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Install or Remove Software

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Perform restart immediately after uninstalling a program

Submitted Tuesday, March 11, 2008
In my work as Editor of Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine, I have to install a lot of third-party software on my device so that I can test and review products or edit other authors’ reviews. I usually wait until I’m finished with a series of reviews before I delete these programs from my device, but that can cause a problem.
In some cases, after you delete a program, a message is displayed that instructs you to “restart the device to finish removing the program,” (below).
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Installing the same application on several storage cards

Submitted Thursday, September 6, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen explains how you can rerun the installer on each storage card or use a card reader. Click here for the article.

Use ActiveSync as a Recycle Bin for your device

Submitted Thursday, September 6, 2007
You are probably aware that if you delete a file on your Windows Mobile device, it's gone for good. Unlike a Windows desktop PC, there's no Recycle Bin you can go to to undelete the file. The tip here is, make sure you want the image file, word document, spreadsheet, etc., gone before you delete it.
Fortunately, there is a workaround using ActiveSync, which makes it possible to undelete a file.
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Install .CAB files from your desktop

Submitted Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Read Ben Stanley's description of how to use a third-party program called CABviaActiveSync to install CAB files to your device using ActiveSync on your desktop computer here. 

Boot into Safe Mode

Submitted Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen explains how to use third-party software to re-boot your Pocket PC into Safe Mode if you are having trouble re-booting correctly, particularly after installing a third-party program. Click here for the article.

How to avoid problems with ROM upgrades

Submitted Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Occasionally, device manufacturers and wireless carriers will offer major “ROM upgrades” for the Windows Mobile devices they market. When they do, they provide you with an installation file (on CD or downloadable) that walks you through the process, step by step. To avoid problems, follow these instructions to the letter.

Installing third-party software on locked Smartphones and Phone Edition devices

Submitted Wednesday, December 13, 2006
A few carriers "lock" their Smartphones and Phone Edition devices, preventing you from installing third-party software that they have not certified. If you want to install uncertified software, you will have to contact the carrier's tech support for instructions on how to unlock the phone. If they will not provide them, you may not be able to install uncertified software on your device.
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Don’t copy EXE installer files to your device

Submitted Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Most of the Windows Mobile third-party software programs you download from the Web come in the form of an executable installer file. You download this file to your desktop PC, connect your Windows Mobile device to the PC via the sync cable, use the PC’s File Explorer to find the file, and double-click on the file with your mouse to start the installation process.
Warning: Do not download or copy the installer file to your Windows Mobile device. The installation (EXE) program will only work when you run it from your PC.

Avoid programs written for MIPS and SH3 processors

Submitted Wednesday, December 13, 2006
The original version of the Pocket PC OS (Pocket PC 2000) supported three processor types: ARM, MIPS, and SH3. With the release of Pocket PC 2002, Microsoft standardized on ARM processors and stopped supporting MIPS and SH3. When you are downloading third-party software—particularly shareware, freeware, and older programs—avoid programs written for MIPS and SH3 processors. Usually, these are clearly marked on the vendor's Web site.
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You can't uninstall the built-in applications

Submitted Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Even if you never use Word, Excel , or PowerPoint Mobile, you can’t uninstall any of the Microsoft programs to free up file storage space. Microsoft considers the built-in software an integral part of your device and pre-installs it into a portion of flash ROM that cannot be accessed by the end user.

Windows Mobile is different from Windows XP and Vista

Submitted Wednesday, December 13, 2006
The Windows Mobile operating system (OS) is different from Windows XP, Vista, and other Windows OSs found on desktop PCs. Programs designed to run on the desktop PC cannot be installed on Windows Mobile devices, and vice versa. Note, however, that some software developers offer separate versions of their program, one for Windows XP or Vista computers and another for Windows Mobile devices.

Using CAB files to install programs

Submitted Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Some online vendors offer third-party programs as “CAB files.” These can be downloaded directly to your Windows Mobile device via a direct Internet connection or copied over using an ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device Center connection.
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Unzip ZIP files before installing

Submitted Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Note that some of the third-party programs you download will be in a ZIP format. A ZIP file is a compressed file that contains one or more related files. It reduces the size of the program to make it quicker and easier to download.
After you download this file to your PC, use the PC's File Explorer to find it and then double-click on it.
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Touch screen and non-touch screen devices run different software

