VisorCentral.com - Fixed Win2K USB HotSync problem

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VisorCentral.com (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/index.php)
- How To / Troubleshooting (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=2)
-- Fixed Win2K USB HotSync problem (http://discussion.visorcentral.com/vcforum/showthread.php?threadid=15795)

Posted by ronbot on 06-07-2001 07:02 AM:

I recently got a digital camera and, since both of my USB ports were being used, disconnected my cradle to connect the camera to the same USB port and set up the camera software. Unfortunately, somehow this apparently hosed my ability to HotSync. I spent several hours over a period of a few days trying to get it to work again with no luck.

First, I tried uninstalling the desktop (I have 3.10Hb, the latest version), running the VisorUSBRegClean utility, and reinstalling the desktop. Oh, and soft-resetting the Visor (Deluxe) several times. When I got to the part of the install where it tells you to HotSync, the Visor would try in vain to connect to the desktop. After skipping the HotSync, completing the install and restarting the computer, I would get a little "Found new Hardware" message and the system would act like it was installing a driver for it or something. But still no luck. Now it would show an Unplug/eject hardware icon in the task bar while the handheld tried to sync, but that's it.

I searched around on the USBMan site I saw mentioned on another thread and tried some of the things mentioned there, including changing some BIOS settings, reinstalling Windows 2000 as an "upgrade," and installing service pack 2. Same results.

So, finally I called Handspring support and the support engineer walked me through the following steps, which got it to work!

Go to Add/Remove Programs and remove Palm Desktop

Go to Add/Remove Hardware Wizard. Choose "Uninstall/unplug a device" and "Uninstall a device." Make sure you check "Show hidden devices." Find any items that say Handspring, as in "Handspring USB" or "Handspring Device" or anything that just says "USB Device" and uninstall them. You may have to go through the wizard multiple times to remove them all. (I had to remove 4 items.)

Run the VisorUSBRegClean.exe utility.

Unplug the cradle.

Restart the computer.

Reinstall the desktop software. When it gets to the point where it asks you to HotSync, plug the cradle in and attempt to synchronize.

Actually, step 3 may have been before 1 and 2, I don't remember too clearly, but it might not matter. The support person also mentioned that sometimes the HotSync doesn't work during the desktop install. If it doesn't, I'm not sure what the next step would be. Finish the install anyway and restart the machine, perhaps?

Anyway, I hope this information may save someone else some time and frustration.

Posted by Scotth on 06-11-2001 03:01 PM:

This still did not work for me.

I am having the same problem that when I press the hotsyn button, I am propted with reinstalling the Visor. I walked through the steps that are listed, but with no success. I have also called Visor tech support. They gave me some suggestions and then said try this and gave me the brush off. What they suggested did not work either.

The wierd thing is that it will syn some of the information, but will still ask to install the Visor.

I have a Visor Deluxe, Win2000 system.

Thanks for anyone's suggestions.

Posted by txag98 on 06-13-2001 03:03 PM:

same thing here

I have the same setup @ work and it is fine but last night I took my Prism home and tried to set it up there to no avail...

I have tried everything listed and nothing seems to work. I almost freaked when, this morning, I plugged everything up and it did the same thing where it shows the device trying to connect in the taskbar and didn't hotsync. I swapped the USB port and it worked fine. I have tried this at home but that didn't work either....

Prism and Windows 2000

Any "other" ideas than those mentioned above?

Posted by txag98 on 06-14-2001 02:28 AM:

whew

Well I repeated the steps again and then once more after I removed the USB Root Hub(s) and then it re-installed everything and it worked!

Posted by Eug on 06-17-2001 02:16 AM:

Thanks for the info.

It has been posted as FAQ 1107: http://www.visorcentral.com/page/0-17-1107-17.htm

Posted by tgrier on 06-30-2001 06:42 AM:

I am having the same problem.... I went through the step outlined... and w2k :find new harware and installs my visor... but I cannot connect to the hot sync...I have usb checked on the software and yet the visor still says it cannot talk to the computer...

any other suggestions.?

__________________
Austin, Texas

Posted by txag98 on 06-30-2001 08:35 AM:

Hey t-sip

have you tried using a diff USB port? just unplug it and try it on the other one..... hope that works!

Posted by tgrier on 06-30-2001 03:53 PM:

Hey... TXag...

It is on my laptop... and I only have one USB....

What part of TX are you in....

