Database Users

Memory loss :-/

Can somebody tell me why, over a couple of days of normal use, my memory drops from 17MB free for programs to about 2MB free, even though I have stopped all applications?
The only way to get it back is to do a soft reset.
If it didn't do this, I could probably live quite happily without mucking about with a big ROM or whatever.
DaveH

By the sounds of things you need a program that actually CLOSES programs. Normally WM2003 will just minimise when you hit the X button, making them quicker to open next time, but it means you have heaps of programs open at once, taking away from the ram.
SPB Pocket Plus, Wisbar Advance and a few freeware programs will take care of this problem for ya. I have Wisbar and only ever soft reset if a program crashes and locks the thing up which isn't very often at all (perhaps once a fortnight or maybe a little more often than that.)

jimmy-bish said:
By the sounds of things you need a program that actually CLOSES programs. Normally WM2003 will just minimise when you hit the X button, making them quicker to open next time, but it means you have heaps of programs open at once, taking away from the ram.
SPB Pocket Plus, Wisbar Advance and a few freeware programs will take care of this problem for ya. I have Wisbar and only ever soft reset if a program crashes and locks the thing up which isn't very often at all (perhaps once a fortnight or maybe a little more often than that.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also have SPB Pocketplus, but that doesn't solve the problem. After a soft reset I have about 21 Mb of program storage. After running programs like Contacts, the Phone, Calender and closing them (really closing them!) I have about 18 Mb left. I heard this is a common problem with 2002/2003/2003SE. So in my opinion the only solution is to softreset your PDA every few days...
You can use tools like Memmaid to view your running processes. There you can see that, after closing your applications, some (always running) processes have grown bigger!

memory loss
i have the similar problem under universal wm2005, my available memory slowly reduces or doesnt fully recover after each interaction, until it winds down to a slow machine, a soft reset fixes, but still frustrating that it has to be done. I have SPB 3.0, and it still occurs.

Sounds like thereś a program installed on your devices that has a memory leak. I´ve had my phone going without a soft reset for well over a week now and I have 29.1mb left as program memory. When I soft reset I start out with 29.8mb.

jimmy-bish said:
Sounds like thereś a program installed on your devices that has a memory leak. I´ve had my phone going without a soft reset for well over a week now and I have 29.1mb left as program memory. When I soft reset I start out with 29.8mb.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
???
According to the amount of threads I've read about this subject I think your device is quite unique. Is phone the only application you are using? Anyway, cherish your device! (I'm not cynical...)

memory loss
even though u guys close all ur apps there r some hidden task running which takes the memory i had cexperience in which there was task manager if u see properly u will get lots of program taking up all ur memory in that u can even end task those programs

memory loss
Any actual task managers that can be located for WM2005 so that I shut down some of the running tasks would be great, any ideas on:
1. A good product to use
2. Which are "good" tasks which must be kept and which are "bad" tasks which can be shut down?

My phone's not unique in any way. I used to have the same problem for the first few months of having my phone. I then did the big storage hack, cleared up everything in main memory that wasn't need, the usual memory enhancing stuff discussed on the forum.
Now I'm really tight as to what programs stay on my phone. Anything takes away from the memory and it's gone unless it's an essential app. Not one thing is stored to main memory and these programs are what I have installed:
Wisbar Advance (latest release)
Wisbar Advance Desktop (0.7 Beta)
Resco File Explorer 5.13
psShutdownXP
Pocket Artist (trial, getting rid of it soon)
Pocket Earth (waste of space, getting rid of it)
Who wants to be a Millionaire
Ziogolf 2
PDAwin Spot
Tennis Addict
Virtual Pool Mobile
Flux Challenge
Everything except the Wisbar apps are on the sotrage card, wisbar apps are in storage. Nothing on main memory at all, even deleted the photo templates!
Like I said, I used to have memory leaks and from what I could tell at the time SPB Pocket Plus 2.5 was the main culprit for me, dunno what version 3 is like. Voice command is also a killer.

jimmy-bish said:
Everything except the Wisbar apps are on the storage card, wisbar apps are in storage. Nothing on main memory at all, even deleted the photo templates!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean, you installed all these programs on Storage Card of Storage? How did you do that?
As most programs will automatically install in Program Files in main storage...

try sktools for some hardcore cleaning up.
V

pietrucci said:
jimmy-bish said:
Everything except the Wisbar apps are on the storage card, wisbar apps are in storage. Nothing on main memory at all, even deleted the photo templates!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean, you installed all these programs on Storage Card of Storage? How did you do that?
As most programs will automatically install in Program Files in main storage...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When you run the install program on your PC, it will ask if you want to install them in the default location. Say "No", and select the storage card as the location.
However, some programs won't work on a storage card (especially memory managers, Today plug-ins, etc). If you are installing from a CAB file directly on your PDA, it will automatically install to main memory. There are applications to fix cab files, but I have never tried them.

HI!
I was facing the same problem. My memory would go down from 22 MB to about 9 MB and once I did a soft reset it would again go up to 22 MB. I realised that the culprit was Battery Pack Pro v. 2.0. I had Battery Pack Pro v. 1.1.1 installed on my Mini and it was absolutley fine but the problem started only when I upgraded to BPP v. 2.0. I communicated with the developers of BPP - OmegaOne but they couldnt offer a solution so they refunded the money I had paid for it. Since the time I have downgraded to BPP v. 1.1.1 the Mini is working fine and no memory leak whatsoever.

I don't have BPP but I do have the following: Maybe we could find a common link to all the machines with memory leakage,
Dinarsoft MemMaid
Spb Weather (was Marsware Weatherpanel but lost even MORE memory)
TCPMP (shouldn't be that as I hardly ever use it)
Richard L. Owens FILEASFL
vCard send and receive
CDL Orange customisation
.NET pocket framework
Pocket Blox Aqua Calc
Spb Stardock Weather skin
Hudson Mobile Phone Dashboard
Spb GPRS monitor
Spb Full Screen Keyboard
ZingMagic Backgammon
Climbwalls JB Piano (not used much)
Tom Tom 3
TomTom GPS
CheckPOInt
Any thought on those apps?

