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Aldi Go Cruise 4300 Hack
By sparky | March 21, 2010
Ozi Explorer is a handy little utility which allows 4WD enthusiasts to load maps onto a GPS device, and to track their locations on various 4WD tracks.
One catch is the need to have a Windows OS enabled device.
The creators have nicely created a couple of different versions – ranging from PDA / phones with Windows Mobile, as well as the ability to have it on any GPS device with a Windows CE Core.
Having purchased a Windows CE based GPS unit from Aldi, I found a few guides which would allow me to modify it so as to bypass the default ‘interface’ and to interact with the core OS.
Here’s a concise guide how to do it – and should only take you about 20 minutes.
Credit: I discovered the specific chipset used on the device from here.
There was another guide dealing with a similar device that outlines how to do this ‘hack’ here.
Warning: I provide this guide ‘as is’ with no warranties or guarantees. This worked for me – but there can be things that change in models, or other glitches that can happen along the way. If you happen to kill your device in the process, that is your fault – and have only yourself to blame.
You’ll need:
Step One
Having installed ActiveSync / Mobile Device Center, connect the PDA/GPS to the computer
Next, browse to the files / folders on it.
The manual actually tells you to backup the GPS software (Found under ResidentFlash\NNG). Do this if you want, but it’s not necessary for this hack.
Step Two
Fire up CE Reg Editor. Connect to your device, and you should be able to see the registry of it, just like you would on your own PC.
Note: For Windows 7, I had to put it into ‘compatability mode: XP SP 3′, and “Run as Administrator”.
Expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder. You’ll have to do a few modifications.
Note: The guide tells us to remap the My Documents, Application Data, Desktop & Programs. I’m fairly confident this isn’t important – but remap to the SD card if you’d like (means you have more space to work with).
The real key is the first change. IF you’re going to change the others as well, might as well do it all now.
To Change the value of the registry key, simply select the key on the right hand panel (eg. Launch50), and then change the text in the “Value name” field:
List of values to change:
1- HKEY_Local_Machine\init\Launch50
Old value: launch.exe
New value: explorer.exe
2- HKey_Local_Machine\System\Explorer\ShellFolders\Desktop
Old value: \Windows\Desktop
New value: \SDMMC\Desktop
3- Hkey_Local_Machine\System\Explorer\Shell Folders\Programs
Old value: \windows\programs
New value: \SDMMC\Programs
4- Hkey_Local_Machine\System\Explorer\Shell\My Documents
Old value: \My Documents
New value: \SDMMC\My Documents
5- Hkey_Local_Machine\System\Explorer\Shell\Application Data
Old value: \Application Data
New value: \SDMMC\Application Data
Note: There doesn’t seem to be an “Application Data” folder created in the \ root directory (where as there is the “My Documents” / “Desktop” / Programs”). I created one on the SDMMC just for good measure (in case “Application Data” is a hidden directory).
Once you’ve modified the registry, copy the folders from where they were originally ( \ root directory) to your SD Card.
Also, whilst you’re at it: Create a folder on the SD Card called “Ozi Explorer”. Copy the contents of the ZIP File into there.
At this point, we’ve updated the registry, and copied over the the Ozi Explorer program. Next, restart the system. You can either goto “Tools | Reset Device” within CeReg Editor, or you can just turn the device off and on again.
If all has gone well, you’ll be greeted with the warm, familiar Windows Explorer Interface:
From now on, every time you start up the device, it’ll boot into Windows CE.
This only presents a small problem with accessing the navigation programs: So, we’ll create some shortcuts to these programs on the desktop.
Remembering, we have no mouse or keyboard, so we have to improvise with a touch screen. There’s an ‘onscreen keyboard’ we will be using – accessed via the little keyboard icon in the bottom right of the screen.
On the top left corner is an icon called “My Device” – this is basically the equivalent of “My Computer”, the file explorer for Windows.
Double tapping that opens up the main screen:
Browse to the ResidentFlash drive – which is the system reserved partition for the GPS software.
Open NNG, and you’ll see the files pertaining to the GPS software:
Select NNGNAVI (with the blue ‘iGo’ icon).
Go to EDIT – COPY. Then EDIT – PASTE AS SHORTCUT.
Select the “Shortcut to NNGNAVI” file and go EDIT – CUT.
