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pda support - faqs

• Q - How do I delete the applications I've installed on my Palm PDA?
  
  A - To remove a Palm application, tap on the Applications button to bring up the list of applications. Then tap the Menu button and select Delete. Scroll down the list of applications installed that are available for deletion; highlight the application you want to remove and click on the Delete button. You will be prompted for a confirmation. If you tap the Yes button, the application and all of its associated data will be deleted.
  
  
• Q - I've just lost all the data on my computer and/or handheld. Now what?
  
  A - Your restoration will only be as good/current as your last HotSync (or backup to card--see below) operation. Synchronize your handheld (or backup to card) on a regular basis if you have information you don't want to lose on it!!! If your handheld locks up (or breaks) and if you have not HotSynced your data, there is no way to get all your information back.

  If you are switching to a new computer from a dead one, all you should have to do is install the latest Palm Desktop software, and start a HotSync® operation. You will be prompted to create that account on your computer, and then all your information will be copied from your handheld to your computer.

  If you've lost your handheld, or for some reason its been hard reset back to blankness, all you have to do is put it in its cradle and perform a HotSync operation. You will be asked which HotSync name to use (if you have more than one on that computer). All of the data (since your last HotSync operation) will be restored.

  If you have a handheld with a expansion card, I highly recommend you back up your handheld on a regular basis (ESPECIALLY if you can't get to a computer to do a HotSync operation). My personal favorite for doing this is BackupMan, which allows you to set the number of backups to keep (I keep 2) and schedule those backups to occur automatically (Mine runs at 4:30pm daily).

• Q - What Palm OS am I running?
  
  A - Just in case you want to upgrade or know your Palm's OS, here's how:

  1. Tap the "Application" button in the Graffiti area of your Palm or Handspring handheld.
  2. Tap the "Menu" button or the top left of the screen.
  3. Tap the "Info" menu item.
  4. Tap the "Version" box at the bottom of the screen.
  5. Look at the top of the screen under the "Info" bar.

• Q - How do I update the OS on my handheld?
  
  A - Keep the OS (Operating System) up to date for your handheld is the best way to make sure you are abreast of the latest patches to address issues as well as security. palmOne has patches available here for most models. Note that you cannot change the OS to a primary version other than the one your handheld was shipped with. For example if your handheld has OS version 3.2 you can upgrade to version 3.5 but CANNOT upgrade to versions 4.x.
  
  
• Q - Where does Palm Desktop store its files on my computer?
  
  A - This is platform dependent.
  
  Windows
  On the older versions of Palm Desktop, all the files were stored in C:\Palm.
  On the latest versions of Palm Desktop, files are stored in C:\Program Files\Palm.

  In the Palm directory, you will see a directory named for your username. Mine is "dhall." Within the "username" directory, you'll find several interesting directories located there:

  Username/Backup - This is where the HotSync process stores all the files on your handheld when it backs them up. This is also where files are restored from if you switch to a fresh handheld, or have to hard reset your handheld and restore from scratch. NOTE: By default, files aren't removed from this directory when you delete them from your handheld, so if you install and delete a lot of files, you'll want to keep this directory "trimmed" so that its contents will FIT on your handheld if you ever do have to restore.
  
  Username/address,datebook,etc - Each of these directories contains the actual data for your built-in applications, as well as the backups of data that you chose "Save archive copy on PC" when deleted from your handheld.
  Username/install - This is where all files queued to be installed are stored.
  
  Mac OS X
  Not sure where these files are located in older versions of Mac OS. Sorry. By default, the files are stored in Users/account/Documents/Palm/Users/Username.
  
  On the Mac, the username folders are actually named the same as the username. :) The folders are similar to the Windows directories, with a couple of exceptions:
  
  The backup folder is called "Backups"
  The Install folder is called "Files to Install"
  There are no separate folders for address, datebook, etc. Palm Desktop on the Mac uses one big file called "User Data".
  There are separate folders for NotePad and Voice Memo, just like on the PC.