EXEC SUMMARY: TIPS n TRICKS to make your JasJar run well

There are way too many posts on this board from ppl who r saying "Piece of crap, I'm gonna take it back and stick it up my provider's...". This post is for you!
I'm no expert (just a disciple of ppl like buzz, vj, etc), BUT I am not afraid of a hard reset or 30, and as a result I've tested everything below, and most of the stuff throughout this forum. I've also followed everything on every forum since being the 10th person in my country to get a JasJar. I welcome critisism, corrections and additions. Please post replies by refering to the step you would change, or insert after. Let's try to stick to proven alternatives and additions though, so that this thread can become somewhat of a 1-stop point for new users (and existing users who do not have the time to learn this alone - and let's face it anyone who has a Universal already, is probably pretty hard working, and already spending an awful amount of time justifying their acquisition in front of their BlackBerry collegues...)
This is written with a single thought in mind; what the hell would my wife do if she got one of these. No-one could blame her for tossing it inside of a week, but with a few changes it's perfectly functional - in fact with a few more changes (also listed below) it's quite desirable.
By the end of this process, your Universal should have a reasonable suite of apps, perfect functionality around all issues solved to date (I've not covered networking tho), a screen flip speed of 0.5s or less, and free program memory of over 20Mb
So here goes, a step-by-step process to get your Universal 100% functional, proven and tested on the HTC Universal iMate JasJar, but should all work on any MDA:
ROM Upgrade: First thing's first. Upgrade to the September-30 ROM (JASJAR_WWE_11353_137_10301.zip). It's available somewhere on xda-developers, or on clubimate for imate users. This is a no-brainer - no posts on this board or any others indicate it's a waste of time. Many posts cover O2 users flashing to this ROM, with great benefits. There are ways to re-install the O2 graphics and apps - if you want ;-) If you have ANY issues with your Universal, bite the bullet and do this; you'll see that the following setup process is not as brutal as you'd expect (I can run thro it in about half an hour - but I've done it many times and have all the apps lined up and ready).
Optional soft reset: Some pppl like to soft reset BEFORE the device installs the default apps. On this ROM, there's no performance improvement, no memory imporvement that can't be covered later (backgammon etc), and potentially some important losses that I didn't hang around long enough to discover.
Sync: Now sync with your PC to get your contacts, calendar and tasks. This is only here to get you up and running asap.
Pocket Mechanic: Download (www.antontomov.com) and install this essential app. You have a few days on trial, and it's necessary for the next steps
Notification Queue: This can be done later, but it's nice to get familiar with this process whilst your queue is small. Using PM, open the notification queue. You may already (yes!) find some duplicate (yellow icon) sddeamon entries. These seem to replicate during an activesync. You can/must delete all duplicates from time to time. You will also, in future, find some "\.\\Notification.....SCRIPT..." entries. Keep an eye out for these. Most mature within minutes of you finding them, so let them expire. Many are future-dated and tightly back-to-back. These can nearly always (I've never had a regret) be deleted without repercussions. If you don't manage these, they tend to breed, and anyone with XDA experience knows what happens when your queue fills up (failed alarms etc). I'm unclear as to where these come from - undoutedly an app that is not behaving elegantly (regular registration checks etc), and if you follow the steps on this post you should NOT find any - ie the apps here do not seem to be culprits. But, keep an eye open...
Registry cleanup: Again, this can be done later, however you'll soon see the beenfit of doing it now. Using PM, run registry cleaner. You'll get around 6 entries, all of which can safely be deleted. If you did not follow step 1, you may have to examine eahc entry to see if the O2 ROM is messier. The beauty of this step is that from now on, you can safely clean everything that PM finds in the knowledge that it's a leave-behind from an app you installed, and now you can install, de-install, and provided you clean up the directories (easy) you KNOW for sure that you've completely gotten rid of the failed app. Winner!
Task closer: Now it's time for your task manager. There's a lot of coverage on this, and any of the following seem to do the trick, ranked in order of simplicity thro to possibly problematic:[list:333ba237cf]
Magic Button (free, includes battery line on top of screen)
GSPocketMagic++ (free, includes cascading menu. Some MDA Exec users claim that it closes something awful that O2 installs, and solves a 7 second flip issue. SEVEN SECONDS!!! If you implemented step 1, you should not have this problem to solve anyway)
spbPocketPlus (not free, and do not allow it to show any storage meters. There are some bad posts on spb, but I've found it just as good as the above, altho it takes up slightly more memory)
WisbarAdvance2 (not free, HUGE footprint, definite performance issues BUT it skins your Universal SO beautifully, that I've gone with this and WAD - desktop plugin)
[*]Basic apps: Now there are a few no-brainer apps to install, that no-one disputes and that are all free. NO BRAINERS:
Total commander (free, replacement for file explorer - way way better)
TCPMP (free, replaces media player, more formats, full screen, way way better)
Batti (free, battry bar on top of screen like spbPocketPlus, small footprint, but if u r using MagicButton you already get this)
TRE (free, registry editor, necessary to run .reg files covered later)
IIWPO (free, AWESOME concept; If your owner info is changed, it SMS's the number you've set with new SIM number and new 'owner' details. Great if someone steals your Universal. Don't bother if u r not happy with a little installation effort)
BT icon (free, on this board somewhere, gives u an icon on your today tray that shows BT status and allows u to jumps to settings>connections>BT)
BT switch (free, on this board somewhere, several apps that turn BT on, off, or toggle)
Battery Uptime (Optional: free, today plugin that tells u the battery status BUT it's way more useful: you get to see actual running time vs uptime, and remaining running time. This gives u a good feel for your battery consumption rate under different scenarios and helps overcome a LOT of concerns around thinking you are draining faster when actually you are just using the device more)
apReminderPlus (free, AWESOME repeating alarms. Beauty of this is that is seems to be independent of WM5, in that it keeps an eye open for any alarms, and pops up to do its thing if it sees one. WAY beter than built in repeat system, and makes me feel good that I have alarms covered off in case the old wm2003 bugs start to appear again)
VJSMS (free, on this board, gives u 1-click to send an SMS. Note that .lnk file should read as follows INCLUDING inverted commas:
\Storage Card\Program Files\VJApps\vjsms.exe" "123
Change path and number of course. Number can also be a name.
Sad to report that VJDailer doesn't work on the universal. This would be awesome
[*]Settings: Time to do your basic settings:
speed dials
power and backlight
voice dials
Owner info
ringtones and notifications
DO NOT set regional settings if u r using PI (below)
[*]PIM: OK, time to replace the CRAP calendar built into WM5. CRAP CRAP CRAP! Disgracefully, embarassingly CRAP. Hell, symbian ship better default apps with the OLD Psion S3 and S5 than this! Now, I use PocketInformant. Latest release works well on JJ with 2 livable issues: Landscape flip screws up Monday/Tuesday in week view, and you MUST NOT set any regional settings what-so-ever, else you get the blank calendar view bug. AgendaFusion is due for a WM5 release any day now. Other than that, I don't think there is much that works on the Universal - correct?? :?:
[*]Reg fixes: Now there are a few no-brainer registry hacks that you should run. You can find these as cab files on this board, as registry keys under the wiki page, else as .reg files on one of my earlier posts (fastest method):
Buzz's BT headset (prevents BT from turning off over night - no brainer! Thanks buzz!!)
"Always on GPRS" (search this board - keeps GPRS/UMTS turned on - awesome!)
Date & time in title bar (why not)
Menu and popup fonts 700 vs 900 (it's cosmetic, but on our nice VGA screens, it seems daft to have a look n feel that's SO QVGA)
PIE homepage (prevent 'e' button from going to clubimate page)
Terminal services cache (increased cache uses memory during terminal services, but it's WELL worth it to eliminate black blocking issues)
Turn IR off (unless you have a good reason for keeping it on)
[*]Extra apps: There are several very useful apps, that work reliably and do not have an adverse impact on your Universal.
eWallet (not free, desktop sync does not work, but rest is very useful)
Pocket sudoku (not free, but it's SO much fun!)
Mobipocket reader (skinny version is free, for mobipocket ebooks - ebooks fully being 25% of your devices functionality along with PIM, phone and internet access. Google beta 5 version with full VGA support)
uBook (more eBook formats. Not free but usable. VGA support)
1-calc (cos built in calculator is SO crap)
GPRS traffic monitor: We need a GPRS/3G monitor. spbGPRS monitor does NOT track the usage of yoru device as a 3G modem - which is where u chew up traffic costs. IP Dashboard has similar issues.
[*]Memory:Now, I'm the first to say that I don;t fully get this yet. There are a few things that the posts suggest should reduce program or storage memory - but don't really seem to do so. Try them and let me know results with more scientific before and after checking please:
Remove backgammon & skype, and re-install to SD card
Remove the 1Mb .tsk themes from the \Windows directory. You cannot delete them, you have to create new files that are smaller and copy them into \Windows and overrwite the larger files. Search this board for some sample small files provided. I didn't find that I got any memory back...???
Ditto for .cab files in \Windows
Do not use these big theme files - by using smaller themes you should get more program memory.
A couple of dudes have started threads on getting more memory and clearing out \windows files - but there are no good responses yet...
[/list:333ba237cf]
Right, that's it! As I said above, I welcome input and feedback - but let's keep it hi quality so that this post perhaps gets stickied and we can get less of the "Buy my JasJar before I post it on eBay posts". Of course there are a load more apps you can add, but most give issues (eg TomTom) and posts on this board cover working around them for ppl who have to have these apps. This was a good, strong, basic config.
Hope this is helpful to some.

