Resets

[Dave]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.pocketpc (More info?)

This may be a really stupid question - but I am a little confused.

I keep reading about a "soft" and "hard" reset.

What do these terms mean and when should either be carried and and how (I
cannot see anything about it in the manuals).

If it helps I have a Compaq H3950.

Thanks

Dave
UK

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.pocketpc (More info?)

Reply to message from "Dave" <dave.barwickns@virgin.net> (Mon, 20 Dec 2004
10:28:18) about ""Resets"":


D> I keep reading about a "soft" and "hard" reset.

D> What do these terms mean and when should either be carried and and how
D> (I cannot see anything about it in the manuals).

Soft reset is like rebooting the unit, and is typically done when a program
hangs, unit locks, etc. This is usually done by depressing a switch at the
bottom of the ppc with the stylus through a small access hole. The unit
restarts, but all programs and data are intact.

A hard reset varies by machine, but is supposed to reset the machine to
factory defaults. After a hard reset all custom programs and data should be
gone, and the machine should be back to either new or last rom upgrade
state.

You typically do not perform a hard reset unless there is a problem, or you
want to restore the unit to some saved state and want a "fresh" starting
point for the restore.

Hard reset activation varies by brand, but for example an ipaq is hard
reset by holding buttons 1 and 4 down while performing a soft reset (button
in pinhole).

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.pocketpc (More info?)

Dave (dave.barwickns@virgin.net) wrote...
> This may be a really stupid question - but I am a little confused.
>
> I keep reading about a "soft" and "hard" reset.
>
> What do these terms mean and when should either be carried and and how (I
> cannot see anything about it in the manuals).
>

A soft-reset is the near equivalent of re-booting a Windows
desktop/laptop. All your data and programs remain intact, and the
machine is restarted. This is helpful sometimes to free up memory /
fix something that has gone wonky etc.

A hard reset is more analogous to a reformat of your hard drive
followed by a windows re-install. Your PocketPC will be reset to how
it left the factory (plus any ROM updates). All user-added programs
and data stored on the internal memory will be lost. Data on any SF
or SD cards will not be effected. A hard reset is normally a
technique of last resort, when all other methods of trying to get
your PPC working have failed.

Simple rule of thumb:

* If you start swearing more frequently than usual, try a soft-reset.
* If your swearing becomes louder, coarser and is accompanied by acts
of violence to computer hardware, or threats of such acts, then a
hard-reset is normally called for.

;-)

Ian
--
Ian Riches
Bedford, UK

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.pocketpc (More info?)

A soft reset is used when for example your ppc has hung/stopped responding, this simply gets it going again, like turning off your desktop computer and turning it on again.

A hard reset puts the ppc back to the way it was when you bought it, all data and additionally installed software is deleted from the unit, like formatting your hard drive on the desktop machine except that in the case of the ppc the operation system is still there.

HTH - Dave

nntp/news.plus.net/microsoft.public.pocketpc/<5p6dnSKdmd_8fFvcSa8jmw@karoo.co.uk>

This may be a really stupid question - but I am a little confused.

I keep reading about a "soft" and "hard" reset.

What do these terms mean and when should either be carried and and how (I
cannot see anything about it in the manuals).

If it helps I have a Compaq H3950.

Thanks

Dave
UK




[microsoft.public.pocketpc]

 

[Dave]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.pocketpc (More info?)

"David Richardson" <dmr54 AT tekguru DOT co DOT uk> wrote in message
news:41c6e557$0$29000$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader01.plus.net...
> A soft reset is used when for example your ppc has hung/stopped
responding, this simply gets it going again, like turning off your desktop
computer and turning it on again.
>
> A hard reset puts the ppc back to the way it was when you bought it, all
data and additionally installed software is deleted from the unit, like
formatting your hard drive on the desktop machine except that in the case of
the ppc the operation system is still there.
>
> HTH - Dave
>
>
nntp/news.plus.net/microsoft.public.pocketpc/<5p6dnSKdmd_8fFvcSa8jmw@karoo.co.uk>
>
> This may be a really stupid question - but I am a little confused.
>
> I keep reading about a "soft" and "hard" reset.
>
> What do these terms mean and when should either be carried and and how (I
> cannot see anything about it in the manuals).
>
> If it helps I have a Compaq H3950.
>
> Thanks
>
> Dave
> UK
>
>
>
>
> [microsoft.public.pocketpc]

Thanks for all 3 replies - I was as I had envisaged and have indeed done a
few of what I now know to be "soft" resets.

I also now know if, when and how to do the "hard" reset and hope that I
won't need that too often.

Again thanks all of you.

Dave
UK

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.pocketpc (More info?)

A hard reset will be when there is no other way to resolve a problem
such as the device not completing a reboot after a soft reset or a
program that has corrupted the registry or the windows directory... it
is the equivalent of reformatting your pc's hard drive and reinstalling
the os.

As to "how" it varies by device... _normally_ a combination of pressing
the reset button while the power button is held down... you should find
this information in your manual.

Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.pocketpc (More info?)

Be aware that a soft reset is not always like restarting a hard disk-
it is possible that you can lose the data and can result in an empty
machine. This has happened to me. If your machine has locked it is too
late to back up whether you soft or hard reset the machine so do back
up the machine regularly- once the data has gone is has gone whether
you soft or hard reset. You shouldn't often lose the data by soft
resetting, but it is possible.



"Dave" <dave.barwickns@virgin.net> wrote in message
news:24OcnZO-v_tJd1vcSa8jmA@karoo.co.uk...
|
| "David Richardson" <dmr54 AT tekguru DOT co DOT uk> wrote in message
| news:41c6e557$0$29000$ed2619ec@ptn-nntp-reader01.plus.net...
| > A soft reset is used when for example your ppc has hung/stopped
| responding, this simply gets it going again, like turning off your
desktop
| computer and turning it on again.
| >
| > A hard reset puts the ppc back to the way it was when you bought
it, all
| data and additionally installed software is deleted from the unit,
like
| formatting your hard drive on the desktop machine except that in the
case of
| the ppc the operation system is still there.
| >
| > HTH - Dave
| >
| >
|
nntp/news.plus.net/microsoft.public.pocketpc/<5p6dnSKdmd_8fFvcSa8jmw@karoo.co.uk>
| >
| > This may be a really stupid question - but I am a little confused.
| >
| > I keep reading about a "soft" and "hard" reset.
| >
| > What do these terms mean and when should either be carried and and
how (I
| > cannot see anything about it in the manuals).
| >
| > If it helps I have a Compaq H3950.
| >
| > Thanks
| >
| > Dave
| > UK
| >
| >
| >
| >
| > [microsoft.public.pocketpc]
|
| Thanks for all 3 replies - I was as I had envisaged and have indeed
done a
| few of what I now know to be "soft" resets.
|
| I also now know if, when and how to do the "hard" reset and hope that
I
| won't need that too often.
|
| Again thanks all of you.
|
| Dave
| UK
|
|