We have written a very simple application in VB.NET that uses the .NET
Compact Framework (SP2). The application reads a product barcode, looks
it up in a database and shows the price on the screen. The device we
are targeting is the Symbol MK1100 which has Windows CE 4.1 installed.

We have set up the CE device so that it installs the .NET Compact
Framework and relevant Symbol Assemblies as it boots up. Then we launch
our application as the final step.

Following a cold boot, approximately 1 in 3 times, as our application
starts it yields a variety of random error messages such as "Fatal
Application Error" or a number of different "TypeLoadException"
errors claiming various .NET assemblies are missing (which ones are
missing seem to be completely random). This problem can sometimes be
resolved by simply restarting our application.

For several days now we have tried many, many things, and have no more
ideas. For example we are running the application from the \Program
Files directory and NOT the \Application directory as we understand
running applications from non-volatile flash memory could cause
instability. We have also tried adding a delay of 15 seconds before our
application begins in case there is some timing issue - again this
makes no difference.

Whatever the problem is it seems that the programs installed on boot -
i.e. the CF, Symbol Libraries etc are not being properly registered in
the GAC or installed correctly. We've even tried putting the DLLs in
the application directory but it makes no difference.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Nick Thompson
DCSL Internet Ltd