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I am new to the whole PDA form so please forgive me if this is obvious but I have not found the answers on this site.
I have an O2 XDA mini s and am slowly getting the hang of it.
Problem: On closing all running programs in task manager I loose the use of the phone keypad, pressing the green call button brings up the phone application but minus the number keys, calls can still be made through contacts. A soft reset is required to recify.
?Related problem: In task manager, there are programs running that are not visible on the list (if I press below the last visible item something is selected and I can "goto" it.
Plus on occation the listed item takes me to a different program ie. selecting media player takes me to Word (no set pattern though).
All help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
StefanF: what task manager are you using?
V
Sorry, just to clarify, PDA is "as out of the box", so just the WM5 task manager.
Thanks for your interest, I have followed several of your posts and seen your site. You have some great programs I would like to use, particually like the big phone buttons and close application tool but am quite scared of this thing.
It may be a while before I mess to deeply.
Stefan: that sounds like an odd problem.
The built in task manager is useful but not very comprehensive.
If you want to view all running tasks etc, there are much better programs out there, many are freeware. If you can't find any better, check out one I've posted here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?p=190257#190257
It's not written by me, I've just re-added some features.
Note - closing the phone (cprog.exe) is not a particularly good idea unless you really need it, because some other apps expect it to be loaded (eg contacts)
My programs
Some are ok. You might want to try my program VJOkButt if you just want to close apps to keep your memory healthy. But that's subject to taste and it's not clear how useful - although on the Wizard, it might be helpful.
The big phone buttons are actually just for the universal, it's not designed for Wizard. Basically it's for VGA phones that are using the ful VGA hack.
I've got some other stuff coming out soon. Stay tuned :wink:
V
Phone application
Thanks for the info.
I think, from what you have said, I need to know what I am doing to shut down the phone application as it is never my intention.
Pitty about the big button program. Why is there not full customisation of the screen (as in desktop PC's, can change the size of buttons, scroll bars... both of which are to small for finger use on this)
As a side note, when I am in an application the menus and any selections within make a click upon pressing ie. in word, Menu>Cut each selection makes a click. I have all tap sounds off but the only way I can stop it is to turn the master volume all the way down. Any ideas?
Once again, thanks.
You have to overwrite some of the default sounds with empy sounds to disable all click sounds. At least that's what I did, but that was a long time ago..basically you use your pc, make an empty .wav file, and overwrite the necessary files in your \windows\ folder. If you're interested in doing this and need more help, shout out!
Closing the phone - yes, you would probably not close it without knowing what you're doing. I presume when you're not using the task manager you're not having the phone problems?
Try a program called CETuner to help play around with your scrollbars etc. It's good for modifying colour themes and various settings on the go. Another program worth looking at is Tweak 2k .net.
V
Many thanks.
Personally i'm currently using Magic Button to close apps and act as a task manager. http://www.freewareppc.com/utilities/magicbutton.shtml
It allows you to close or minimise apps, and by clicking the "house" icon on the windows bar you can also close all, soft reset etc. Final point on it is that you can see X number of running apps and touch to swap to them, or "hide when inactive" and "keep alive" so you dont close (or even see) some apps - i keep messages & phone in this state to improve response times but close use close all to kill everything else.
Danger using Task Manager
Stefan,
I had the same problem. Ideally you should use Start/Settings/System/Memory/Running Programs to close down active tasks. Yes, the Task Manager does it and you can launch it from the menu, but it is a bit dangerous (as I found out). The Phone app appears in Task Manager as an unnamed icon and its icon looks like the Windows Media Player one (at least it does on my XDA Mini S). Shutting this down will do exactly what you describe (I started a thread called 'Help I'm stuck in Contact History on this).
By all means use Task Manager if you want to, just don't shut all apps, leave the unnamed 'media player lookalike' icon.
Cheers. :wink:
To the original poster:
I had this problem when i got my XDA at first. To be honest, i think its the o2 active stuff that messes up the phone app.
