QUESTION: leftover registry/dlls --> effect on performance/stability?

[ipaq_wannabe]

Are there any adverse effects on PERFORMANCE, device STABILITY, etc., whenever there are LEFT-OVER DLLs, and/or REGISTRY entries?

it is just that when i install a software, and say some months down the road, i found it to be a little lacking; i uninstall it... then i use a third-party app to clean "dead registries, etc."

however, no matter how robust these third-party apps are - i am quite sure there are still lots not considered (like DLLs)... thus, making my system a bit "dirty"

could there be any adverse effects on PERFORMANCE, device STABILITY, etc. when they are NOT taken out?

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OR, could it be that im just thinking TOO much here - getting used to that "Windows feeling"

thanks, and regards

[Menneisyys]

Are there any adverse effects on PERFORMANCE, device STABILITY, etc., whenever there are LEFT-OVER DLLs, and/or REGISTRY entries?

it is just that when i install a software, and say some months down the road, i found it to be a little lacking; i uninstall it... then i use a third-party app to clean "dead registries, etc."

however, no matter how robust these third-party apps are - i am quite sure there are still lots not considered (like DLLs)... thus, making my system a bit "dirty"

could there be any adverse effects on PERFORMANCE, device STABILITY, etc. when they are NOT taken out?

---

OR, could it be that im just thinking TOO much here - getting used to that "Windows feeling"

thanks, and regards

Well, I think manual cleanup is the safest, particularly if (or, somebody - I, for example, started to list all the files copied to \Windows (or, more generally, the RAM) and all the registry entries (or, sometimes, WinCE system database modifications) they do. Then, you will always be able to identify what DLL belongs to which app.

(There're very few shared DLL's that shouldn't be removed unless you uninstall all progs using it; for example, RFileShell.dll used by almost all Resco programs. This means, in most cases, removing DLL's by hand is safe.)

[ipaq_wannabe]

Are there any adverse effects on PERFORMANCE, device STABILITY, etc., whenever there are LEFT-OVER DLLs, and/or REGISTRY entries?

it is just that when i install a software, and say some months down the road, i found it to be a little lacking; i uninstall it... then i use a third-party app to clean "dead registries, etc."

however, no matter how robust these third-party apps are - i am quite sure there are still lots not considered (like DLLs)... thus, making my system a bit "dirty"

could there be any adverse effects on PERFORMANCE, device STABILITY, etc. when they are NOT taken out?

---

OR, could it be that im just thinking TOO much here - getting used to that "Windows feeling"

thanks, and regards

Well, I think manual cleanup is the safest, particularly if (or, somebody - I, for example, started to list all the files copied to \Windows (or, more generally, the RAM) and all the registry entries (or, sometimes, WinCE system database modifications) they do. Then, you will always be able to identify what DLL belongs to which app.

(There're very few shared DLL's that shouldn't be removed unless you uninstall all progs using it; for example, RFileShell.dll used by almost all Resco programs. This means, in most cases, removing DLL's by hand is safe.)

as always, thanks again for your replies...

:D

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anyway, for the topic at hand - the problem would be is that i never bothered taking a note of ALL the DLLs that get installed (from now, i will) - any suggestions...

PS: i DO manual cleanup - however, only with the registry. what i would do is do a search on various combinations of the software app's name, the developer name, etc. and since the PPC registry is not as big as the desktop Windows - i think i can fairly clean it up

BUT what im really worried about are the DLLs

[Menneisyys]

BUT what im really worried about are the DLLs

Well, if the given app is properly written (that is, it uses a cab-based installer), then, you can be pretty sure all your \Windows DLL's get deleted upon uninstall.

You may, still, want to export a directory list of your \Windows directory so that we can have a look at it and point out which DLL belongs to which program(s) and put it here. That is, if you want - a dirlist like this does show what programs are installed on your device, which you don't necessarily want to tell others.

\Windows can be pretty cluttered up, especially with html help files and the image files belonging to them. For example, CalliGrapher 8.0 (see http://discussion.brighthand.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=773927 ) puts 70, absolutely unnecessary unless you really want online help, .bmp files in \Windows...