Some well-thought out words there, craigiecraigie4. However, I'm a firm believer that it's a bad move to install anything that I REALLY don't need. So far, my MDA Pro has a default installation. None of these "essential apps" are necessary. Indeed, half of them seem to only exist so that you can add other "essential apps" :wink:
If/when a better browser comes along, I'll investigate. Other than that, I find the messaging client perfect (works nicely against Exchange server); Terminal Services could be better - just giving me true full-screen support would be enough. And I'd like better Wifi support - I want, for example, to be able to name my SSID. IMHO, with desktop PCs as much as with PDAs, every time you install a piece of software, it ultimately makes the system *worse*. ie the result is a damned site less than the sum of the parts.
so, taking each point with my (possibly unique, certainly cynical) POV
1. ROM Upgrade
Didn't bother. It adds nothing that I'd use apart from MSN and that would just suck up time that should be spent on worthwhile things :lol:
2. Optional soft reset
Yeah, I may do this but, TBH, T Mobile install very little stuff and it seems to work, so I ain't fixin' it.
3. N/A
4. Pocket Mechanic
I can't see that I need this.
5. Not quite sure what the problem here is. I've been using XDAs since day 1 and never encountered the problem. YMMV
6. Registry cleanup
Never assume that some badly-written software doesn't depend on some default or illogical registry setting. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED
7. Task closer
OK, not a "two-click" operation, but in Settings/Memory, I can close running applications. No new software needed.
8. Basic apps
Total commander - erm, yeah, it's nice and everything and does a better job than the standard affair. However, 99.99% of the time, error: +/- 0.01%, I find I don't actually need any of that extra fluff.
TCPMP - granted, I only use MP to listen to WMAs I record off the radio to listen to later.
Batti - On my Today screen, there's a little icon I tap and it shows me my battery state. I can also see this using Settings/Power (or whatever it is)
TRE - See previous warning about effing about with your registry
IIWPO - nice idea :lol: but no substitute for insurance or taking care
BT icon, BT switch - I've never used Bluetooth in my life. YMMV
Battery Uptime - See prior comment about battery state indicator
etc
I'm sure that more people will find your advice usefull than mine, but just like to point out that, out of the box, these devices (at least MDA Pro) seem not to be too wide of the mark. For me, at least.