Submitted Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Touch screen and non-touch screen devices have the same operating system, but the user interfaces on these devices are different. For example, you can tap on a touch screen to access menus and other features, but all this is controlled by buttons on non-touch screen devices. Because of this, third-party software designed for a touch screen device will not run on a non-touch screen device, and vice versa.
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Phone Edition devices are Pocket PCs

Submitted Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Pocket PCs with integrated phone capability are referred to as "Phone Edition devices" in this publication. These devices have touch screens, the same user interface, and all of the built-in applications that are found on the Pocket PC. With almost no exceptions, programs that work on the Pocket PC also work on the Phone Edition device, and vice versa.
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Owner's name needed to install software

Submitted Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Some software vendors require that you tell them the owners name exactly as you entered it in your Pocket PC or Smartphone. In order to find it, go to Start >Settings >Owner Information. The owner's name is listed under "Name."

Third-party programs may cause mysterious problems

Submitted Wednesday, December 13, 2006
If your Windows Mobile device starts exhibiting strange behavior—applications aren’t working right or the device soft resets itself periodically—the source of the problem might be a third-party program you installed recently. You can check this out by uninstalling your third-party applications one at a time, starting with the most recently installed ones.
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Perform a hard reset to restore your device to its original state

Submitted Wednesday, December 13, 2006
A hard reset restores your Windows Mobile device to the condition it was in when you removed it from the box. Any data you’ve saved on the device and any programs you’ve installed are gone. You’ll want to perform a hard reset if you sell your device or give it to someone else to make sure you’ve delete sensitive information. It might also be necessary if your device locks up and stops running. In this case, you should try a soft reset first.
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How to install software on storage cards

Submitted Friday, December 8, 2006
During the process of installing third-party software on your device, you are given the option of selecting where you install the program. On WM 5 and WM 6 devices, a screen pops up on the device itself, prompting you to “Choose a location…” Select the storage card option and tap on “Install.” On pre-WM 5 devices, the installation wizard running on your PC will asks if you want to install the program in the “default application install directory.” Tap “No” and select a storage card as the installation location.

Change screen orientation if "May Not Display Properly" warning appears during software install

Submitted Friday, December 8, 2006
ChangeWarning.jpg
You may receive the warning shown above when you try to install a program on your device.
If you receive a "May Not Display Properly" warning when you install a program, the program may have been written for a previous version of the OS and may not display properly in Landscape viewing mode.
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How to uninstall CAB-installed programs

Submitted Friday, February 23, 2007
Go to Start >Settings >System tab >Add/Remove Programs to remove programs installed with a downloaded CAB file. (Smartphones: Select Start >Settings >Remove Programs.)

How to remove programs

Submitted Friday, February 23, 2007
To delete third-party programs from your device without using ActiveSync, first close them down completely. The easiest way to do this is with a soft reset. Then go to Start >Settings >System tab >Remove Programs, select the desired program from the list, and tap the Remove button. (Non-touch screen smartphones: Go to Start >Settings >Remove Programs, highlight the program, and select Menu >Remove.)

How to uninstall and reinstall programs using ActiveSync

Submitted Friday, February 23, 2007
ActiveSync’s Tools >Add/Remove Programs screen lists all the programs that have been installed on your device. To uninstall a program, uncheck the box next to it and click on OK. To reinstall a program, click on the empty box next to it and click on OK. Do not click on the Remove button.

How to install software using ActiveSync

Submitted Friday, February 23, 2007
Once you’ve acquired the program you want to install and established a connection between your PC and your Windows Mobile device via ActiveSync, run the program’s installation file on your PC and follow the on-screen instructions.

How to use ActiveSync to reinstall software

Submitted Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Once you have installed software on your device, you can use ActiveSync’s Tools >Add/Remove Programs screen to reinstall it at any time. Click on the check box next to the desired program(s) and click OK.

How to delete application icons manually

Submitted Friday, February 23, 2007
Use File Explorer (Smartphones: File Manager) to delete icons and other stray files that remain after uninstall process.

How to create program launch icons

Submitted Thursday, December 7, 2006
Use File Explorer (Smartphones: File Manager) to create and copy application launch shortcuts to the Windows/Start Menu/Programs or folder.

Avoid DLL headaches

Submitted Friday, February 23, 2007
"DLL" is an acronym for Dynamic Link Library. A DLL is a chunk—a library—of executable functions and/or data that can be used by many different programs. Much as a school library reduces education costs by making the same book available to many students, DLLs reduce the size of software packages by putting commonly used functions in a library that can be accessed by different programs.
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