My suggestion is this: back up any important data, then do a hard rerset of your phone. When the screen comes up about Standard, Corporate or Basic install choose the Corporate option and use the passcode 0506. this will allow you to use the phone without any of the o2 crap and since i done it i've had no problems with the phone.
just to let you know, this will stop the phone setting up its own GRPS and MMS settings, but if you phone o2 ar go into a shop then they will happily send them to you.
Hope this helps.
Task Manager or Active ?
I suspect that it is shutting down the phone app that's causing the issue not Active. I agree, get rid of Active if you don't like it (I use Basic so I still get the MMS settings), but I don't think Active is the cause.
Just my humble opinion of course.
I'd completely overlooked that StefanF was using o2. I'm an O2 and Orange user, but O2 active has never touched my system. Sounds like that's quite an oversight by them if the O2 Task Manager allows you to close the phone app... not recommended!
V
Oooer indeed
My friend has an XDA Exec (Universal) and he had lots of problems with the phone app which I strongly suspect were much the same thing. (although his apps in task manager were not unnamed, he had multiple phone apps running). I didn't know the Task Manager was an O2 add-on, I assumed it was a WM5 feature.
I have a TMobile MDA that has the newest Tmobile rom installed. I have tried GSPmagic and Magic Button and both suck. GSPmagic cant close the phone or active sync, and locks the system sometimes if you dont use close All which closes everything , what a buggy piece of crap. Magic Button seemed to hog my resources and it had problem closing things as well. Is this a commmon problem or does anyone here have a solid task manager and it would be a plus to put the device lock on the task bar too. I DONT ASK FOR MUCH JUST SIMPLE AND SOLID.
thanks
Charles :x
Try InClose
Much better
Thanks Mark, that is ALOT better. uses half the system memory as well. Now I just need to figure out how to get the phone lock in my launcher or on the task bar.
Task Manager
I haven't tried InClose, but I use Truetoolbar and SmartSkey.
After having used allmost all available taskmanagers, i just assigned "Running Programs" to a hardware button. One click and u can manage your tasks. No loss in memmory or performance.
:lol:
If you want to put the phonelock in the tray, you can use VJTrayLaunch with VJDeviceLock.
For a task closer, I use VJOkButt. But it purposely doesn't close the Phone or ActiveSync since they could be necessary files. To close those, use VJTaskKiller or VJPhoneToggle.
V
Phone can *not* be closed by *any* task manager. The phone all can only be closed by killing the cprog.exe process but that results a) instant soft reset b) freezed device c) flight mode turns on (depends of the device which happens, but one will surely do).
KTamas: I don't think closing cprog.exe will always have that effect.
I've done it quite safely on my Magician, except for one bug: trying to dial a contact from Contacts causes a crash.
On my Mio A701, closing cprog.exe will put the phone into flight mode.
V
mach2005 said:
After having used allmost all available taskmanagers, i just assigned "Running Programs" to a hardware button. One click and u can manage your tasks. No loss in memmory or performance.
:lol:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how do you do that? I can't figure it out.
ILauncher v3.0 has a task manager that will close the phone pad which frees up program memory. It also has a traylauch. Ilauncher uses less memory than pocket plus.
Anyways here is another free taskmanager, install to phone the execute. It will allow you to see the process riunning and allows you to kill any process you want.
Inclose
Just downloaded and using Inclose. Magic Button was fine unti I upgraded the ROM. Then it went berserk. Never closed the phone pad had to soft reset. Let us see how Inclose behaves.... until now it is.
I use SmartTask with the Cingular 8125 and it is absolutely perfect:
http://www.freewareppc.com/utilities/smarttask.shtml
(ok, a few exceptions, like you can't quit the Phone application or else the phone resets. but otherwise perfect.)
mach2005 said:
After having used allmost all available taskmanagers, i just assigned "Running Programs" to a hardware button. One click and u can manage your tasks. No loss in memmory or performance.
:lol:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Umm... How do I do this? Can't see that option in "Buttons" in settings.
Magic Button hogging memory?
Sorry, but you don't know what you're talking about...