This is very helpful...thanx!
You mentioned that the soft reset before installation of imate stuff may lead to some problems in the long run. As I have opted for this strategy and have only installed two cab files (btpatch and a file that brings up the smart dialing), I would appreciate it if you could tell us what kind of problems we might confront. Also, is it too late to add these cab files after the fact (that is given we have synched contacts and added other programs)?
Cheers, apap

craigiecraigie4 - very useful advice, I think for everyone with a PPC. I don't have a universal, but good tips either way.
I didn't realise VJDialer doesn't work on WM5. I'll look into updating it when I get a new version of Visual Studio (or a WM5 device!).
Good work man!
V

Hi VJ - yeah, I'm afraid that there are a couple of posts on your primary thread about the "no command line specified" - no matter what combinations we try in the .lnk file. Saw your comment that another crowd charges for such an app. I'd happily contribute for the benefit of quick-dials - would be awesome along with WAD. You might want to mention your app on the WAD (lakeridgesoftware) forums - many 2003 users there who would LOVE this. With WAD u can have popup boxes on your skin, so with vjdialer one can popup and view of quickdials. awesome.

craigiecraigie4 said:
[*]Buzz's BT headset (prevents BT from turning off over night - no brainer! Thanks buzz!!)
[*]Menu and popup fonts 700 vs 900 (it's cosmetic, but on our nice VGA screens, it seems daft to have a look n feel that's SO QVGA{)
/quote]
where can i get the 2 things above...looked but cant find
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

vijay555 said:
craigiecraigie4 - very useful advice, I think for everyone with a PPC. I don't have a universal, but good tips either way.
I didn't realise VJDialer doesn't work on WM5. I'll look into updating it when I get a new version of Visual Studio (or a WM5 device!).
Good work man!
V
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hi vijay!
I'm running on wm5 on my xda2....and am using vjdialer and vjsms extensively!
I dont think there are any problems with VJDialer's compatibility with wm5....
S

spbPocketPlus (not free, and do not allow it to show any storage meters. There are some bad posts on spb, but I've found it just as good as the above, altho it takes up slightly more memory)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have this running on my Exec and have storage indicators for memory and SD card on today screen, or are you talking about something else?
Btw, I found that my Exec runs faster with pocket plus than it did with magic button and pocketmagic++
Cheers
J

craigiecraigie4
Thank you VERY much for your extensive effort - this really does helps a lot :!:

That's an awesome post craigiecraigie4, some hard work went into that one dude.
Now my post below is not intended to be better than the original, merely another option. craigiecraigie4's use of the device is obviously a lot different to mine, as I work in an office, and am out of connectivity for maybe 3 hours of travel a day max, and never at weekends unless I go out. I'm on a scooter or a tube train so no connectivity is possible during travel for me.
What we are describing is our comfortable loadsets or configurations of our little systems, and that's what the stuff down here is, the Bongo configuration if you will. :lol:
I have made my comments against craigiecraigie4's original titles, and added a few apps of my own that I have.
[*]Weirdness for Hallowe'en :shock: After a hard reset, then sometimes the crosshair pointer setup would be real slow, and others it would be fast. Just in case, I did it until I had a fast one and proceeded from there. Don't know what/if any difference it makes, but that's what I do.
[*]ROM Upgrade: As there aren't any upgrade ROM's out there execept for the iMate one, I wouldn't until the new carrier ROM's are posted. I agree with CraigieCraigie though. Sooo, why not then? Warranty is the answer. Although I think in reality they wouldn't wash their hands of you just because you dared to use someone else's ROM, the carrier techies are generally not allowed to instruct you in the art of repairing your device with anyone else's ROM except their own, and so you would need to wait until your carrier released an upgrade and they could tell you how to do it.
[*]Optional soft reset: Definitely. And be selective about the manual .cab installs (installing total commander or the like first to see the Ext ROM). There's generally something in there that forces the device to behave in a way you don't like. An example is the internet button taking me to the t-mobile home page all the time. I hate that so I didn't install the relevant .cab.
[*]Sync: Now sync with your PC to get your contacts, calendar and tasks. This is only here to get you up and running asap. <-yeah man
[*]Pocket Mechanic: Download (www.antontomov.com) I bought this. It's good meaty tools you would get in a full Windows OS that M$ didn't put in WM5 yet.
[*]Notification Queue: Did it once, didn't do it after my last hard reset and TBH, haven't felt a need. I probably would do if I installed it and saw a gazillion notifications spamming my inners up. :lol:
[*]Registry cleanup: Haven't done it, but a careful look and selective delete may be of some use. Can't be arsed is the honest answer
[*]Task closer: Haven't bothered this time to minimise my number of concurrently running programs (absurd logic eh :wink: ). I only use a certain few apps, and as they're few don't notice a big slowdown from having them minimised if they don't close fully
[*]Basic apps: Here are Craigie's apps with my comment, and my loadset apps
Total commander - yeah man, schmokin
TCPMP - I only use mp3's so no point for me. Perhaps if I need to watch videos I will reinstall it.
Batti - I use Spb GPRS Monitor, v2.3.0, b525, and it has a battery icon, and I have the icon on my today screen, and I can guess it most of the time.
TRE - I use BitsInside Regedit. Also free and I like the Win 98 feel to it.
IIWPO - Great idea, I didn't know it worked on Universals. I will do this cos you never know if it might lead you to a thief. They'd have to be non-savvy theives of course else they'd hard reset it before using the new SIM
BT icon - I use the FN + -> combination to get there or the connectivity icon on the status bar.
BT switch - as above
Battery Uptime - If you want to learn then great
apReminderPlus - I don't use the alarm function
VJSMS - Inbuilt in WM5 is fine so far for my needs
Agile messenger - very thrifty use of bandwidth, like <10% of MSN (really) and free at the moment, but will pay for itself in bandwidth charges very quickly for most people. Suck it and see
GPS Viewer - because I have a Holux GPS and want to verify connectivity sometimes
Pocket Hack Master - because I like to crank it up to delightfully unstable 624MHz sometimes, but haven't need to with my installation as described here oddly enough. It's fast enough for me so far.
Pocket MSN because I want the Hotmail to appear in my messages application. I use Agile to IM people as above
TomTom Navigator 5.1 because it's awesome
[*]Settings: Time to do your basic settings:
speed dials
power and backlight
voice dials
Owner info
ringtones and notifications
DO NOT set regional settings if u r using PI (below)
[*]PIM: OK, time to replace the CRAP calendar built into WM5 - I agree it's crap, but I don't need a decent one. I am a simple soul.
[*]Reg fixes: - If you want to
Buzz's BT headset - haven't noticed this issue yet, bet I will tomorrow morning now though
"Always on GPRS" No good for me - 40megs/month tariff limit
Date & time in title bar (why not) - cos I know the date and time.
Menu and popup fonts 700 vs 900 - haven't done it yet. I like the size
PIE homepage - is done for me through my selective Ext ROM install
Terminal services cache - I don't use it yet
Turn IR off - yeah agreed waste of space most of the time.
[*]Extra apps:
eWallet - I don't keep details like that on my phones.
Pocket sudoku - I read books, so insert MS Reader for me there
Mobipocket reader - doesn't support .lit (MS format), and I read .lits and .docs so far. Wait until I run out of books though... :lol:
uBook - haven't needed it ....yet
1-calc - but the inbuilt calc does +, -, * and / so it's cool for me. I'm not a physicist
GPRS traffic monitor - spb is fine for me as I don't use it as a modem due to bandwidth limitations and being surrounded by connectivity in London.
[*]Memory:Haven't done these, but they look sensible if you can be arsed
Remove backgammon & skype, and re-install to SD card - I don't have them or use them anyway. How do you play backgammon? I went to a comprehensive school
Remove the 1Mb .tsk themes from the \Windows directory. I only have 3 default ones and use the standard blue theme. Functionality and not form is my motto :wink:
Do not use these big theme files - Good advice bro' (or sis)
Hope this is helpful to some other people :lol:

hi
Does ROM update invalidates the manufacture warranty?
Jatt

Menu and popup fonts
can anyone explain how to change the Menu and popup fonts from 700 to 900. Is it a registry hack?

jatt said:
hi
Does ROM update invalidates the manufacture warranty?
Jatt
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You would need to ring them up and enquire. With t-mobile, the tech dude just said they wouldn't be able to help me if I bricked my MDA until t-mobile released a ROM that I could download and use to revive the MDA. So, not invalidated for me, just much reduced support. Until a new ROM si out, all they can do with misbehaving devices is offer a replacement at the moment.
Illwil - the font size is a registry hack - search as it's here on this site somewhere.

joebongo: nice perspective. now users can see 2 extremes; O2 with much office usage, vs HTC with much out-n-about usage. Thanx 4 the effort.
illwil : search for my post on reg tweaks and run the .ren file 2 got 700->900 or rather 900->700
codiac: agree. I fiund spbPP 2 b perfectly well behaved, but there is so much bad press on it in this forum. perhas it's an O2 rom issue - pretty sad 4 them actually
xiasma: there truly do see 2 b an awful lot of ppl who think their universal is junk. this is intended 2 help them get up n running. some ppl got lucky (htc rom or just happy with functionality that actually works well) and they probably should not fix what aint broke. But one day they may want 2 push the envelope a little...

craigiecraigie4 said:
codiac: agree. I fiund spbPP 2 b perfectly well behaved, but there is so much bad press on it in this forum. perhas it's an O2 rom issue - pretty sad 4 them actually
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PocketPlus is working OK for me on my O2 Exec...

Hello Everyone.
I proudly received my Exec this morning, only to find that it ran like a bag of S**t.
I removed the connections.exe, and the active files from my windows/start up folder and things improved dramatically.
However I am having a problem with the activesync.
I have set up the partnership with my laptop running activesync 4 and when it communcates it does it without any problems, however as soon as I connect my usb cable between my Exec and my laptop it takes a few minutes for the charging LED to come on on my Exec, and a while longer before Activsync on my pc recoginses it.
Does anyone else suffer from this problem?
Cheers

You removed connections.exe and now u have a connection problem...
Try removing things 1 at a time.
I definitely don't have this problem.
FYI, on my HTC all I have under startup is:
sddeamon.lnk
batti (i installed)
apreminderplus (me)
iiwpo (me)
O2 is definitely adding stuff that does not seem 2 b required by htc.

The only shortcut I have in my Windows\Startup folder is 'Services' and I have no problem with ActiveSync, voice dialling (with the built-in dialler) or anything else. I have no idea what the sddaemon one does but mine runs fine without it.
fatspark, your problem might lie with your laptop rather than the Exec? As a test though, are you able to try ActiveSyncing over Bluetooth? See if it's any quicker. If so then maybe it's a USB problem. Dunno.

IIWPO
Can someone explain how to install the IIWPO in the extended ROM on the JASJAR ?
I think it is different than the EXEC, where can I find instructions ? I am willing to handle the hassle

Cheers SiliconS
The problem is a driver issue on one of my laptops, I installed activsync 4 onto another one and all is ok.
Cheers.
Fatzzz

O2 XDA Exec - One Very Simple Owner. A Few queries...

Morning All
Have just discovered this website, and frankly it terrifies me.
I have been wallowing in shame since purchasing the Exec because I have no idea what I can do to improve it. I have been trying to read as many posts as possible, but even though some posts are written so "my wife could understand it...", it is still a little complex for me.
A few things I would like to do:
Get rid of the delay on flipping from Landscape to Portrait.
Get rid of the awful buttons down the left hand side and the gap at the bottom of the Landscape screen so I can actually utilise the full screen.
Get SBP Diary working propoerly when the screen flips (never seems to fit)
Make WMP 10 to swow my movies in full screen rather than postage stamp size.
I am a man of very simple tastes. I want to watch a movie or play Tiger Woods on the train on the way to work.
I want to run WeatherPanel (Marsware) without it crashing and requiring a soft reset every so often. I would also ike it to operate full screen.
I want to keep a note of my battery performance and some international time zones.
On my XDA 2 I used to run:
Battery Pack
Journal Bar
Neither seem to work on the Exec without sucking all the memory out of it.
I run Town Compass Bartender Drinks and Pocket Stars. I run A-Z viewer and Pocket Streets. All of these are from my memory Card (1GB)
I rarely use the internet, but like to check a few scores, especially when abroad - can this be sped up?
From all the above, you will see that I am quite a simpleton - amongst other things - but am I beyond saving?
I was sent the latest ROM upgrade by O2. Should I do it? Will it help, or is there another upgrade that will stop my moaning?
Oh, lastly, I understand very little jargon and need everything spelled out as if to a 3 year old (with little PPC experience)
Please , please help. If for no other reason than it is Friday and that makes you happy.
Kindest regards
Rich