Close that Window, and when on the desktop, go to the onscreen keyboard, tapping first CTL and then V (Ctrl-V, universal shortcut for ‘paste’):
Similarly for Ozi Explorer; Go to My Device, Browse to the SDMMC drive.
Open up the ‘Ozi Explorer’ directory you created, and copied the files into. Select “OziExplorerCE”, EDIT – COPY, EDIT – PASTE AS SHORTCUT.
Select “Shortcut to OziExplorerCE” and EDIT – CUT; Go to the desktop, and paste (CTL then V).
You can do this with any program that you install onto the SDMMC card.
Note on installation of files
This particular Windows CE installation wipes any changes you make to the system – ignoring shortcuts on the desktop (remember how we moved the links to the desktop, etc. at the very beginning to the SD card? That’s so that the system wouldn’t wipe our hard work every time we shut the system down). This is because Windows CE is the same OS used on ‘Kiosk’ Terminal machines: Any changes attempted to be made to the system will be wiped / undone as soon as the system reboots (all the core OS files are stored on a ROM – Read Only Memory). Unless you’re logged in as ‘administrator mode’ which normally requiring a combination of key strokes to be pressed on boot – you can’t modify the core system settings or save it back to the ROM.
So make sure you install additional software to your SD card.
When you press the power button, the system will only go into hibernation mode; luckily, the system designers added a shutdown command on the desktop:
Double tape the icon marked “EXIT” and you’ll get a prompt saying “Shutdown?” with a big YES and NO to choose from.
There you have it – a more functional GPS unit, for only AU$129. 
Topics: Hack / Mods, Hardware, Windows | 17 Comments »
March 22nd, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Neat Hack.
I dont have the device, or I would try it myself..
Just on the subject of CE registry editors, the company I work for builds a completely free WM/CE remote control/task editor/registry editor, It might be worth a try getting that to run on there also.. Make your screenshots easier
Product is called EveryWAN remote support – and its completely free from http://www.sparus-software.com
Cheers,
Justyn.
March 22nd, 2010 at 4:35 pm
I got this to work on a Nextar M3-04 as well, with one problem: when you change the shell folders to “SDMMC”, it creates a virtual folder in the “\” called “SDMMC” and mounts the REAL SD card to “SDMMC2″. Do you know a workaround for this?
Also, can you post the syntax for (or email me) your shutdown shortcut? My GPS does not have one, and it is a real nuisance to charge the GPS and have it completely discharge a couple days later when it’s supposedly “off”.
April 2nd, 2010 at 6:34 am
Thank you sooo much! I just got my go cruise 350 (rain proof motorcycle version) and I thought I’d probably be stuck with the original software! Windows CE booting had put a huge smile on my face
DD
SDMMC2 problem
“in the above instructions, best procedure now is to use \ResidentFlash\ instead of \SDMMC\. Users have reported that the SDMMC2 occurs much less often with this configuration.”
url:
http://navigo.wikispaces.com/Navigo+WinCE+Hack
-worked for me.
reading his manual makes me think you should have gave a few more warnings here…
I’m also missing the shutdown shortcut, but when I hold down the on/off button for a few secs, it says “power off mode”. I think it really shuts down, because on the start menu they call it “suspend” and I see the correlation with “hibernation”.
for me, the launch50 value was pointing to pvshell.exe, but it worked the same way when I’ve changed it to explorer.exe
April 3rd, 2010 at 3:06 pm
[...] with his hack to allow interaction with the core of an Aldi GO Cruise 4300 GPS Windows CE OS. All that’s required is a few programs and registry [...]
April 4th, 2010 at 10:15 am
Thanks for the info. I have the Aldi Go Cruise Motorcycle GPS that ALDI sold around July/August 2009. It runs WinCE. The Route 66 software is rubbish so with the help of someone I obtained and installed TomTom Navigator.
It runs via the removable SD card. It had to be renamed so WinCE could find the right executable.
However, when I turn the device on, it goes to a basic menu under WinCE. I have to tap on an icon called “GPS” in order to fire up Navigator. It won’t do it automatically.
Will this hack which is for a different model work on mine, do you think?
Also, when I turn it on, the date/time defaults to 2008-01-01 12:00:00. It doesn’t pick up the correct time and date until the navigator software is started. Is there any way to get the unit itself to maintain the correct time, regardless?
