Windows Mobile is a compact operating system developed by Microsoft which combines a suite of basic applications for mobile devices based on the Microsoft Win32 API. The latest version of Windows Mobile is Windows Mobile 5 (WM5). Portable devices or PDAs that run Windows Mobile 5include Pocket PCs, Smartphones, and Portable Media Centers, such as T-Mobile Dash, Cingular 3125/2125/8125, Motorola Q/i930, T-Mobile SDA/MDA, SPV C600, Pharos Traveler GPS 525, Dell Axim X51v, HP iPAQ hw6920/hw6925, Palm Treo 750v/700wx/700w smartphone, Spring PPC 6700, iMate Jasjar, O2 Atom/Atom Pure/Exec/Stealth, Dopod 818 Pro/838/838Pro/900 and many more. As with Windows OS, Windows Mobile also has a registry that provides users the ability to perform a lot of hidden hacks and tricks. To edit the Windows Mobile 5 registry, a registry editor is need, and PHM Registry Editor is a free app to do just that.

PHM Registry Editor allows users to edit PDA or Windows Mobile portable device or Pocket PC (Phone) registry where all its configuration and tweaks are stored. PHM RegEdit features ability to do tasks like explore the registry to find the operating system and applications configuration, modify system and applications tweaks not available from the standard options screens, export all or parts of the registry to .reg files, backup and restore the complete registry and perform search on the registry data.

PHM Registry Editor is available for free download from phm.lu (no longer avalable – see update below). However, in Windows Mobile 5 (WM5) devices, if you select the Desktop Installer (Via ActiveSync) option to download the PHMRegEdit.msi installer setup file, you will have problem to install PHM Registry Editor into your WM5 PPC devices. Installation appears fine, however, you won’t be able to find PHM Registry Editor application software installed on your PDA after installation.

PHM Registry Editor is updated in 2002, and its installer doesn’t support newer ActiveSync and WM5, although the application program will work fine on WM5. So in order to install PHM Registry Editor into WM5 pocket device, users need to use the CAB installer to initiate the installation from the WM5 device itself.

Download the appropriate CAB for your device CPU type from the PHM RegEdit download page (no longer avalable – see update below). If you’re using Pocket PC or Pocket PC Phone, select the Pocket PC 2000,2003 (ARM/PXA) option and download the regedit.Mrln_ARM CAB file. Then copy the regedit.Mrln_ARM.CAB file to the PPC device via ActiveSync or Windows Explorer (can put at anywhere including storage card). Launch File Explorer, and click on the CAB file with stylus, and then follow the instruction on screen to install the FHM Registry Editor. Note that you should answer Yes to security warning, and you can install it on either device itself or on memory card.

Once installed, you will be able to find PHM Registry Editor from Start -> Programs.

Update: PHM Registry Editor for Windows Mobile is no longer actively developed, but you can still download PHM Registry Editor for Windows Mobile.