Use pocket dvd studio or virtual dub to resize your video to 640x480 to get fullscreen

Use pocket dvd studio or virtual dub to resize your video to 640x480 to get fullscreen

I found the best 2 suggestions for my XDA picked up here were:
Hard-reset and select the corporate install and leave out some of the slow O2 customisation.
Make sure no today plugin is calculating & displaying the space on the SD card - this can cause significant delays the switch between portrait/landscape .
I did upgrade the rom (same as a hard-reset but can be a bit more nerve wracking for some). I think some had problems as the document mentions turning the phone back on but did not say turn it off first. I turned phone/bluetooth/wireless off before upgrading an it went smoothly.
When I upgraded I noted all the actions in Notepad, with serial numbers and registry edits etc. Found this usefull when the OZvga stuff screwed up and I had to hard-reset again!
Steve

Brilliant - Now have internet probs though - any idea why??
Thanks Stevie
Have managed to do this whilst at work and even though I have had limited time to play with it, it has improved a thousand fold.
Beggars the question why they bother to fill the system with all that rubbish in the first place.
Only problem is now I seem unable to connect to the internet. Admittedly this may have something to do with my work PC, but it is saying that GPRS 3G wont connect either.
Do you have any suggestions??
Whiggy - will get this and am sure to be overflowing with gratitude over the weekend
Have a grear weekend all.
Rich

I think the settings for o2 are in the customised stuff but check back through the threads as the question has been asked a few times on the correct settings - one of the other members guided me through the MMS settings. I think there may be a cab file as well with just the o2 connection settings on it.
Search for 02 connection setting or something like that.
Steve

I too had the same problem with Internet Explorer when i installed my Exec in Corporate Mode. I found this cab file somewhere on the Forum, can't remember or find where so have re-attached it.
With this cab file installed (it does not install any of the O2 rubbish that you don't want, only the connection settings to allow you to use GPRS & UMTS)
When prompted you need to select personal mode, to ensure that the file installs properly.
Hope this helps :lol:

On SPB Diary screen not fitting...find out the size that works for you for each screen orientation, then edit registry:-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Spb Software House/Spb Diary/TotalHeight - for Portrait mode,
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Spb Software House/Spb Diary/TotalHeightL - for Landscape mode
Sorted!

if you are having problems with the connection to internet and phone connections, let us know your provider and am sure we can post the cab file so that you can just install that feature.
otherwise, install total commander for a file explorer
path it to \extended_rom\ and find the file for your communication provider and run just that one cab file.

mms connections cab file here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?p=205766#205766

For a few other comments to your initial question as i am bored and sitting here debating going to bed.... I Know, read item 2/3 of the initial post, but I am going to break the rule and type in upper case to seperate my comments from the original, I AM NOT SHOUTING.....
Get rid of the delay on flipping from Landscape to Portrait.
FIXING SOME OF THESE OTHER ITEMS WILL LEAD TO THIS, BUT CORPORATE INSTALL FOR 02 AS I READ IT IS YOUR ONLY CHOICE, HARD RESET, START AGAIN.
Get rid of the awful buttons down the left hand side and the gap at the bottom of the Landscape screen so I can actually utilise the full screen.
I THINK THIS IS THE RETAIL CONSUMER CRAP THAT COMES WITH O2 AS I DONT HAVE IT ON THE IMATE. REFER ABOVE POINT.
Get SBP Diary working propoerly when the screen flips (never seems to fit)
MINE WORKS PERFECTLY, LOOK AT YOUR FONTS. SEND A SCREEN SHOT SO THAT I CAN SEE WHAT YOU MEAN BY DOESNT FIT.
Make WMP 10 to swow my movies in full screen rather than postage stamp size.
KNOWN BUG, ANTICIPATING A FIX. USING TCPMP AVAILABLE FREE ON THE WEB SHOULD PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE APP FOR WATCHING VIDEOS IN FULL SCREEN.
I want to run WeatherPanel (Marsware) without it crashing and requiring a soft reset every so often. I would also ike it to operate full screen.
NEVER HEARD OF IT, I USE SPB WEATHER PERFECTLY.
I want to keep a note of my battery performance and some international time zones.
USE THE CLOCK FOR ONE TIME ZONE, BUT IF MORE THAN THAT YOU CAN USE MOBIMATE PROFESSIONAL I THINK IT IS.
On my XDA 2 I used to run:
Battery Pack
Journal Bar
GET RID OF BOTH IN MY VIEW, BOTH ARE CRAP. JOURNAL BAR WILL KILL YOUR SPEED. I DOWNLOADED THEM TRIED THEM, USED THEM, WENT BACK TO SPB AND USE RSS FEEDERS OR SYNC'D PAGES TO KEEP UP. ALSO, I DONT THINK JOURNAL BAR IS ACTUALLY WM5 COMPATIBLE, NOT MY CALL ON THAT ONE.
Neither seem to work on the Exec without sucking all the memory out of it.
AS MENTIONED, GET RID OF THEM THEY ARE SUCKING THE CRAP OUT OF IT.
I run Town Compass Bartender Drinks and Pocket Stars. I run A-Z viewer and Pocket Streets. All of these are from my memory Card (1GB)
NEVER HEARD OF THEM. JUST CAUSE THEY ARE ON THE MEMORY CARD DOESNT MEAN THAT WHEN YOU HAVE USED THEM, THEY CORRECTLY GIVE ALL THE MEMORY THEY WERE USING BACK. SOME DO, MOST DONT, AND SOME JUST HOG IT AND GIVE ONLY A FEW KB'S BACK. MEASURE THERE PERFORMANCE WHEN YOU USE THEM PREFERABLY AFTER SOFT RESETS.
THERE IS A COUPLE OF LITTLE TINY APPS AVAILABLE THAT ARE SLIGHTLY SUCCESSFUL IN FORCING APPLICATIONS TO RELEASE MEMORY AND GIVE IT BACK, BUT AGAIN, ONLY SLIGHTLY SUCCESSFUL.
I rarely use the internet, but like to check a few scores, especially when abroad - can this be sped up?
FIND A WEBSITE THAT PROVIDES THIS INFORMATION, PLACE IT INTO YOUR MOBILE FAVOURITES ON YOUR COMPUTER, SET IT UP TO AUTOMATICALLY SYNC TO YOUR PC MACHINE, THEN SYNC THAT DATA TO YOUR PDA. DISABLE ALL PHONE COMMUNICATIONS WHEN REVIEWING TO STOP IT GOING TO THE WEB TO GET THE DATA AND FORCE IT TO LOOK ON YOUR MACHINE FOR THE INFORMATION.