Magic Button's exe only uses 4kb of memory! :shock:
If you wanna talk about a memory hog, we can talk about Voice Command porking up a whopping 4477kb of memory :shock:
As for a good task manager style app though (like the windows task manager), I suggest ITaskMgr:
http://www.iaccarino.de/silvio/ppcstuff.htm
Excellant task manager and it is free! It also minimizes to the phone's tray. Very cool app.
http://buzzdev.net/content/view/86/1/ I currently use that one and I'm liking it.
masr1979 said:
http://buzzdev.net/content/view/86/1/ I currently use that one and I'm liking it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, this Task Manager is great. Improved functionality on v1.5 - check the above link. And it appears to be very stable, I haven't had any issues with it at all.
herzzreh said:
mach2005 said:
After having used allmost all available taskmanagers, i just assigned "Running Programs" to a hardware button. One click and u can manage your tasks. No loss in memmory or performance.
:lol:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Umm... How do I do this? Can't see that option in "Buttons" in settings.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry, I forgot to mention that you need a lttle program to make it work.
Just install the cab and you have got the option in the 'buttons"menu.
^that's wonderful, I've been looking for that all along, nothing fancy, does what i want perfectly I can't stand all those task manager progs, thank you.
markmcrobie said:
Try InClose
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your suggestion. I have this installed and it works sooooo much better than magic button.
It has a lot of useful features, like to rotate the screen. I can now rotate my screen to landscape when I'm using PIE without opening my keyboard. Also, if you want to minimize instead of close, you just press and hold the close icon and select minimize from the drop-down menu.
GldRush98 said:
Magic Button hogging memory?
Sorry, but you don't know what you're talking about...
Magic Button's exe only uses 4kb of memory! :shock:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It DOES cause some CPU usage. I'll publish some more exact CPU usage benchmarks; when I tested, it caused some 1-2% CPU usage, unlike most other (decent) task manager tools. This doesn't mean, however, that it'll always cause that much CPU usage. Will definitely publish a big roundup of all these apps, along with their CPU and memory usage.
hope this is the right place to post.. I am using the live 10.6.34.0800 and everything works fine except one part, closing it. I can't option to close the program. If i click on the "x" on top, it only minimize it and even so I can't find it under task manager. The only way to bring it back up is to click on the live.exe short cut again. So far the only way I can really shut down the program is to kill the process. I've used 10.6.33.0600 before and same problem.
Anyone else is experiencing the same thing? How do you go about it.
Thanks,
silvscorp said:
hope this is the right place to post.. I am using the live 10.6.34.0800 and everything works fine except one part, closing it. I can't option to close the program. If i click on the "x" on top, it only minimize it and even so I can't find it under task manager. The only way to bring it back up is to click on the live.exe short cut again. So far the only way I can really shut down the program is to kill the process. I've used 10.6.33.0600 before and same problem.
Anyone else is experiencing the same thing? How do you go about it.
Thanks,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Use a task manager like X Button, HTC Task Manager, WkTask, etc.
That is way it is. If you still like it, use it. Can't argue with MS. There were more older WinCE programs were like that. The argument was why you need to close the programs? I was steamed. Take Pocket Informant as example, it opens automatically when bootup. By default, the "close" option is hidden until you know how to config the program (older version did not have that option). Another example is ActiveSync. It took tons of time to figure out how to control the damn sucker. Tell me who doesn't hate it. In fact you can find custom ROM's in this forum with added feature called "Kill ActiveSync". It is not only can't be close, it starts by itself and drains your batteries. Go figure!
tnyynt said:
Use a task manager like X Button, HTC Task Manager, WkTask, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In general under the "x" for htc task manager, all the active programs will be listed, (active sync, file explorer, etc) but after the Live Messenger is minimized (running in background) it doesn't even show up. Only way to close it is by killing it under task manager or process.
jychan28 said:
That is way it is. If you still like it, use it. Can't argue with MS. There were more older WinCE programs were like that. The argument was why you need to close the programs? I was steamed. Take Pocket Informant as example, it opens automatically when bootup. By default, the "close" option is hidden until you know how to config the program (older version did not have that option). Another example is ActiveSync. It took tons of time to figure out how to control the damn sucker. Tell me who doesn't hate it. In fact you can find custom ROM's in this forum with added feature called "Kill ActiveSync". It is not only can't be close, it starts by itself and drains your batteries. Go figure!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well if this is the way it is with the program then i guess i can kill it through process. Unlike active sync, this drains a lot memory, if I don't kill the program it will just hide in the background and constantly running, if I disconnect wifi, it'll auto connect to data network, so obviously this is a big problem.
