Is it possible that WM2003 allows only four running apps at one time ?

[Oliver T]

Hi,

I just got the new MDA2 and although it is a really awsome machine I see something very strange: I can open three apps and have them running in the background but as soon as I start the fourth one the first one gets closed automatically. It doesn't matter if it is ms reader or explorer or media player, they simply get closed 8O Anybody else seen this on their WM2003 device ???

Cheers,

Oliver

[piperpilot]

On the rare occasions when I don't completely close out all of my applications, I have had more than three applications open at the same time with no problems. Maybe it has to do with memory usage on your particular device.

[Oliver T]

Like to share the answer from Conduits with all:
" It is indeed a feature of Windows Mobile 2003 -- the operating system will
shut down applications that are in the background when you are low on
memory. In the next release, we will incorporate a "do not close when
playing in background" option, which will fix that problem."

I had feared to get this answer ;-( So, basically we are almost back to Palm times where you had no multitasking at all. Oh well, two steps forwards, three back.

[Dave Beauvais]

It only happens when program memory is running low, however. Take a look at the demo units in a store and you'll see that most of them have way more than four apps running at once. Most display units I look at have a running programs list that scrolls for at least two full pages. :)

[Janak Parekh]

No, no, no, no. This is not an issue with WM2003, but this is an issue with the new XDA/MDA II in particular -- if you use more than 22MB of Program Memory, the unit will start closing down programs. This is not the case with other WM2003 devices. This is a known issue (do a search on this or other boards), and unfortunately there's no solution right now. :cry:

The OEMs are going to have to release a ROM update...

--janak

[Dave Beauvais]

Thank you for clarifying that, Janak. I admit I skip over most of the threads related to these devices because I'll probably never be able to use one. :)

[Oliver T]

It gets even better. Somebody pointed me to a post on ppcw.net. This doesn't sound good at all 8O
http://www.ppcw.net/index.php?itemid=1645

This post also makes me believe that we will not see any ROM updates in the near future. If this is how windows ce was designed then the only solution is to close everything that is not absolutely necessary in the autostart group.

Oliver

[Janak Parekh]

Yup, that indeed seems to be the case. :cry: Since it's being discussed as a new frontpage topic, let's continue any further discussion there:

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=188020

Thanks! :)

--janak