I'll offer my thoughts on the questions you ask with which I've had some experience...
Richie Blue said:
Get rid of the delay on flipping from Landscape to Portrait.
Get rid of the awful buttons down the left hand side and the gap at the bottom of the Landscape screen so I can actually utilise the full screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The default O2 software will slow your machine down spectacularly. Do a hard reset and choose 'Basic' mode (not corporate). Basic mode doesn't install all the O2 crap, but DOES install the connection settings for you, so you can access the internet and stuff. Later, when you're an expert like all of us (NOT! ) you can/should choose Corporate mode and then install your chosen CAB files yourself.
Another thing to do to speed up your Exec is to turn off Error Reporting and Incoming Beams. You'll find these items in the Settings pages.
Richie Blue said:
Make WMP 10 to swow my movies in full screen rather than postage stamp size.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd ignore Whiggy's suggestion of resizing all your movies :roll: , and I'd do what Simon_Darley suggested: install TCPMP which is a free media player that works perfectly in full screen. (Google for 'TCPMP'.) The full-screen problem is a known bug in WMP which they'll hopefully fix in due course. Resizing all your movies to 640x480 seems like a lot of hassle and a waste of disk space when TCPMP plays them just fine.
Richie Blue said:
I want to keep a note of my battery performance and some international time zones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's a fantastic free battery meter that someone posted in another thread on this forum and which I'm using with no problems. If I can find it I'll add it to the bottom of this post. SPB Pocket Plus has a battery meter, but PP slows the Exec down so much that I uninstalled it.
If I want to know a world time I use the built-in clock application, which works for me.
Richie Blue said:
On my XDA 2 I used to run:
Battery Pack
Journal Bar
Neither seem to work on the Exec without sucking all the memory out of it.
I run Town Compass Bartender Drinks and Pocket Stars. I run A-Z viewer and Pocket Streets. All of these are from my memory Card (1GB)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are lots of programs available that claim to be WM5 compatible, but they're not. They'll do more to slow your Exec down and make it unstable than anything else you can do. Choose your programs carefully, and test your machine after each installation to check whether it's slowed the thing down.
After doing this I decided that I can live with almost all the default MS apps, but add extras that I use occasionally, like TomTom, ListPro and TCPMP. Anything running all the time (like a Today plugin) or anything that replaces the PIM (contacts & calendar) could cause you big problems.
I personally disagree fully with the theory that people in these forums often quote, of using a task switcher to force the closure of running programs (instead of allowing Windows to minimise them). MS designed the OS to handle memory itself, and my machine works perfectly when I allow this to happen.
Richie Blue said:
I rarely use the internet, but like to check a few scores, especially when abroad - can this be sped up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A word of caution in case you haven't tried this yet: GPRS usage abroad costs a bloody fortune (as a friend found out after a week in New York in which he checked his emails from time to time, leaving himself with an £80 bill when he got home...)
Richie Blue said:
From all the above, you will see that I am quite a simpleton - amongst other things - but am I beyond saving?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
:lol: Not a simpleton; just a newbie. We all were once at the beginning. Soon you'll be hacking and tweaking like the rest of us and you'll be helping the newcomers too.
Good luck!

Found the simple battery meter:
http://www.pocketpcfreeware.com/en/index.php?soft=1382
It works perfectly, doesn't slow the machine down and is free!

SPV M5000, (imateJAsJAR) problems...anyone help ?

hi guys,
just got my M5000, however i got 2 questions, its driving me mad and losing faith with my new purchase fast
I am a new owner so be gentle
1. Programs are still running, when i close them if i look in settings-->system--->memory, running programs still has programs running! do these stay forever? and i have to close them in here EVERYTIME?
2. do you guys have to reset the machine every so often? seems bizarre coming from a nokia phone. Is it normal to reset the phone?

1. The programs will stay running, they are designed to. Windows Mobile (5 in this case) will manage the memory, and when more is required, it will close down programs automatically.
There really is no need to keep closing them usually, unless you are about to do something where you specifically need a large amount of memory, and want to be sure...
2. What particular problems are you having that are requiring you to reset the device? I havent reset mine in weeks, maybe we can help? Define 'every so often'. Remeber, this is basically a mini PC running windows you have here, and as such will need to be restarted at times, just like your home pc.

thanks for the reply
1. ok a bit flawed wn5 design but i see why MS did it :twisted:
any cheap utility i can use thats reliable and safe?
2. i say 1 a day, but i play with it a lot as i only got it on friday evening

mstar said:
thanks for the reply
1. ok a bit flawed wn5 design but i see why MS did it :twisted:
any cheap utility i can use thats reliable and safe?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Spb Pocket Plus is my favourite for this kind of stuff. It gives you shortcut buttons on the Today screen, as well as a Close button that really closes the programs, Safe Mode booting, etc.
They charge USD 24.95. Check it out here: http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/pocketplus/?en

mstar said:
thanks for the reply
1. ok a bit flawed wn5 design but i see why MS did it :twisted:
any cheap utility i can use thats reliable and safe?
2. i say 1 a day, but i play with it a lot as i only got it on friday evening
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Only had mine about 4 weeks - however have been using PPCs for about 8 years.
I have always been a loyal fan of pocket plus - but find it just too slow on the M5000. I have replaced all of that functionality with magic button(free), small menu(free-there is a plus version for a fee) and apreminder+(free)-all take much less space than ppc+!
Magic button allows you either close the app or minimise and even if you choose to close apps you can build an exception list just in case you want to leave any open!
At first I had to soft reset my device at least six times a day when i was messing around installing apps etc - now i would say its about 1 a day maybe every other day - it is quite stable, and with wm5 you never have to worry about loosing data if the battery gets disconnected or run down.
When I switched from Nokia - 2 things hit me battery life and soft reseting.
Matt