__________________
Austin, Texas

Posted by skywalkm on 06-30-2001 04:18 PM:

Hard Reset

I had the same problem and had to use serial for a while. I had tried all of the fixes I had read about, even reinstalling Win2K. Finally, I got it in me to do the following:
1. take a backup using the backup module (which is sooo much better than relying on a hotsync backup)
2. do a hard reset
3. do a hotsync to find the hardware - which it did; and finally it was working
4. now for the big one - restore from previous backup
5. do a hotsync with the restored data, and BINGO!! It works!

__________________
- Matthew

Posted by tgrier on 06-30-2001 04:26 PM:

Sky...

Thanks for the tip.... I will work on this ...

Can you explain the dif. from a hard to a soft reset...

The button on the back of the unit... I am assuming is a soft reset.... please advise...

__________________
Austin, Texas

Posted by txag98 on 06-30-2001 04:28 PM:

one port eh? Hmmm....

Well h*ll... give handspring a call and see if they can walk you through the steps to set it up on your laptop. They have outstanding customer service :-D

btw I am a programmer at the big school down the road

Posted by txag98 on 06-30-2001 04:34 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by tgrier
Sky...

Thanks for the tip.... I will work on this ...

Can you explain the dif. from a hard to a soft reset...

The button on the back of the unit... I am assuming is a soft reset.... please advise...

To perform a hard reset:

Hold down the power button on the front panel of the handheld.
While holding down the power button, use an unfolded paper clip (or similar object without a sharp tip) to gently press the reset button.
Release the power button.
When a message appears on the handheld screen warning that you are about to erase all the data stored on your handheld, do one of the following:

Press the top scroll button on the front panel of your handheld to complete the hard reset and display the Digitizer screen.
Press any other button to perform a soft reset.

Posted by tgrier on 06-30-2001 05:02 PM:

An added thing...

I use win2k... and I srewed things up when I installed palm desk4...

I am uninstalled and all the rest... but I cannot make it work...

I am going to keep trying...

__________________
Austin, Texas

Posted by skywalkm on 06-30-2001 05:17 PM:

I recently upgraded to Office XP and had to go to PD4 so that I wouldn't get any access errors to my mail. It would come up with a message about trying to access outlook (during a hotsync on the computer), do you wish to allow it? I have not had any problems with it. However I am still getting that annoying message since I have PocketJournal - and now it is happening when it is trying to access PJ. If it is not one thing, there is always another. But you know what? This is what makes life fun! ...well at least half the time, maybe.

__________________
- Matthew

Posted by tgrier on 06-30-2001 05:26 PM:

I thought that PD 4 did not work with the visor....

__________________
Austin, Texas

Posted by wkm on 07-02-2001 12:16 AM:

can't hotsync with win2k

I have a vdx and am trying to set up a hotsync with a new computer with win2k installed. I tried everything detailed in the earlier posts but still no luck.

I have switched between my two USB ports and have uninstalled and reinstalled everything (Handspring, that is). When the computer detects the cradle in the USB port, it starts to install it, then I get: "An error occurred during the installation of the device. The installation failed because a function driver was not specified for this device instance." Then it tells me to click Finish.

Any recommendations on what I should do now? I am approaching severe desperation. Thx IA.

Posted by tgrier on 07-02-2001 08:06 PM:

SKyman...

I did everything you did but the hard reset... you think that is the key to solving the HOT sync issue?

trg

__________________
Austin, Texas

Posted by skywalkm on 07-02-2001 11:57 PM:

I would say no to the hard reset unless you have to. If you have a backup module, it is a no brainer. Do it. I have restored w/o the module and not everything gets restored, but with the module, it is an exact image. But, what you can do instead (keep in mind I am no expert), you could remove a program at a time until it works. If there is some type of registry for the visor, then it might not make a difference. I don't know if there is one. I think there must be one, because how was I able to restore from my backup and it worked? If what I said was true about an exact image, then it shouldn't have worked.

If you don't have a backup module, I would definitely recommend one. There is the "Backup Module" which is what I have for 39.95 and the "Hagiwara Backup & 8MB Flash Module" for 94.95. You should at least get the cheaper one.

If you don't have the module, then make sure you still have all of your software and any reg codes for any shareware you have bought.

Good luck.

__________________
- Matthew

Posted by skywalkm on 07-02-2001 11:59 PM:

Oh, one more thing. When I referred to PD4, I was talking about "Palm Desktop", not the Palm OS 4 which IS NOT compatible with Visor.

__________________
- Matthew

Posted by skywalkm on 07-03-2001 12:01 AM:

wkm,

I would do what I have mentioned above. If you are still having problems or are reluctant to do so, go buy a serial cradle. I got a combo one that has a switch for USB/RS232(Serial) which came in very handy during my depression, when I couldn't figure it out either.

__________________
- Matthew

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