windows mobile 5: erratic behavior

[difenbaker]

Windows Mobile Devices Behave Erratically
By Ben Charny
April 18, 2006


Smart phones using a version of Microsoft's cell phone operating system will, for no apparent reason, begin to operate very slowly, or just as suddenly speed up to a sprint, according to those participating in a number of recent online forums.

The problem is apparently the result of the kind of memory the operating system and phones use, explained Mike Calligaro on the Microsoft Mobile Team Blog.

Windows Mobile 5 stores software in such a way that it can be automatically erased if need be. The process is done in such a way as to disrupt how other phone features are operating, Calligaro writes.

Complaints of the erratic operation date back to at least mid-January, which is around the time Microsoft released new security and messaging features for Windows Mobile 5 phones.

A Microsoft spokesman couldn't immediately confirm whether there were problems.

News of the apparent problems with the Windows mobile operating system comes as Microsoft also is being criticized for releasing security updates for its more ubiquitous personal computer operating system that have created problems as well.

source:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1950685,00.asp

[Shun]

The author skipped the most imprtant point, the problem happens on devices which was designed for WM2003 and upgraded to WM5, due to the different memory management of the 2 version.

Follows the links provided by the author for more detail.

[fjrohlf]

the problem happens on devices which was designed for WM2003 and upgraded to WM5, due to the different memory management of the 2 version.

That is not just the problem. I have a new hx2490 iPaq that comes with WM5 and it has the same erratic behaviour that makes it virtually useless.

[Shun]

There could be other reasons that may cause similar erratic behaviour, it could be due to some 3rd party software added or a faulty unit. Logically, I don't think HP or any company can be so poor managed or stupid to release a device with such erratic behavious...

The reported problem is quite well answered in Microsoft blog - http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile/archive/2006/03/16/552996.aspx

If you think that "Compaction Thread" is the cause, why not post your problem in the blog, I think the issue is out of reach for an outsider to verify, :)