software installation confusion

[gw63]

I've had my Q for a couple of months and have used it primarily only as a phone. I bought a 2 gig storage card and would like to download some applications. Here are some questions I'd appreciate some help with:

1. How do I install downloaded programs to the phone and to the storage card?

2. How do I deal with zip files...must they be extracted before installing on the Q?

3. Can files be copied from my PC directly to my miniSD (with Activesync) while the card is in my phone or must I copy directly onto the miniSD and then insert it into the phone?

I'll probably have more questions, but this is a start.

Thanks.

[knine]

1. Activesync is used to install programs unless you have downloaded .cab files which can be installed directly from your phone. During installation you will have the option to install to device or your storage card, if present.

2. If you use a program like Resco Explorer your phone can handle zip files or you can unzip the with your computer.

3. You can copy file with Activesync, just use the explore function.

[gw63]

Thanks knine. I will experiment.

[gw63]

1. Activesync is used to install programs unless you have downloaded .cab files which can be installed directly from your phone. During installation you will have the option to install to device or your storage card, if present.

I'm not "seeing" the storage card on my PC while connected with Activesync, so I can't move or copy files to the card. Any thoughts?

[Pony99CA]

Originally Posted by knine

1. Activesync is used to install programs unless you have downloaded .cab files which can be installed directly from your phone. During installation you will have the option to install to device or your storage card, if present.

You left out one somewhat common scheme (the third one below). I'm copying my installation tutorial from the "Installing games, programs, etc." thread.

There are three main ways to install programs.

1. The most common is downloading an EXE or MSI file that you run on your PC that installs the program on the Q over ActiveSync.
2. You can also sometimes download CAB files directly to the Q and run them there to install the program.
3. Some very simple programs are just shipped as EXE files that you just put directly on the Q (usually in the \Program Files folder). You'll have to create your own Start Menu shortcuts for those.

There are also the variations where the above files are compressed in ZIP or RAR files, of course, but after you decompress them, the process is the same.

The third scheme is important because, if you try to run an EXE like that on Windows, you'll get a message saying the program wasn't written for Windows or something similar. If you get that message, you should try just copying the EXE file to the device and running it there.

Most EXEs are installers you run on your PC, but there are some that aren't. If somebody doesn't know that, they may just assume the download was bad and try again. When it "fails" again, they may just give up.

Steve

[Pony99CA]

Originally Posted by gw63

I'm not "seeing" the storage card on my PC while connected with Activesync, so I can't move or copy files to the card. Any thoughts?

If you're using Windows Explorer, clicking on Mobile Device shows a modified view of your \My Documents folder. The modification is the My Windows Mobile-Based Device icon. Expand that and you'll see all of the folders at the root of your device, including \Storage Card.

The same is basically true using My Computer or the Explore action of ActiveSync.

Steve

[gw63]

If you're using Windows Explorer, clicking on Mobile Device shows a modified view of your \My Documents folder. The modification is the My Windows Mobile-Based Device icon. Expand that and you'll see all of the folders at the root of your device, including \Storage Card.

That's what I thought, but storage card is not showing up. Does the miniSD card "snap" into the memory slot or is it only held in place by the rubberized cover? Maybe I haven't installed the card properly.

Thanks.

[Pony99CA]

Originally Posted by gw63

Does the miniSD card "snap" into the memory slot or is it only held in place by the rubberized cover? Maybe I haven't installed the card properly.

It uses a "push-click" system common to smaller memory card slots (like SD). You push the card in until it clicks, then stop. To get it out, you push down until it clicks, then let go and it will pop up.

Some people have reported that they get the click even though the card isn't properly seated, but I can't verify that. I don't believe that the rubber door has anything to do with holding the card in place; it's just to protect the slot (and card).

Steve

[gw63]

It uses a "push-click" system common to smaller memory card slots (like SD). You push the card in until it clicks, then stop. To get it out, you push down until it clicks, then let go and it will pop up.

Got it. I had to use the tip of an ink pen to get it to "click" into place.

Many thanks.

[knine]

Originally Posted by Pony99CA

You left out one somewhat common scheme (the third one below). I'm copying my installation tutorial from the "Installing games, programs, etc." thread.

There are three main ways to install programs.

1. The most common is downloading an EXE or MSI file that you run on your PC that installs the program on the Q over ActiveSync.
2. You can also sometimes download CAB files directly to the Q and run them there to install the program.
3. Some very simple programs are just shipped as EXE files that you just put directly on the Q (usually in the \Program Files folder). You'll have to create your own Start Menu shortcuts for those.

There are also the variations where the above files are compressed in ZIP or RAR files, of course, but after you decompress them, the process is the same.

Steve

Made a reply from my phone, was trying to be brief and to the point, you said the same thing I did, but with more words.