What's that about?
I've never used Task Manager so much in my life.
I'm not sure the thinking behind this.
Get the TouchX Taskmanager off this thread...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=4947950&postcount=1
Then, on the home tab, drop down the task manager (top right corner) and you can change the options (wrench) so that apps close when you click X. It also gives you a dropdown list of running apps so you can switch between them.
Hope this helps
Thanks John.
It still leaves me baffled though at the choice of doing things the way HTC have done. Surely there's going to be many consumer out there that don't even know what a Task Manager is, who will be running slow phones with no idea why.
Or maybe they all bought an iPhone.
See Here
CHIP STAXMAN said:
Thanks John.
It still leaves me baffled though at the choice of doing things the way HTC have done. Surely there's going to be many consumer out there that don't even know what a Task Manager is, who will be running slow phones with no idea why.
Or maybe they all bought an iPhone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can also get Microsoft's perspective on this Here
This is not an HTC issue- PPC and WinMo have always minimised apps by default unless the application itself has a Menu/Quit routine.
HTC have previously utilised their own Task Manager, which for some reason they didn't include in the HD2 hence the need for external apps such as JCM suggested. Maybe they thought 200MB was ample- compared to the 16MB of the early PPC devices?
In general I've not encountered any slowdowns, but I tend not to use many apps that stay memory resident.
If you press and hold the X, instead of just tapping it, it will properly close the program. That option is within the Task Manager on the phone, in the settings of the phone.
madindehead said:
If you press and hold the X, instead of just tapping it, it will properly close the program. That option is within the Task Manager on the phone, in the settings of the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I couldn't find this option on my brother's HD2 (T-Mobile). I've seen it on all previous devices that I've add.
Will have to try the other suggestions here.
Yep, in my T-Mobile UK build I can only access the SENSE settings and not the windows mobile settings that allows you to change taskbar settings.
Grrr
That's because the task manager button in the home page was removed for this version of Sense. Literally the first thing I did when I got the phone was to find out how to add that back.
I personally think it's a stupid idea, so I'm glad for this wonderful resource that we know as xda!
Dang was hoping for a registry setting,
Any idea how turn turn on windows settings only?
CHIP STAXMAN said:
Thanks John.
It still leaves me baffled though at the choice of doing things the way HTC have done. Surely there's going to be many consumer out there that don't even know what a Task Manager is, who will be running slow phones with no idea why.
Or maybe they all bought an iPhone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Having the programs already cached in memory allows faster access with successive uses. windows mobile automatically closes background programs should available memory get too low.
There are many threads on this site about increasing available memory on devices to increase speed, but many of the ideas are counter productive, because best speed is obtained when items are preloaded into memory. this is why there is great performance boost by increasing file system cache and glyth cache ect. but this comes at a memory cost
Slow device will only occur when memory runs out, this is pretty rare on modern phones (Touch pro and onwards) especially when using WM 6.5.
Remember, you have paid for that memory in your phone, so make sure to use it and not leave it empty so you can look at your task manager and see 50% free just to think it makes your phone quicker
rumpleforeskin said:
Remember, you have paid for that memory in your phone, so make sure to use it and not leave it empty so you can look at your task manager and see 50% free just to think it makes your phone quicker
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good points rumple.
It's all those years of Windows use that have made me believe that killing processes is the cure for most evils. I'll have to retrain my thinking.
Do minimized programs use much battery?
qweac said:
Do minimized programs use much battery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on the program. If it's one that only does things when you interact with it (press buttons, scroll stuff etc.) then no. If it does other things then it may well do, but it obviously varies greatly and depends what it does.
