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-- Hotsync suddenly doesn't work (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=1922)

Hi,

I'm writing because I'm experiencing a serious problem with the Hotsync function on my Visor Deluxe. Until a couple days ago everything worked just fine. But now whenever I try to Hotsync I get the message saying that a connection with my PC could not be established.
After successfully hotsyncing another Visor to the same PC with the same cradle, I've narrowed the problem down to something within the PDA itself. However, I have no idea what that problem might be -- other than theorizing that the Visor, for some reason, isn't "talking" to the cradle when it should.
What could be causing this problem? Could a hardware setting have been changed accidentally? And just as important, what should I do to prevent all of my stored information from being lost when the batteries eventually run out?
Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Rob

I have the EXACT same problem. I hadn't done anything to my computer except installed a game (Rogue Spear) and suddenly the next day, the hotsync function didn't work. The Visor would turn on, but the computer did not respond. After about it minute, the Visor gives a message about being unable to connect and to check my connections. I've uninstalled and reinstalled just about every application and driver that I could think of that might be relevant. No change whatsoever. I unplugge d all other USB devices, switched USB ports. No go. I spent an HOUR on hold with tech support before finally giving up. I'd say they owe me about $10 for that wasted call. No response in 3 days from an e-mail I sent them. I'm starting to get VERY annoyed. They don't even have a message on their site acknowledging this which is VERY annoying because they KNOW the problem exists but they don't want people visiting their site to see it...

The first thing I would try is a soft reset. This fixes the problem about 90% of the time. It did the trick for me!

It's nice (maybe not the best choice of words) to know that I'm not the only person experiencing this problem -- and therefore it's probably a known "issue".
Unfortunately, I too have tried everything which I could think of to alleviate it, but with no luck. I've tried unistalling/reinstalling the software. I've tried various different things relating to my USB ports. And I've tried both "soft" and "hard" resets of the Visor. But nothing works.
So I too am getting frustrated.....if not downright angry at having to deal with yet another Handspring headache (don't get me started on what it took to even get one in the first place).
Anyhow, I'm very much hoping that this particular problem is just the result of a misadjusted setting, and that someone here can point me in the right direction toward fixing it. Because, frankly, I'll otherwise probably just return the thing if I'm forced (again) to run up my phone bill waiting for a clueless Handspring employee to pick up the receiver.
Thanks in advance for any info.

Rob

Read this in VC the other day:
(Excerpt from article)

Success Overwhelming Handspring
Monday December 13, 1999 - 2:46 AM EST - By Naveen Bellam

Along with order problems, Handspring has found that it is also having some technical problems with the product. Users have been complaining to Internet user groups that the Visor is not syncing data with their PC. While Handspring is still investigating some of the problems, it admits that some of the first units that the company shipped did not have adequate buffering against static electricity charges, which could have been the cause of some data swapping problems. Customers with this problem can return their units for a replacement if found defective.
http://www.visorcentral.com/article.php3?id=26&pv=2

I've had to do a soft reset in order to sync the last few times...are there any suggestions about why it needs a soft reset for every sync?

I've had to do a soft reset in order to sync the last few times...are there any suggestions about why it needs a soft reset for every sync?

Just figured I'd let everyone know that I too, am having the same problem with HotSync. It worked fine until a couple of days ago when it just quit working. I still need to try the soft reset approach.

i've already tried the soft reset approach...doesn't work
i also turned off the PNP OS installed option in the bios as someone else had suggested. still doesn't work. i switched USB ports...nope, doesn't work...
i'm still not sure where the problem is: the visor, the cradle, the computer hardware, windows, or the USB port. i think we need to figure that out first...handspring really needs to address this issue on their website even if it's just to say that they are working on it...

something else occurred to me. the time AFTER the last time i was able to successufully sync the device i had accidentally pulled the visor from the cradle before it was done. i had to go to work so i didn't think anything of it. the next morning was the first time that my computer totally did NOT react after i pushed the hotsync button. just wondering...anybody else remembering doing this? also, i am running Launch 'em as my shell. anyone else?

I too had the syncing problem, yesterday. I got the same response from the visor as the rest of you. A soft reset seemed to fix the problem.... for now..

Ok, I hate to be a "me too", but when my VDX suddenly stopped synching, I reinstalled the software and tried again, no luck. I then looked through this forum and thought that the soft reset was too easy a solution, so I removed the USB from my system and reinstalled the drivers, but still no luck. Finally, I did a soft reset and sure enough, it fixed the problem just fine.

Save yourself sometime and frustration, try the soft reset first.

------------------
Putting the "Ohhh" in OS

Hi everyone,
I had the same problem at the start of last week. I'd been syncing via IR for the last few days so I didn't notice it.
After a few soft resets the problem didn't go away so I tried deleting all my various IR & Serial related programs.

Nothing worked.

In the end I made a backup copy of my C:\program files\palm directory then uninstalled and reinstalled the software.
Rebooted and copied the backed up Palm directory over the new one.

Another reboot later and everything worked fine.

I hope this helps someone.

agoldfish

I have the same problem - for the first time today. Before I soft boot- did anyone lose the info? Can't get everything back if I can't sync.

Well, Me too.
I just tried to sync and Hotsync kept crashing when it hit "synching Mail"
Its worked fine until now. I even changed the settings for the mail sync. I finally had to turn off mail sync and it finally worked. But now I cant sync my mail!
So, how can we find out if our units should be replaced? If we dont have adequate buffering.

FYI
Found out why Hotsynch was crashing when it hit email! I searched through all my inbox email (removing one at a time) and found out that Kettner's Handspring Weekly email was the message that was crashing my HotSynch everytime.

Jeff

[This message has been edited by jjames2285 (edited 12-20-1999).]

Holy Cow...glad I looked here! Same problem w/my BVDX. It just started last night and I think it was after I installed Hackmaster and Afterburner II. My first reaction was to uninstall those two apps, but as many of you know...to no avail! I tested/checked everything else out and then ended up deciding to update my OS w/the "latest & greatest(yeahh, right!)" patches, etc. Again, to no avail! After reading this I just reset my BVDX and I will test out hot sysc once I get home tonight.

Question...what is the difference between a soft reset and hard reset relating to the Visor? I only know one reset...the one on the back of the unit.

-Jefff

Before reflexively blaming HS for this...when I had a Palm Pro, I occassionally got into situations where things wouldn't sync. I don't know how, but sometimes it seemed like a file would get corrupted in a way that would send Hotsync into an infinite loop followed by a timeout error.

In my case, there was something in my calendar files that the Palm didn't like (I admit that at the time I was syncing to Now-Up-to-Date...it was before there was a decent version of Palm desktop).

So...when you guys are having the Hotsync problem, have you tried going into the Hotsync program and turning off the individual conduits one at a time? That could localize the problem.

Huski,

Hmm...that's an idea but I don't even successfully connect w/the desktop. In short, the hotsync process never even kicks off!

-Jeff

I've had this same problem. I've always thought it was related to AIM (AOL Instant Messenger) or !Yahoo messenger.

Almost without exception when I change my availability status on !Yahoo Messenger, hotsync will not work.

This happens from time to time with AIM.

I just stop the hotsync manager and restart it, then my hotsync will work without problems (as initiated by the cradle button).

-- Michael

Well, me too.

I concluded the cradle was defective and asked for a new one.

It did not sync from either of 2 computers after working ok the first couple of times, and won't sync as a serial or USB on either machine.

Soft resets do not help.

Also, on my home computer, hot sync manager crashes every time I try to close it out, and clearly conflicts with the sound card. But this is not a problem on my work computer.