A device (45) receives new program files (46) and uses pre-internalized images to avoid having to internalize a program file every time that program execution occurs. In one embodiment, a software Virtual Machine (50) in the device functions to implement the pre-internalization. Once the program files are pre-internalized to create images that are stored in a permanent memory (56) of the device, the images may subsequently be executed without having to perform a pre-internalization operation. Additionally, use of dynamic memory (52) is reduced in connection with subsequent program execution and execution time of new program files is reduced.