stops the update process…. pls guide

  17. Unlocker please help me and carva we both have the sprint touchpro 2 which hardspl and radio do we need to use? Also is there any rom u recommend for us sprint tp2 users. Thx

  18. Hello Unlockr,

    I have TP2 GSM (Tmobile). when i try to install the Touch Pro 2 GSM hardspl,the phone turns off by itself. which means the Sync connection fails, and the installation progress bar stays at 0%, and i get a message that talks about Connection Error/Failed (because the phone turned off by itself and then ofcourse lost connection with my PC). any suggestions? by the way the phone still not bricked and ok:)

  19. I noticed one post about the need for a radio for the HTC Tilt (TyTn II). Is this still the case? It appears as though you do the hard SPL, then the ROM without installing a new radio, is this correct? Thanks for the help and your excellent website. IMO, it’s a little easier for a semi-noob to navigate.

  20. Actually, the lack of a need for the radio is what I should’ve said, sorry. Do I not need a new radio or install a new one when I flash a new ROM?

  21. just wanna know shud i do this all procedure in bootloader screen or just normally i ve to open the phone do this all u dint show it in the vdo how to do first step ?? so plz tell how to do first step ??

  22. After I open Windows Mobile Device Center and verify that I have connectivity. I run the DFT HSPL2 for HTC Leo shortly there after Windows Mobile Device Center shuts down then i get a critical error from the HSPL2 that says Flow;00000005 Error Code:00000005 Description: Bad SPL Version

  23. ok i did what u said but i have a problem. my phone…htc mogul… is stuck on the red, green, and blue screen. i have tried hard resetting it and nothing happens i dont know what to do, i need help please!!!!

  24. Hi there downloaded all the proper files for my htc touch hd plugged in usb to sync it came up with my device unzipped the hardspl clicked it followed the instructions it recognised the image file i had and what it would be updated to clicked again started to update the comes up with the error (202) please make sure your phone is connected but it is connected any help on this one

  25. To get out bootloader(red,green and blue) just hooked your usb -make sure the box in the mobile device center -connection ,thats says- allow usb connections is unchecked and run a mobile 6 or 6.1 rom -thats made for your carrier -and when its done and your phone reboots -it’ll be restored

  26. what a great stuff!!! Thanks

    I was trying to find some way to have the  Remote Tracker app on a custom ROM so if you cell was stolen and someone hard reset it you will still be able to track it

    the Remote Tracker site shows a tool to generate a DLL file for this purpose (RTRegGenerator). 

    I don’t know how to insert that and generate a custom WM ROM.

    I am currently using the WM 6.5 running on a samsung B7320L smartphone.

    If you are not able to do that, could you please give me some idea how to customize a WM???

    thanks in advance 

  27. I have a big problem with my wm phone. I tried to install wm6.5 and it started just fine… then, in the middle of installation it showed an error… installation stopped, I restarted my phone and I couldn’t turn it on since… Now I can’t install it again because the software doesn’t detect my phone conected… When I turn it on, it stopps on she first screen… Please help..

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