Rogue OS will scramble your iPaq

Updating your iPaq's software with rogue versions of the new Pocket PC 2002 operating system circulating on the web could cost you data and applications, warned analyst Giga Information Group.

The analyst said there are unofficial versions of the operating system loose on the internet, probably beta versions from within Microsoft. But users have mistaken these for official releases.

"Giga clients have reported that they have attempted to upgrade existing Compaq iPaq PocketPC devices to PocketPC 2002, only to find that existing applications and data were lost when the ROM image installation completed. Additional PocketPC 2002 add-ons were also not available," the analyst said.

"The clients I talked to were frustrated because they thought their applications would be saved, and they didn't know it wasn't the full image until it was too late," warned industry analyst Ken Smiley.

"While none of these ROMs have proven to be Trojan horses, the possibility for a serious security breach through a compromised Flash ROM upgrade remains. Giga clients are advised to upgrade iPaq devices only from original Compaq supplied media," Smiley said.

The official Pocket PC 2002 upgrade is only available via CD and not on the internet. The CDs are expected to be available shortly.

See also:

HP downplays iPAQ complaints

Problems already fixed, claims vendor. Users beg to differ  06 Aug 2002

Compaq issues patch for IPaq

Fixes problems with rogue version of Pocket PC 2002  20 Nov 2001

iPaq upgrade only three weeks away

Compaq says to expect the much delayed Pocket PC 2002 upgrade for iPaq soon  02 Nov 2001

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