It started driving me mad. If I minimize browser, I can't be sure it won't close. Not only minimizing for longer periods, but short ones as well - wanted to reply an sms when a page was loading, but when I got back to it, it started over. And all the loaded tabs were gone! Saving states my ass, it takes time to load a page from zero and only the active browsing window remains. How to make this "multitasker" multitask?
does this also happen if you return to the browser by holding home?
kendong2 said:
does this also happen if you return to the browser by holding home?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that's the only way I switch betwen apps.
Have you installed the 'system-based' taskiller mod by any chance (you know, the one that was announced here that automatically keeps memory free by modifying the default thresholds for killing apps)?
If so, I reckon that's the issue! Either that, or you have too much running, so popping the browser into the background makes it a background task and it gets killed cos you're really short of RAM.
Let us know if you have used the tweak though...
@kengdong...
it doesn't matter how you change the apps.
For android it's the same, whether you tap an icon on a homescreen/list or whether you select it from the "task switch" thing... all that does is listing the last recently used applications but still tapping them results in the same internal action.
Source: Android SDK Documentation
I've had pretty much the same issue since I got the phone back in November (I guess I've just gotten used to it by now). I'm never really sure when I switch back to the browser if it will retain the page loaded and any other windows, or if it will reset, close the other windows, and have to reload the active page. I'm on the stock Telus ROM, no custom ROM, not rooted, no tweaks, nothing extra (I've been waiting patiently for 2.1 to come out before messing with custom ROMS).
olafos said:
Source: Android SDK Documentation
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thx for the heads up, i wasn't sure about this, actually i was asking to maybe get an answer to this worked
anon2122 said:
Have you installed the 'system-based' taskiller mod by any chance (you know, the one that was announced here that automatically keeps memory free by modifying the default thresholds for killing apps)?
If so, I reckon that's the issue! Either that, or you have too much running, so popping the browser into the background makes it a background task and it gets killed cos you're really short of RAM.
Let us know if you have used the tweak though...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I have stock rom and I have never used any task killer or related app / tweak.
And I don't run too much stuff.. only music player, messaging and sense's facebook perhaps. If music player is paused, why can't it quit it instead... I prefer multitasking of my past htc s730 which had like 7 megs of free ram after booting.
Even after a hard reset, this behavior remains.
i dont know.. it works fine for me....
1.. maybe there is a setting in the browser.. to always refresh.
2.. you have a repair issue.. Need to take it in to your local service provider repair center. Let them see your issue.
Dan330 said:
i dont know.. it works fine for me....
1.. maybe there is a setting in the browser.. to always refresh.
2.. you have a repair issue.. Need to take it in to your local service provider repair center. Let them see your issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Come on, it's no hardware issue. Most of the time the browser stays, but u just can't be sure about that because it sometimes just closes. I think that it's an issue with Android's STUPID memory management, which also has a scheduled "quit all" script.
Yesterday I opened up a few articles on the browser and decided to read them later. This morning they all remained and I was pleasantly surprised I could read them. This very moment, though, they are gone by now even though I haven't quit the browser - probably that 'quit all' script kicked in.
There could be something in settings, where you could chose apps which would not close ever unless quit..
I would love if Android apps were quitable without any automatic mem management.
Suggest to grab AutoKiller or MinFreeManager, which are just frontends to Android's memory management (also they reapply settings at boot time, as the system file that's being modified is reset every boot.)
See what your current settings are, and lower them (e.g. use "moderate" preset). Just search XDA for autokiller or minfreemanager for more info.
Pressing home should only move that application to the background (pressing back should close it).
If you are pressing home and applications are still closing then there must be a task killer of some sort in place closing it for you.
Lennyuk said:
Pressing home should only move that application to the background (pressing back should close it).
If you are pressing home and applications are still closing then there must be a task killer of some sort in place closing it for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You obviously have not read the topic.
No task killers, tasks dont neceaarily close, its juast that u cant be sure they will remain in memory.
Lennyuk said:
If you are pressing home and applications are still closing then there must be a task killer of some sort in place closing it for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes - it's the standard Android process management rather than a 3rd party task killer.
I guess the browser is given a low priority and is one of the first apps to be killed.
Regards,
Dave