Thanks.
Martin
April 4th, 2010 at 11:35 am
I decided to risk fiddling with my GPS. I managed to change the registry to log into WindowsCE. Unfortunately what changes that I make to WindowsCE as far as shortcuts go seem to disappear each time I turn the unit off and back on again.
First, I found a Startup folder under Windows. I copied and pasted the navigator shortcut into there thinking that this would load TomTom Navigator on startup. But this didn’t work.
Then I thought that I’d be smart. I changed the registry entry for Launch50 to \SDMMC\MobileNavigator\MobileNavigator.exe and restarted the unit.
It sat at the “Go Cruise” splash screen. A hard reset didn’t fix it.
I managed to reconnect and changed the reg entry back to explorer.exe as per the instructions above.
But if I add shortcuts to either the Desktop or in that Startup folder, they disappear after I turn it off and back on again.
I reverted to the standard setup for the time being. It works so I shouldn’t complain, really. I have a $170 waterproof bike GPS that performs well, compared to a Garmin or TomTom bike unit that cost close to $1,000.
April 10th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
I have bought the Go Cruise GPS4300 for this purpose, but I too, have the problem where the SD card is “SDMMC2″ and a new folder called SDMMC is created in device flash.
Help with this would be appreciated.
April 23rd, 2010 at 11:30 am
Martin, everything on the internal memory is reset after a system shutdown. whatever you put there, including shortcuts, will be removed. you would want to change your startup folder in registry to the sd card to fix your problem.
Mike, read my comment.
April 23rd, 2010 at 11:33 am
Martin, everything on the internal memory is reset after a system shutdown. whatever you put there, including shortcuts, will be removed. you would want to change your startup folder in registry to the sd card to fix your problem.
Martin, a complete power off (not sleep mode) will reset the time and date.
Mike, read my comment.
May 6th, 2010 at 5:54 am
Hey Would this Win ce hack work on any Tom Tom Gps??
thanks
May 16th, 2010 at 11:24 pm
Absolutely not.
TomTom uses Linux for it’s operating system, so you’d have to come up with a more craftier way of hacking it
May 17th, 2010 at 7:32 am
Does anyone know of any other handy applications for Win CE 5 that can be run on a hacked GPS like this such as a video players, games, pdf viewers, etc? The Win CE smartphone & PDA apps don’t work.
And btw for those with the SDMMC2 issue, save all persistent mods such as desktop shortcuts, wallpaper, sounds, etc to ResidentFlash instead as mentioned by Shawn in post #3. Still use the SD card for any programs such as Ozi.
May 30th, 2010 at 6:26 pm
this worked well with a go cruise 4300, however in oziexplorer the screen calibration has shifted a bit and i can’t access some dialog boxes with the stylus. I can’t get back to the ‘calibrate’ function either because the shortcut to the nngnavi.exe file is one step past the original startup screen which had mp3, video, jpeg etc. options. i’ve searched for the ‘launch.exe’ file but can’t find it
May 30th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
Update to my last – I found ‘calibrate’ under Windows>Control Panel>Stylus and recalibrated, but still having trouble operating dialog boxes on the extreme RH side of the screen
July 10th, 2010 at 12:01 am
I have bricked my device
by entering the wrong value into “launch10″ instead of “launch50″. I’m stuck on the go cruise logo. if the user “martin” would please describe how he got his gps to connect with the computer once it was bricked, i’d be thankful, because for me, windows cannot recognize the device properly, so there’s no activesync or ce reg editor access.
http://fixmygps.net/forum/showthread.php?tid=1073&pid=6629#pid6629
July 11th, 2010 at 7:55 pm
Hi Shawn.
I didn’t brick mine, if “bricking” means to disable it. I followed the instructions from this website in order to access the OS on the navigator.
And when I fiddled with the startup files and I got stuck on the splash screen, I was still able to log into the GPS using the software that you showed to us in the instructions above. I changed it back to how it was meant to work.
I forget exactly how I did that, but in the end I got TomTom Navigator for WinCE running on it. The instructions from that I got from a site called GPS Underground.
Good luck with it.
July 19th, 2010 at 5:14 pm
hey it worked on my nextar x4-t. but one problem i cant see the start bar