A fast way to rebuild a Windows CE image


If you have already created an OS image and you have to modify-build-download it several times you can use a shortcut to perform those operations as fast as it is possible (if you do not add new components – which implies a sysgen): you can modify reginit.ini (for registry entries) and ce.bib (for files/modules to include in the OS image) then run from the command prompt:

regcomp %_FLATRELEASEDIR%\reginit.ini %_FLATRELEASEDIR%

romimage %_FLATRELEASEDIR%\ce.bib

The first command compresses the reginit.ini file to create some files which are included in the image in ce.bib:

If your OS image includes the hive-based registry the files are:

  • boot.hv
  • default.hv
  • user.hv

If your OS image includes the RAM-based registry the files are:

  • default.fdf

The second step processes ce.bib to create the new OS image. You can create a batch file which run the two commands and put it in your DEVELOPR (*) folder.

Be careful: everytime you run makeimg all your changes will be lost  since reginit.ini and ce.bib will be rebuilt.

(*) If you create a %_WINCEROOT%\DEVELOPR\%USERNAME% directory, this will be in the path when you open a command prompt from Platform Builder. More info on this on this Bruce Eitman’s blog post.

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2 Responses to A fast way to rebuild a Windows CE image

  1. Max says:

    Very useful, I made WINCE image in less then 3 minutes, instead of more than an hour!
    TY.

    • lcalligaris says:

      Glad to help. Be careful though: everytime you run makeimg all your changes will be lost since reginit.ini and ce.bib will be rebuilt so you may lost your modifications.

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