Deleting Bundled Software

[maxine]

Hi, I am new to the forum. I have looked through all of the TX post, but please excuse any redundancy if I ask something that has been already asked and answered.

I received my first PDA--a Palm TX--for Christmas. I really like it, for the most part. I figured out all of my major concerns (syching with my Mac, whether to use Palm Desktop or iCal) by myself.

The only lingering bother that I have is that I cannot remove certain pre-installed programs from my TX. My main obsession is with removing pTunes, but I understand that there are other programs that are similarly sticky (I saw the DTG post for instance). My concern is not for memory. I just want to feel like I can control my device. It's philosophical/ideological.

A few years ago in college, I wanted to "once and for all" remove AOL from my Wintel computer, and I knew only enough to make me dangerous. So, I proceeded to begin editing my registry with a little too much tenacity and carelessness. . . and totally crippled my computer. I am ashamed to admit that I relied on my comp sci housemate to bail me out. (Incidentally, since switching to using OS X, I have been able to delete bundled software on my new computers so easily that I have never gotten into that trouble again.)

HOWEVER: I am getting that itch with my TX. I really want to delete pTunes. I want to feel like I actually have ownership of this thing. I don't know where to begin. I do not understand much about the fundamentals of Palm OS. I do not know what it means that the program is installed in ROM or RAM, so can't be deleted (hasn't **someone** figured out how to do it???).

So, if it is possible (indeed, if I am making a big deal out of this and deleting the program is easy), please let me know how to do it.

Thanks!

[dragonsgames]

Welcome to 1src!
Do a search for SharkRom. That should do it. :)

[_Em]

Well, it works out this way:
The TX has a reprogrammable ROM (Read Only Memory) chip that includes a compressed image on which reside all the files your computer boots with by default. If you do a hard reset, a routine will be triggered that will blank your RAM and write all this data back to it. On top of that, some files are coded directly onto the ROM and read from there instead of from RAM. This will be more understandable if you have a program like Resco Explorer that lays it all out for you.

So far, nobody has found and published a way to reflash the ROM on a TX; however, eventually this will probably happen. On older (pre-NVFS) Palms, programs like JackFlash were able to go in and directly remove files from the Flash "ROM"... however, with the new compression system etc. this becomes much more difficult on the new systems.

So the long and the short of it is, eventually you'll probably be able to remove pTunes from the ROM image, right now you can't. However, all the stuff that gets copied over to NVFS when you hard reset can be cleanly removed -- it will stay removed until you hard reset your TX, at which point it will come back again.

The other thing you can do (which I do) is use a utility like Obfuscate which, while it doesn't delete files on ROM, keeps them from showing up in the filesystem by marking them hidden. I keep things like Card Info, Media, Expense, and SMS hidden, as I don't use these apps and don't need them taking up visual space in my file managers. You could also use a file manager replacement app (like ZLauncher) which allows you to hide/show files in its interface.

[Edit] Serves me right for writing the long winded post http://www.1src.com/forums/images/smilie/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif ...
Anyway, this thread (http://www.1src.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96809) should help a bit too :)

[bh77a]

Maxine,

You, currently, cannot delete PocketTunes. As _Em stated there are options available to you to hide program icons if you wish. I recommend learning from your desktop lesson...

[MleB]

As noted above, there are a number of programs (including several 3rd Party like AddIt and Pocket Tunes) that are imbedded into the Palm's OS ROM and that cannot be permanently removed - yet. However, some of these also place files in user memory and this info can be removed, often deleting the Application icon as well.

In regards to AddIt, by customizing the HotSync to 'do nothing' in regards to this program, it won't try and come back except via the hard reset. But I digress...

Programs in ROM only don't use up user memory, so you're not losing up valuable space by having these programs lurking there, however irritating it is for us anal tidy folks. The only real problem - especially when it comes to 3rd Party software like Docs2Go imbedded in the ROM - is that any upgrade you may make to those programs resides entirely in user memory, essentially meaning you have two copies (or portions thereof) of the program on your device. And a hard sync may mean you may lose all the upgrade and default back to the ROM original - requiring a reinstall.

Meanwhile, many report success in hiding unused/unwanted programs by simply hiding the Application icons in a Category created by them - call it Junk or Useless or whatever - and then changing the Category of the offending icon to that location. Unless you visit that Category, you'll never see them again. Low tech, but it seems popular.

For may part, I'm using the Palm's Favorites screens to place my most used programs there (Page 1 - Most used, Page 2 - Business, Page 3 - Games, Page 4 - Utilities) with the Home button push taking me to my SD card.

All the above done without need of additional software..

(Jeez, _Em. long winded does just happen doesn't it? ;) )

[maxine]

I appreciate the responses (well, except for maybe to learn from my desktop lesson. . .cold comfort. . .). ;) I will check out the suggestions, and if those do not work out, I will wait patiently for someone with greater cleverness then me to publish a way to reformat the flash memory. I will then try it, and maybe totally ruin my device, but hopefully not.

As I said, it is a philosophical issue and physically one that I know I shouldn't be so worried (obsessed?) about it (and maybe should worry about myself just a little for letting it get to me)--but I do appreciate the empathy and advice!

[bh77a]

I did not mean to be "cold"... just thought it would be the least stressful path in the end.

[mush]

MleB, How did you map the home button to the SD Card?? In Perf's-Buttons I did not see that option on the pop up menu for any of the buttons!

Mush

[MleB]

Mush,

Very low tech -

;)

Application Window > Click Clock > Options > Remember Last Category > OK

Then set Application Window > Category > Card.

Usually Favorites is the window I leave as my default - so it is first up when I start the beast. Click on the Home button - Application Window: Card view. Click again - back to Favorites....

Hopelessly cheesy but it does what I want and doesn't require the installation of anything additional.

As you've likely discovered, programs installed on the SD card do not show up in the 'All' Application Window nor are they available for adding to Favorites. This simple setup means that the applications are almost as immediately accessable as those on the Favorites screen.

[_Em]

You can, however, create in-RAM stubs (aliases/shortcuts if you will) of your SD card apps; this is actually how most of the hiding programs hide the ROM files... they make a stub that refers to the ROM version, and then select the Invisible attribute on the stub file.

[MleB]

Huh?

What's that you talk, Willis?


Or am I being more obtuse than usual?

[mush]

MleB no cheese there - very good use of the tools at hand and with no over head.
Mush

[mush]

MleB
Found a program called Pocket Shortcuts on Palmgear and Handango that will create these shortcuts (stubs as _Em called them) and icons. You can put the shortcuts in any catagory, even add an icon. It should also be possible to put them in the favorites menu. Think I will give it a try. Should be worth the overhead in the long run.

Mush

[willbewill]

MleB
Found a program called Pocket Shortcuts on Palmgear and Handango that will create these shortcuts (stubs as _Em called them) and icons. You can put the shortcuts in any catagory, even add an icon. It should also be possible to put them in the favorites menu. Think I will give it a try. Should be worth the overhead in the long run.

Mush

Linkstart will also do this and has a free version.