You open most of the applications on your handheld by tapping Start > Programs and then tapping an icon.  The icons you see on the Programs page represent shortcuts that reside in the handheld's \Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder.

Take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the Pocket PC's file structure by tapping Start > Programs > File Explorer icon. 

At the top left-hand side of your screen, you'll see:

You could consider this to be the Pocket PC's root directory, and you can consider the folders you see in the screen to be the Pocket PC's subdirectories.  One of the folders you'll see here is the Windows folder.  If you tap it you are now in the \Windows subdirectory, and the image you see at the top left-hand side of the screen changes to this:

When you install third-party applications, you have the option of installing them to the handheld's main memory or to a storage card.  If your Pocket PC is running the Windows Mobile 2003SE or an earlier operating system and you install the application to main memory, the application's executable file is probably in the \Windows folder as well.  Microsoft changed this somewhat for Pocket PC's running the WM5.0 operating system.  With WM5.0, most applications that are installed to main memory are installed within the \Programs Files folder which can be found directly off the root.

Most application installation wizards place a shortcut into the \Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder, so as soon as you install the application, you can tap Start > Programs and find an icon for the application you just installed. 

However, some installation wizards may not create a shortcut and, if you wish to access these applications through the programs screen, you will need to create a shortcut.

Create shortcuts to gain easy access to your programs

To create a shortcut, you will use File Explorer to navigate to the appropriate application EXE file:

·      Select Programs > File Explorer and then navigate to the application.EXE file for which you wish to create a shortcut.

·      Press and hold your stylus on the file until a pop-up menu appears

·      Select <Copy>

·      Navigate to the \Windows\Windows\Start Menu\Programs folder.

·      Press and hold your stylus on a blank area of the screen until a pop-up menu appears

·      Select <Paste Shortcut>

·      To run the application, tap Start > Programs > you should now see an icon for your application

Delete shortcuts to clean up the clutter

Some applications' uninstall programs, referred to as unload procedures, are sloppy and leave junky remnants on your Pocket PC, so you may see icons in your Programs page for applications you have deleted.  If you tap the icon, you'll probably get a message that the application cannot be found.