CF dumped - Forums q, and others too!

Ok first the easier of the questions:

Been a few months since I was on last - And for some reason, a "imported_" was added to my name? Is there any way to get rid of that?? I am NEVER going to remember to type that in, and don't really want to make another account.

Second - (and reason for posting today, obviously, lol)
I've been using my iPaq 2495b happily since pretty much ever. A few problems here and there, nothing big.
I've now migrated to Windows Vista and it's new software. (not sure if this is to blame). After plugging it in, (and it sat there awhile, long enough I'd have thought to sync) I realized I needed it again to go to the store. Unplugged it, and that's when life ended for me, so to speak. I have a CF8GB which holds all my applications. (and an SD which is just a 1GB swap card). Something happened that literally KILLED my card. No apps show up. When inserting it (the card) into the PC OR the ipaq, a prompt comes up to format and use the device. After hours of pounding the desk and trying anything I could think of, I bit the bullet and formatted. Sure enough, the ipaq now see's it as does my computer.
Of course, everything is now gone. So - Question 1 to the second part is: Is this common/known/why did it happen?? Any ideas?? Not partial corruption of a file (IF it was syncing still for some reason), but TOTAL destruction of the data on the card.
Third - Now - I installed all these apps via the same PC, but running XP, which I can still dual boot into.
Already I'm facing problems - Because nothing I had is 'successfully installing' to the ipaq now. I can copy files to the card, and it reads fine on the ipaq, so it's not the card/hardware. I suspect it's because the ipaq's registry is saying, "all these things are already installed!" and failing. My apps now 'broken' include PHM reg editor, which I would normally use to see if I could erase said programs, but alas - I cannot install/repair PHM either (nor anything I've tried, including weather app, listpro, various games).. HELP?? I don't want to reset the device if at all possible (good data still all over the thing, lol).. I have trying (in Vista) to add/remove software on the ipaq (which took some time to find in the WM gui). It shows everything that I had installed on there properly. However, unchecking it does not remove it. It brings up the skinny context box saying removing application or whatever, but does actually not remove it. I open add/remove (not PC, but the WM one, of course!) and it's still there - I look in the start bar on the iPaq, and the 'dead' apps are still there.. :( Only thing I haven't tried yet is doing it from XP. Partially because I removed the 'link' between the ipaq and xp figuring I'd not be using that os again (for the ipaq anyway).

Fourth - Anyone know a good way (once the above is solveD) to prevent 20 some installs for the ipaq to NOT be cluttering up my PC program files area?? IE, some things, like ListPro, DO install PC and iPaq programs. That's fine. But most others, notably games, do not. Yet - They still make annoying pc folders..

Any help on these matters is greatly appreciated!

Rooster

there is some software (forget what specifically) that will salvage lost data even after a format. maybe you could use something like that and restore all of the files to the CF and avoid uninstalling/reinstalling all together?

If anyone knows what software might do this - - I'm game for trying it :)

[spud42]

i think you have to manually go through the add/remove option in control panel and delete all the program install folders by hand. i do it all the time to free up space and get rid of folders. it doesnt affect the ipaq or running of programs when you sync. you may have to sync with xp to remove them as for the registry on the ipaq try a program called "Mobile Registry Editor" it runs on the pc after you sync and allows you to see the ipaq registry and edit from the pc. you could use this to delete the registry keys left after the CF card problem.

Well brute force proved to be my friend.. Never found an application to unerase/recover those files on my CF card, and though every program gave me error after error trying to uninstall / or reinstall / or repair (depending on the app), I'm about 80% back to normal now.. Seems just trying it over and over will eventually land you the application "re-installed" properly, lol. No ryhme or reason to it though, for the record.. But all is better at least for now. Guessing by lack of posts this is not normal, or no one else with this iPaq is running Vista.. Bizzare thing to happen IMO. Hopefully it never happens again!