Agenda Error Message

[aehnorwich]

I have a Netbook which I am starting to use for more and more functions as I learn more about it. And what a beautiful little machine it is.
However ...when attempting to access several items on the Tools menu in Agenda - the program closes and I receive the following message -

Program Closed
Program Agenda
Reason Code Agenda
Reason Number 10

Any ideas as to why this might be? It is the View Preferences/General Preferences & Entry Symbol Colours items tht cause the 'crash'.

Any help would be much appreciated. I did try searching but found nothing I could see was immediately relevant. Thank you.

[dave99]

...I've never had "Agenda" crash ever...and I've had Psion's for years! it's an odd one. The best thing to do is a "soft reset" for now...see if that cures it..

Also, have you installed any Software recently?

DT

[aehnorwich]

Originally posted by dave99
...I've never had "Agenda" crash ever...and I've had Psion's for years! it's an odd one. The best thing to do is a "soft reset" for now...see if that cures it..

Also, have you installed any Software recently?

DT

Thanks for taking the trouble to answer. I have tried a soft reset.
I have in fact been installing a good deal of software of late having found the interesting software download sites. I understand what you are saying. I shall try a complete re-install if that is the answer.

[cshandley]

You could just try uninstalling anything you've installed recently (esp. anything which integrates with other software), and then doing a soft reset.

[aehnorwich]

The answer appears to be that I have Build 370 installed on my machine - which leads to the following known bug ...

'Agenda
Attempting to enter any of the Preferences dialogs under the Tools menu will cause an error or an outright crash of Agenda. No data is lost.'

This info came from -
http://epocfaq.co.uk/faqNetbook.htm a page I found while googling for the O/S.

So I have to install Version1.05(build 450, release 158) (Psion Teklogix Partner Program) which fixes all bugs introduced by build 370.
I have that newer version on a CF as a back-up should I ever need one but to install it over a working system looks a daunting prospect and I shall have to think hard about whether to try. At least I (and now you all) know the reason for my problem.
Thanks for your time and thoughts.

Alan

[cshandley]

You can 'install' the new OS, without reinstalling all your apps. The main issue is that you'll need to note down your existing internet settings, and then delete (or rename) the C:\System\Data\Commsdb.dat file (IIRC).

Of course, you'll also need to backup your C disk, as it will need a hard reset to load the new OS. You could always use FastBackup (from www.freepoc.org) to do the job.

[aehnorwich]

Originally posted by cshandley
You can 'install' the new OS, without reinstalling all your apps. The main issue is that you'll need to note down your existing internet settings, and then delete (or rename) the C:\System\Data\Commsdb.dat file (IIRC).

Of course, you'll also need to backup your C disk, as it will need a hard reset to load the new OS. You could always use FastBackup (from www.freepoc.org) to do the job.

Thank you.
I have never set up or connected the Netbook for the internet or email and have never entered any settings - but Opera & the email programme are loaded.
I already have a full back-up of the C Disk on the CF card in a folder I created & called 'Backup'. I copied the C Disk using the copy disk option on the 'Disk' menu
The new version OS was installed/copied to the same CF but that was done direct from my PC to the D Drive using PsiWin. That is not in a folder of its own,
I am concerned that the file now named OS.IMG on D Drive is shown as File Type 'not available' - the file icon is a piece of paper with a blue '?' which suggests it might not be readable when I need it.
Excuse my ignorance about all of this. I do not want to perform the hard reset and then find I have no OS to install.
Many Thanks.

[cshandley]

The blue question mark icon just means that there is no Psion program which can load/edit that file, and is perfectly normal.

However, there are cases where a Netbook refuses to load the OS.IMG file on a CF. It seems to be due to formatting issues and/or card sizes. Ideally you would have a small (e.g. 16Mb) CF formatted directly on your Psion, with just the OS.IMG file on it. That would increase your chances of success, but hopefully it won't be needed...

BTW, with a hard reset, you should make a note of any shareware registration codes, as they may be forgotten.

[aehnorwich]

Thank you. That was very helpful. It's these small things that people like me struggle with.
I shall buy a small CF. I have had just the one CF with 80mb and just use it for everything. Now I shall do as you say.
I'm off to Dixons tomorrow!

[alfaloco]

Hi Ae..

It's been ages since I've last posted here, mainly because my Netbook suffered a catastrophic failure that fried the Mobo and rendered it useless for many many moons. This is the first time I'm firing up myNetbook after coming back from repairs and it feels just like putting on a pair of warm well worned comfy gloves. I can tell you, as handy and delightful my Hornada 728 has been these past 3 months, nothing beats the Netbook when it comes to to surfing, emailing and yes, doing work...

Anyway, I'm no expert on the Netbook as some of the other users here, CSHandley especially, but I just wanted to say that geting the latest OS build onto your baby would do wonders for you.The most significant addition would be adding Wi Fi capability and an upgraded Operwa. Both ofn which has for me at least, proven the Netbooks usability of many other devices.

I also would like to second CSHandley suggestion on FastBackup. It is an excellent piece of software and I dare say that the EPOC community at large is indebted to Chris for writing and distributing it to us.

Lastly Ae, enjoy that little baby you have there. Cheeres...

[aehnorwich]

Thank you. I have been using FastBackup for the past few days and understand why you all rate it so highly.
My one reason for hesitating to upgrade to build 450 is that I do not use my Netbook for any internet or email access. I am not a businessman and I pay enough for my home Broadband internet as it is - which i use a great deal - without adding further ISP charges through using a modem link on the Netbook. So the email & Opera applications remain as unused as they were the day I bought my Netbook.
In all honesty I am also worried that if the OS will not load properly then I have in effect lost my Netbook. Silly isn't it. You can't buy small CF cards easily these days and I am loath to buy a large capacity CF just for the OS as advised by most people here. We shall see. If I was sure it would work from my heavily used existing CF card then I would go ahead - but as it is I am a bit 'scared'.

[aehnorwich]

Took the plunge and installed new OS version 450. Easy-Peasy!
Well I did get a bit confused about using FastBackup to restore the C Disk. I assumed that having no Fastback application on the C Disk I couldn't just restore everything from the backup on D. So I reinstalled the app .sis file on to C and then just requested it restore from the D/BackupofC folder. It all worked just fine.
For anyone else trying this I did use - perhaps not sensibly - the one CF card with the OS, the BackupofC and some other stuff I had placed in folders on D ie some jpgs & some dictionary files. It found the OS.IMG file immediately and downloaded it.
Thank you all for giving me the confidence to try it.
I don't know what all the fuss was about!!!

[cshandley]

Glad it all went well.

If you have broadband, there are several ways you could give your Netbook access to it - WiFi, Ethernet, or simply via a serial cable connected to your PC.

BTW, if you had installed FastBackup to the D disk, then re-installing would not have been necessary. It would also have saved your backup settings - although this apparently wasn't a problem since you left it at it's default in the first place.

Oh, and if you like the official release of FastBackup, you'll love the new version being worked on (with a toolbar, menu & the like).

[aehnorwich]

Many Thanks. I have asked a Broadband question in a new thread - there might be others like me who will be interested in the answers.

Alan