yer matt you notice these things when u move from a establised phone maker like Nokia.
However what is magic button? sorry me a newbie M500 owner

mstar said:
yer matt you notice these things when u move from a establised phone maker like Nokia.
However what is magic button? sorry me a newbie M500 owner
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.trancreative.com/mb.aspx
There you go - also has an option to soft reset your device so you dont have to keep prodding that hole - mind looks damaged already!
BTW :
apreminder+ is a repeating alarms utility (You'll notice that clock alarms repeat ok, but alarms for tasks or calender appts - do not repeat even if the option is checked!! - Its a long standing fault of wm2003SE and has reoccured in wm5) The only problems (but its free) with apreminder+ is dont change options whilst in landscape view - (switch first) and for some reason it repeats the reminder sound during the clock alarm.
small menu - this basically replaces the start menu and with alot of playing around you can basically customise it so all favourite apps are a click away!
others might have different views on better apps but these suit my needs.
Matt

You might want to check out Wisbar Lite (really cheap if not free ... cant remember) here... its a great application manager (so you can close apps if you want to) and it features a really cool battery manager (just uses the top 2 rows of pixels at the top of the screen).
They do a Wisbar Pro (or something like that) that is said to provide really nice skins for the device.... never tried it though.

matt1971 said:
I have always been a loyal fan of pocket plus - but find it just too slow on the M5000.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now that you've mentioned it, I do agree with you about Pocket Plus' performance on the Universal, especially the close button - if I have 2 or 3 programs running in the background, the close button menu can take up to 5 seconds to open up!
But I do like its Safe Mode feature... Any recommendations for this one?
Thanks for the list of freebies too.

richardlai said:
matt1971 said:
But I do like its Safe Mode feature... Any recommendations for this one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good point....The safe mode saved me from hard resets at least twice on my M2000. My device had locked up due to messed up today plugins - which I think is the main reason for a safe mode!!
Catch22 really:
Keep PPC+ but suffer performance (that 5 secs nonsense to open running programs really got to me) but be safe in the knowledge that if your today plugins screw up you have a way out.
OR
Dont bother about the safe mode and always remember to backup before installing today apps.
Personally, I have sprite backup, takes about 5mins to backup and restores prefectly when needed and dont forget M5000 has persistant storage so not likely to lose data if you have a device lockup.
Matt
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

I have always been a fan of spb, in fact have installed PP, diary, backup, gprs, weather.
howwever in the end, I have decommissioned all of them as the total drain on performance was frustrating.
I turn them on again when iget bored and want a change.
SPB PP runs much faster as a today plugin without the extras enabled.
the reason I mention it now is that without all the extra features, plug ins etc, I can just leave all the running programs as it will only zap my memory from 30mb to 20mb, thus leaving plenty of breathing space. however with all the plugins loaded I would start at 20 dropping to below 10 thus taking quite a memory hit.
my resets are also reduced using the basic device to once per week compared to once per day.
but as I said, I am a sucker for plugins and new stuff so I use them, then get frustrated and go back to the basic device.
my 2 bobs worth...

First Programs for a newbie

hiya
getting a t-mobile w'n'walk for £42 a month, phone for free. Good deal
So whats the first thing, apart from changing the today's screen should i do
whats the programs you think are essential?
just to let you know I'm more a web browser, texter sort of person
ta for all ya help and opinion much appreciated ;-)
ps: how do i get the smiley in the actual msg? and how do i record my phone, rom details at the bottom

That's a tough one, everyone is so individual in what they want, what they find irritating in the initial set up, what they like and how much they want to spend.
Personally the first thing I always want to know on my device is that all programs are closed down when I think they are, how much battery I have left, and how much storage room I have. So, my first install is usually a task manager with the above. Personally I use Spb Pocket Plus, which also gives me memory/power indicators, task manager, PIE additions, safe mode and program shortcuts. But, you can find free applications that do all these things. Ilauncher is another good one, but that's not free either.
My second install is something to show me, on my today screen very efficiently my diary, contacts, messages, birthdays, notes, tasks etc. Two good ones are Spb Diary and SBSH Pocket Breeze. These are not free, but to me they are essential.
After that, I would think most people would install a 'proper' diary program like Pocket Informant or Agenda Fusion, or recently Agendaone. These make using the diary easier and give you sometimes more options than on Outlook!
After that, it's up to you, most people have a book reader eg Mobipocket or Ereader, a input tool eg Calligrapher, Fitaly or Tengo.
Maybe a phone profile manager eg Phonealarm.
The choice is endless. Make sure that you use the x days of free trial with each application to make sure it works for you correctly on your device and it does what you want.
Most important have fun

thanks
thats a useful list
i have a program on my P910i called phone secure
if i lost it and someone try to put in another sim card it sends a msg to a designated number and locks the phone
does pocket pc have something like that

I have seen something like that, it's quite recent. Best thing is to look on the software sites eg Handango, PocketGear, Mobihand. I'm sure they have something like that.

I must concur with marrisa4755. Start with spb, and see how you like it. It'll give you a good clue as to what is out there, and it's my software of choice. Also, look for Resco Explorer as your file browser. It's apparently the best file browser.
By the way, have a look at the spb unithemes. very nice, and you get them free if you register!

Don't forget to check out my app reviews here at the General forum either - see http://forum.xda-developers.com/forumdisplay.php?f=256

phone secure
hiya
found Phone Security 1.1.2.2 on PocketGear that does exactly what i need
thanks for all the advise

oohh just found this on
its called Eye on the Theif Pocket PC from Mobihand
http://www.mobihand.com/clove/product.asp?id=9966

Install everything you think you might need and everthing people tell you you can't live without...
... then after a month of problems, slowness, hangs and conflicts do a hard reset and install nothing!
IMHO

PSS ... no!
Phone Security System has a problem: First data connection works, but if you disconnect or you get a phone call you will not be able to connect again until re-boot.
So beware. Develooper did not fix this so far... I was using a registered version...
And it took me 3 days to find out. Erro message will be "APN cannot be found", where APN in my case is "web.vodafone.de". Have fun...