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-- Is my serial cradle DOA? (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=3155)

I am attempting to install my visor on a Dell latitude laptop with the serial cradle for HotSync. The software does not detect the cradle and asks me to specify the com port that the cradle is on. I also tried the cradle on a Dell Optiplex that had two free serial ports, but had similar results. Out of frustration I exchanged the old cradle for a new one, and have had the exact same problems with the new one! They couldn't both be broken, could they? When I press the hotsync button it tries to connect to the desktop but eventually times out.

Hi AtkinsE--

Let's go over a few things that you may already have done... but for our troubleshooting purposes, let's make sure you've done it :-)

1) Are there any apps running on either the Latitude or Optiplex that's using a COM port? And what operating system is being used on both? If it's NT, check your RAS settings-- on a Latitude, since you only have one serial port, you should disable the RAS service. On the Optiplex, make sure RAS is not started on the serial port you want the serial cradle on.

2) Even during the installation of the Palm Desktop software, you can still get a "COM port not detected message". I've experienced this on Dell Dimensions and Insiprons 3700/3800/7500, HP Vectra XLs, IBM ThinkPad 1400/1500 i-Series and home-brew Asus motherboard-based systems (could be a "defect" of the Handspring-ized version of the Palm Desktop install...who knows?). After the installation, was the "Local Serial" option selected on the HotSync Manager? (Click once on the HS Manager to pop the menu). Sometimes, it isn't-- I've seen it "automagically" set to USB eventhough I've told the install I'm doing serial.

3) This one, and please don't take any offense, I've seen common on notebooks, but not on desktop systems. Is the COM port enabled in the BIOS? Now--- out of the box, the COM ports should be enabled. But I've encounted enough systems to always look at that setting just in case.

Hope this helps (and if it doesn't, at least we've cleared these hurdles).