Newbie:Can't install some Apps, what did I do wrong?

[Yahdie]

I am moving from a Sony NX80 to an iPAQ 2215, I am trying to install MetrO for PPC and Calendar+.
In each case, I have Downloaded the zip files, expanded them on the PC, click on the .exe file, it starts to run and I get this Error message:

"Invalid Windows CE Setup Files".
"Application Manager cannot install this application on your mobile device due to an invalid setup file. Reinstall and try again."

I doubt that both of these apps are corrupt so I must be doing something wrong, but what?

TIA

si

[Darius Wey]

You will find that at the current time, a lot of companies release a bundle of different versions of the same application to suit the variablility in PPC devices out there. You will find versions for the old Windows CE handhelds, in the ARM, MIPS, and SH3 flavour. You will also find versions dedicated to Pocket PC 2002 OS, and then Windows Mobile 2003, and even still Windows Mobile 2003 SE.

For the iPAQ h2215, you want to keep yourself to the Windows Mobile 2003 versions, or alternatively, just look for files labelled as either ARM or XScale. You may have to acquire the compatible versions of these applications again. Give that a go and let us know how it goes.

[Yahdie]

Thank you for such a prompt response, In both cases I have used the most up-to-date exe files on the respective websites, with the same result.

Any suggestions welcome...
TIA(again)
si

[Fishie]

Urm, doesnt Metro work with cabs?
Copy the cab to your device and double click it

[Yahdie]

When I unzip MetrO there are no files with the cab extension, in a folder named "metro.arm300_pspc" there are 2 files with unknown extensions, I have no idea what to do with them.
Also there is the PPC install exe but that gives me nothing....

si

[Darius Wey]

Try copying all the files to your Pocket PC and running the .EXE file on the device. It may be a PPC .EXE file. :?

[Yahdie]

Try copying all the files to your Pocket PC and running the .EXE file on the device. It may be a PPC .EXE file

Tried that, I get an error message `Setup' is not a valid Pocket PC application.

Would anyone be willing to try the install, maybe you'll see something counter intuitive in the process, remember I am a Newbie....
http://surf.to/metro

Thank you for all the help sofar

[Steven Cedrone]

Well, I downloaded the zip file. Inside, are directories for all of the Pocket PC processors. Inside, there are .cab files. Just grab the one you need and copy it to your device. Once on the device, run it...

Did you download the zip file???

Steve

[Yahdie]

Did you download the zip file???

Steve
Steve, thanks, yes I did.
In the folder named "metro.arm300_pspc" there are 2 files with unknown extensions, maybe the problem is XP is not recognising the file types?
How would I correct that?
When I right-click either of those 2 unknown files, and try to associate them with an application to open them, there is no application in the list that would be a good/clear choice, so I'm stuck going that route... :(

si

[Steven Cedrone]

You need to take the file metro.sh3300Ppspc.cab and move that over to your Pocket PC and run it from there. You don't open it on your desktop. When you run it on the device, it will install the app and then remove the cab file. Give that a shot and let me know if it works!

Steve

[Yahdie]

You need to take the file metro.sh3300Ppspc.cab

Steve,
This seems to be the problem, I've downloaded and unzipped the MetrO archive several times, but when I Explore the archive, there are no files with the cab extension, even when I look in the Folder metro.sh3300pspc.
I have tried copy that Folder into my device, and when I open this (on the device) I still have 2 apps.
I try to open these and I get an error message telling me to use the correct application to open them, or something to that effect..

Any clues?

[Steven Cedrone]

Sure! Make it so that you can see file extentions on your computer. Open Windows explorer, go to tools, folder options, view, and then uncheck "hide extentions of known file types"...

Steve

[Yahdie]

so that you can see file extentions on your computer. Open Windows explorer, go to tools, folder options, view, and then uncheck "hide extentions of known file types"...

First, thanks for all your help!

Yes I can see file extensions on my computer I have "hide extensions of known file types” unchecked, but, when I looked at Folder Options>File types, Cab files are associated with StuffIt for Windows 8.5, this must be the problem.
Would you mind checking the correct association for me, hopefully this might solve the problem.

si

[Steven Cedrone]

I have nothing associated with it. Delete the file association. Then copy the .cab file to your Pocket PC and run the .cab file there...

Steve

[rhmorrison]

...copy the .cab file to your Pocket PC and run the .cab file there...

Maybe he doesn't know how to copy a file to his PocketPC.

To copy a file to your PocketPC do the following:
Attach your PocketPC to your PC/laptop via the included cradle/cable. Microsoft ActiveSync SHOULD automatically start and sychronize.
Click on the "Explore" button in the Active Sync toolbar. This SHOULD bring up an Explorer window that is showing the content of your PocketPC.
Now open a Windows Explorer window and go to the directory where the CAB file is located. Drag and Drop the CAB file from your PC Explorer window to your PocketPC Explorer window.
On your PocketPC open Explorer, find the CAB file that you just copied and click it. The program should automatically install and afterwards delete the CAB file.
P.S. There is a nice program called CabInstl (http://www.pocketpcfreewares.com/en/index.php?soft=524) (also available at the authors website (http://www.geocities.com/s_k_s_k_s_kru/util.html)) that allows you to specify where the program is installed and whether to delete the CAB file or not when finished. Highly recommended.

[Yahdie]

Success! Thank you for all your help! XP to blame!

I downloaded the ZIP archive to a Win98 PC I have on my home network and for the first time I saw CAB files!
Feeling like I had just discovered electricity, I Explored from the XP PC to the 98 PC, dragged the pretty little CAB (ARM) file to my iPAQ and……words fail me…it worked.
So, now I need to solve the XP PC problem but in the interim I can work like this.

Thank you both for paying so much attention to a Newbie’s problem, it underscores the spirit and strengths of this forum.
si

[jonathanchoo]

That is odd, my XP Pro SP2 can see the cabs. I use WinRAR as my unarchieving program.

it could be your XP has its setting set to hide cab files. I do not think cab files are OS system files worthy of hiding but thats my best guess on what is happening.

[Yahdie]

I had been using Stuffit (trial) and somehow XP had associated CAB file extensions as Stuffit files, so, when I unzipped a downloaded archive, the process ran until the CABs were opened down to their component files.
I would be left with, instead of one CAB file, a bunch of files with unknown extensions, inside a folder named for the CAB it used to be!
Anyway, I dumped Stuffit and re-associated(?) the files in XP and everything works as it should on the XP box.

si