[Update July 1st] How to install HTC Sense 2.5 (includes fix for native LG apps)

Update 7/1: A new cab has been released of Sense build 2016 that takes up less program memory (initially, at least) and, more importantly, does not break the LG apps by way of the libEGL dll. Also, neither the SDHC fix nor the audio manager fixes are necessary. However, this build also takes up a lot more storage memory (over half) and still seems to have a memory leak which quickly drains the free RAM. Cab can be found here:

http://rapidshare.com/files/401944993/bigboss_Manila_2.5_2016_full.cab.html

Intro: After literally weeks of trying, I've finally managed to shoehorn HTC Sense 2.5 onto the LG Expo, although I had to learn how to dump ROMs and build cabs in order to do it (not anything the end user will need to do). The majority of this guide is based on one by CoolKat over at Modaco, and includes files from many different contributors.

Thanks to the problems we've been experiencing with Chainfire's HD2 3D drivers -- it breaks the native LG apps in the same way that Sense seems to -- I was able to narrow down the file which seemed to be the culprit after installing the patch, and sure enough, that particular file (libEGL.dll) was also the issue following a Sense install. By creating a cab with the original libEGL, I was able to replace the one that Sense installs and restore functionality to the camera, multitasking, etc. Note that replacing this dll removes all advantages gained through Chainfire's drivers.

CAVEAT: Although Sense runs very smoothly on the Expo, the same cannot be said of other apps trying to run concurrently -- with the device's meager amount of program memory, multitasking with Sense is a hit or miss affair. I've already had trouble rendering pages properly in Opera Mobile, most likely due to the scarcity of free RAM (Opera Mini seems to work much better, at the expense of proper page layouts). Installing Sense right after a hard reset may be your best bet; I'm able to achieve over 44MB free RAM at boot this way.

Prep: Download this SDHC fix and copy it to internal memory. You'll need it later, when you won't have access to your SD card:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=293524&d=1268532319

Also, download this folder of Settings links, because Sense removes the Settings shortcut from the Start Menu (they can still be accessed through Sense's "All Settings" menu item, although you'll always need the Today.lnk to turn Sense back on):
http://www.modaco.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=48199

Finally, doing a Sprite Backup before you proceed is highly recommended. Sense embeds itself deeply into the Windows folder, meaning that a hard reset + Sprite Restore is probably the best way to return to a Sense-free system.

Now you're ready to go.

1.Install Sdkcerts from
http://www.modaco.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=46781

2.Install NetCF Configuration from
http://www.modaco.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=24288

3.Run the Net Configuration app, go to the Device Policy tab, and change the dropdown menu from Default to NetCF 3.7 (or 3.5, depending on which version you have installed). If you need to upgrade from NetCF 2.x, that cab is here:
http://www.modaco.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=23810

4.Restart the device.

5.Install AudioManager from here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=202556&d=1246966919

6.Restart the device.

7.Install the Sense 2.5 cab, it takes awhile -- make sure your device doesn't go to sleep during this step. Before you restart, make sure to turn off Sense in the Settings. Cab is here:
http://www.4shared.com/file/239166725/c76033f7/25_20121225.html

8.Restart the device.

9.Install the SDHC fix cab that you downloaded earlier.

10.Restart the device.

11.Install OemDiamAudioMgr.cab:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=202557&d=1246966919

12.Install HTC Album (here's one that works well enough to view photos, other versions may work better)
http://www.modaco.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=25303

13.Install HTC Comm Manager:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=281736&d=1266339432

14.Install dialer canvas (fixes contacts on people tab):
http://www.freeza-inc.com/freezaROM/OEMCAB/05.%20fi.%20Phone%20Canvas%203.40.1920.1930.cab

15.Install Location Disable cab:
http://www.modaco.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=46932

16.Install Clock Fix:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=249494&stc=1&d=1258932732

16.5.Transfer the AlbumSearcher.exe file into the Windows folder:
http://www.modaco.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=46933

17.Finally, install the libEGL.dll replacement cab (attached to this post).

18.Restart the device.

19.Turn Sense back on in the Settings and you should be good to go.

Please feel free to recommend other methods or better files to use, or to point out any redundant steps.

Notes (updated as issues arise):

1.Cookie's Home Tab installs fine, but seems to eat a lot of program memory, and also seems to kill Sense upon an uninstall. Use with caution.

2.VolDeus at PPCGeeks has made the only background changer I can find that works. DO NOT use the taskbar opacity program, it will render your device inoperable and require a hard reset.
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=65968&d=1270995286

what amount of free ram is there after running sense?

Yes, I'm actually thinking about it all the time

Learning how to cook ROMs is a tedious process of trial and error, I've found, and so far I've been unable to include even a single working package from HTC, let alone the dozen or so packages required for Sense. Seems to be an issue of including the proper dependencies while not overwriting key files required by LG. I'll keep at it, and of course any help would be greatly appreciated. If anyone else is interested in giving it a shot, the Sense EXT I've been using is located here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=6591056&postcount=1

Also, WarRaven, thanks for the kind words.

Updated first post with latest Sense build.

Thanks again, WarRaven. I'm very interested in testing your hypothesis by cooking Sense into a ROM and observing the results. Would you be interested in working together to make that happen? I've hit a wall in my attempts to successfully cook in any HTC EXT packages, let alone an entire Sense build.

 Honestly I have no cooking experience to be able to help. I was going to try an learn it, but life recently, has kept me busy enough that I am all over the place.So I leave it the people that know what their doing and pick a little at it when I do have time.



WR

Has anyone actually installed the latest sense build and still managed to have space left over? I went to install the latest sense and it said it would need 123+MB of storage to install.

Just a thought but can sense be installed on the storage card or would that creat some kind of conflict. I personally install all my apps on the card.