FAQ [under perpetual construction]

1. General / 2. Uninstall Manager / 3. Cleanup / 4. OnGuard Backup / 5. Uninstall Hack

General

Q: Where is my Palm User Name / HotSync ID?

Answer:

To locate your HotSync ID:

1. Select the HotSync icon from the main application launcher screen:

2. Your HotSync ID is located at the upper right corner of the screen:

Q: How do I identify the version of Palm OS on my handheld?

Answer:

• On the handheld go to the main screen where the applications can be viewed.

• Tap the drop-down menu.
• Under the "App" menu select "Info"
• At the bottom of the screen tap on "Version"
• Then at the top of the screen you will see the version of the Palm OS Software.

Q: Do I need to delete the previous version before installing the new one?

A: For all current products and versions: No, you can simply overwrite the previous version with the new one.

Q: I have lost my registration key, how can I get another one?

A: Use the Registration Key Request Form

Q: I'm using a different email address than the one I registered with; How can I notify you about the new email address?

A: Use the Email Change Form

Q: I've emailed you a billion times!!! why don't you answer my emails?

A: Please see here

Uninstall Manager

Q: Uninstall Manager is not monitoring applications!

A: Uninstall Manager MUST reside in the RAM (main memory).
You should NEVER move Uninstall Manager to the expansion card or it simply won't work.

Q: What is the best way to install applications and make sure Uninstall Manager catches everything, allowing complete uninstallations?

A: We recommend to install a single application at a time, alongside with its required files (a dictionary program and its dictionaries, a game with its level packs, etc).

When you install a new application, you can use the Sandbox to quickly test it and completely delete it if you don't find it amusing or useful.

• You can also keep the Sandbox on the card and retest the application in the future.

• If you are ready to keep the application on your device, make sure you run it at least one time in the RAM (running it meaning opening it and going back to the Launcher application by selecting the "Home" button) before moving it to the card (if you choose to do so). That way, Uninstall Manager can safely monitor any suspicious activity. Note however, that it is recommended to keep the application at least for a week on the RAM or until you have used all of its functions.

• If you are testing a 3rd party launcher application, make sure you "Exit" (usually from the launcher's menu) back to your default application launcher.

Q: When trying to delete a certain application or file, I see the message: "[NAME] is protected. Force Delete?"

A: Select 'Yes' to try and delete this file or perform a Warm Reset and delete it then. After the Warm Reset, you will be able to delete the application. You should perform a regular Soft Reset afterwards.

To perform a warm reset:

Q: After deleting the application, there are still files that share the application's Creator ID with type 'a68k', should I be worried that the application was not completely uninstalled?

A: You can delete 'a68k' files using the menu command: "Delete a68k Files"

Notes about a68k files and the menu command:
The 'a68k' database (file) is a special RAM-based database that the Palm OS creates for each application on your device. This database is created the first time the application is launched, and stays on the device until the application is deleted. Occasionally, you need to perform a soft-reset to delete a particular a68k database. Under certain circumstances an 'a68k' file can remain on your device.

• a68k files are small in size.

• Normally, you don't need to worry about these files, but if you want the extra bytes you can use this option.

• After deleting a68k cache files, the Palm OS will recreate most of them; this is normal.

• NOT ALL a68k files can be deleted.

• Technical note: Uninstall Manager will intentionally decrement the a68k database protect count by one. To delete additional a68k files, you can use this option repeatedly*.

  • * UM will NOT decrement the database protection count on NVFS based devices (Treo 650, T5, etc).

Q: I have the Sandbox option selected from the Settings dialog, but the Sandbox doesn't work.

A: There are a few options:

• The Sandbox will only work if you install a NEW APPLICATION: An application that was never installed on your device. If you upgrade to a newer version of an application; the Sandbox will not work.

• To use the Sandbox, you have to have enough free memory on your device to allow the Saved and Unsaved preferences files to be backed-up (copied/duplicated). The preferences files are backed-up and restored if you choose to delete the application that was running inside the Sandbox.

• If the application was once on your device and was later deleted, you may need to open Uninstall Manager and refresh the Monitored Items list before the Sandbox can work.
  Simply open Uninstall Manager and switch to the Monitored Items view.
  This action is needed so that Uninstall Manager will remove database records that contain the application's details.

Q: If I am using an application like PowerRun or Zlauncher to move applications which were originally installed in RAM to an SD/MS card, will Uninstall Manager also track that so that I can uninstall them properly after they've been moved to the card?

A: Yes, it will, although the safest approach is to run applications at least one time in the RAM (main memory) before moving them to the card using these programs or a different program that supports running applications from the expansion card.

Q: After I install a new application and the Sandbox dialog appears, HotSync is showing: Cleaning up - please wait. How long do I need to wait before this message disappears?

A: You do not need to wait at all; this is a normal message and you should simply ignore it. At this stage you can cancel or start the application inside the Sandbox. See the Sandbox Quick Start Guide for more.

Q: What about card files? if one of my applications saved files on the card; how would I know if they are deleted when I delete the application from my device?

