First of all, your restoration will only be as good/current as your last HotSync (or backup to card, see below) operation.

Synchronize your handheld (or backup to card) on a regular basis if you have information you don't want to lose on it!!!

I can't tell you how many people I have tell me "My handheld just locked up (or broke). My last HotSync was five months ago!! Is there any way to get all my information back?? Uh, Nope. Backup your data, folks.

If you are switching to a new computer from a dead one, all you should have to do is install the latest Palm Desktop software, and start a HotSync® operation. You will be prompted to create that account on your computer, and then all your information will be copied from your handheld to your computer.

If you've lost your handheld, or for some reason its been hard reset back to blankness, all you have to do is put it in its cradle and perform a HotSync operation. You will be asked which HotSync name to use (if you have more than one on that computer). All of the data (since your last HotSync operation) will be restored.

If you have a handheld with a expansion card, I highly recommend you regularly back up your handheld on a regular basis (ESPECIALLY if you can't get to a computer to do a HotSync operation). My personal favorite for doing this is BackupMan, which allows you to set a # of backups to keep (I keep 2) and schedule those backups to automatically occur (Mine runs at 4:30am daily).

If all else fails and you have lost everything, you of course can visit PalmGear.com to get new software to put on your Hand Held but for applications you have already purchased, you can log into My PalmGear and click on <Order Review> to view you past purchases, download the applications and get all your codes sent to you again if need be.  For more information click here..