To make a list of \Windows, you may want to use PPC Command Shell; see my article at http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=343097 on installing it. In there, just issue the

dir /s >somefilename

command in the target directory. (If you don't want to include subdirectory listings, omit the /s parameter.)

It will get a full directory listing. Note that the dirlist it produces (it'll be stored in somefilename) doesn't include hidden/system/ROM files. They are not needed because third party apps only create files in RAM and very few of them creates hidden files.

[ipaq_wannabe]

BUT what im really worried about are the DLLs

Well, if the given app is properly written (that is, it uses a cab-based installer), then, you can be pretty sure all your \Windows DLL's get deleted upon uninstall.

You may, still, want to export a directory list of your \Windows directory so that we can have a look at it and point out which DLL belongs to which program(s) and put it here. That is, if you want - a dirlist like this does show what programs are installed on your device, which you don't necessarily want to tell others.

\Windows can be pretty cluttered up, especially with html help files and the image files belonging to them. For example, CalliGrapher 8.0 (see http://discussion.brighthand.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=773927 ) puts 70, absolutely unnecessary unless you really want online help, .bmp files in \Windows...

To make a list of \Windows, you may want to use PPC Command Shell; see my article at http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=343097 on installing it. In there, just issue the

dir /s >somefilename

command in the target directory. (If you don't want to include subdirectory listings, omit the /s parameter.)

It will get a full directory listing. Note that the dirlist it produces (it'll be stored in somefilename) doesn't include hidden/system/ROM files. They are not needed because third party apps only create files in RAM and very few of them creates hidden files.

okay - ill try it tonight when i get back from work... thanks for the input...

anyway, just before i go on a trip in late August - i think i would need to reinstall my system, though... make it spic and span

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to digress on the topic a bit - wouldnt it be great if there is a complete DLL list out there for common PPC apps?

in the windows world, you can Google on a specific DLL, and you'd get info for it - i wonder if it is the same for the PPC (hhhhmmmm...)

[Menneisyys]

wouldnt it be great if there is a complete DLL list out there for common PPC apps?

in the windows world, you can Google on a specific DLL, and you'd get info for it - i wonder if it is the same for the PPC (hhhhmmmm...)

Well, I may start compiling such a list - I've done quite much work on this (see my "relocate", "free up" and "roundup" type of articles - I always list the affected DLL's (and their relocatability) in them).

With relocatability and sharing (what other apps from the same firm uses the DLL?) info, this list will really be a killer.

[ipaq_wannabe]

wouldnt it be great if there is a complete DLL list out there for common PPC apps?

in the windows world, you can Google on a specific DLL, and you'd get info for it - i wonder if it is the same for the PPC (hhhhmmmm...)

Well, I may start compiling such a list - I've done quite much work on this (see my "relocate", "free up" and "roundup" type of articles - I always list the affected DLL's (and their relocatability) in them).

With relocatability and sharing (what other apps from the same firm uses the DLL?) info, this list will really be a killer.

great!!!

and yes, definitely that this APP would be a killer...

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Menneisyys - wow! i really learn a lot of low-level PPC-stuff with you... thanks!!!

--- edit ---
based on your thread about relocating items for Spb PP - i already know which DLLs are involved with PP...

[ipaq_wannabe]

just having the CAB file - is there a way to find out what files (exe, dll, etc.) get installed?

do we need some third party software, etc?

[Menneisyys]

just having the CAB file - is there a way to find out what files (exe, dll, etc.) get installed?

do we need some third party software, etc?

Nope. With, say, the desktop Total Commander, just go into the cab file (press Enter on it) and View (F3) the file that has the .000 extension. It lists all the files that will be installed. You'll see all the .dll's there too.

[ipaq_wannabe]

just having the CAB file - is there a way to find out what files (exe, dll, etc.) get installed?

do we need some third party software, etc?

Nope. With, say, the desktop Total Commander, just go into the cab file (press Enter on it) and View (F3) the file that has the .000 extension. It lists all the files that will be installed. You'll see all the .dll's there too.

wow!

that's a nifty trick!

thanks - now i can proceed to document all the files that get installed for each app i have (i have created an MS Access database)

--- edit ---
it even shows the ClassID for the APP!!!