A: No problem: The chances are that the files are still on the card even if you have deleted their parent application; BUT, Uninstall Manager includes a unique feature to help you get rid of them, once and for all: Click here for more information (see Search Card for Associated Files).

Cleanup

Q: I don't understand all these "color bullets". What can I safely delete?

A: Cleanup marks items (files and preferences) with 3 different colors: , and

Items marked with the green color were monitored by Uninstall Manager. This means that they will be removed from your device when you uninstall (using Uninstall Manager) the application that created them. In most cases, you can ignore green colored items or add them to the Ignore List since Uninstall Manager is responsible for them.

Items marked with the orange color are items listed in the Signature File. When you select one of them and then select the Details button, you will see information concerning the item from the Signature File. Sometimes, you will see that the item belongs to the operating system itself (will be marked "Palm OS", or "Sony", etc), other times you will see it belongs to a certain application you no longer have installed. Based on the information found in the Signature File you can decide whether to delete or keep a certain item.

Items marked with the blue color are items that were not monitored (Uninstall Manager was not installed or disabled when the items in question were saved to your device) and are not listed in the Signature File: This could be due to the fact that as much as the Signature File is frequently updated, there is NO WAY to include all of the Palm OS unassociated, hidden and "special" items. There are still THOUSANDS of records missing from the Signature File (Help expanding the Signature File).

The item MAY be available on the next Signature Update or may not.
Items marked with blue are considered to be orange simply without the clear cut text line (Signature field in the Details dialog) that helps you determine if the item is needed or not.
To find out if blue items are needed by any of the installed applications, perform a Search. Based on the Search Results, it will be easier for you to decide whether to delete or keep the item.

Continue by reading the next question and answer below.

Q: I have used the Search function to check if the hidden/orphaned item is really orphaned. When the search was finished, I got: 'Search finished without any results to display'. Is it safe to delete?

A: As long as you use the Backup option before deleting an item, it is always safe to delete. You can always restore backed-up items if one of your applications loses its settings.

Note: Sometimes, when you are trying to restore a file (not a preferences record) from the expansion card back to the normal memory (RAM), you will see a an alert telling you the file already exists, and is offering you to overwrite the existing file with the backup copy. This means that the file was re-created by one of the installed applications after it was deleted.

Q: I have a Tungsten E2, Treo 650, T5 or a different NVFS based device. When I try to restore a file from the backup back to the RAM, I get a "Database: Out of memory. Delete old data or unneeded applications..." but I do have a lot of free RAM available. Why won't it let me restore the file?

A: See answer from Palm here.

OnGuard Backup

Q: I'm using a 3rd party Date Book application such as DateBK5 (or an address book replacement, memo pad, ToDo), will OnGuard Backup backup the DateBook database when I'm working with my 3rd party application?

A: You can use Uninstall Manager's Group Files command to add DatebookDB (and/or AddressDB, MemoDB, ToDoDB) to your 3rd party application and select Monitored Files from the Backup Options dialog.

• NOTE: On newer device with Palm OS 5.2+ (such as the Tungsten T3/T5, Treo 650, etc), the correct databases to add are: CalendarDB-PDat, ContactsDB-PAdd, MemosDB-PMem and TasksDB-PTod.

Q: If I want to change the backup settings for one of the applications selected for real-time backup, do I need to delete it and then add it again?

A: No. Simply re-add the application and the backup settings will change.

Q: Do I need to select the Sync. option?

A: Usually, no. The Sync, option is meant to be used by certain applications that are using several files rather than a single database file to store various documents/info. When the Sync option is NOT selected; files deleted from the main memory (RAM) will remain on the card and will be restored when the time comes.

Q: I'm using a Treo 650 or 700p and have the Contacts application selected for real-time backup. However, when I select it from the favorites screen and go back using the ON key (Green phone button) I don't see the OnGuard Backup window (I do see it when I launch it using the normal application launcher screen). How can I make OnGuard Backup work when I'm using the favorites screen?

A: You will need to change/edit the Contacts favorite button: Change it from type: "Contacts" into type "Application" and select the label "Contacts". You will not lose any functionality (such as the ability to dial directly from the Contacts application) and you will regain OnGuard Backup's functionality and a much better Contacts icon (more information in your Treo manual).

• Note: On Treo 680 you have to launch the Contacts application from the Application Launcher (Home button).

Q: How can I backup my contacts (address book) when using the Treo 600?

A: 1. Either use Uninstall Manager's Group File function to group AddressDB with the Phone application (see OGB's manual for more) and add it to the real-time backup list. 2. Download the Contacts application created by Abraham Estrada and replace it with the current shortcut on your Phone application (On the Phone app: Menu >> Options >> Display Preferences).

Uninstall Hack

Q: I've installed Uninstall Hack on my Palm OS 3.5/4.x device but I can't see the program's icon.

A: Uninstall Hack is a Palm OS system extension (aka Hack) and requires a Hack Manager in order to function.

Click here for more information.