Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 15

Hi,

Last night, I forgot I had started a hotsync, and left my visor on the serial cradle for about 3 hours after I had hotsync'ed. When I picked the visor up, it wouldn't turn on. I changed the batteries, still wouldn't turn on -- but I did notice the old batteries had completely died. So, I did a reset (stuck a pin in the little hole, that's a "soft reset", right?). After that, I noticed a weird thing. My hard buttons -- the on botton, the scroll buttons, and the memo/todo/address/calendar buttons, none of them worked at all. Otherwise, my visor worked fine, and I could execute anything I wanted through the silk screen buttons.

But, once the visor did an auto-off, the on button wouldn't work again, so the only way to turn the unit back on was another soft reset. Or, since my alarms still worked, anytime an alarm turned the unit on automatically, then I could use it fine until it auto-offed again. The only way to turn it back on is a soft reset, or hope an alarm goes off.

When I get home, I plan to hotsync again. If that fails, I'll restore from the backup module. I have not installed any new software in a few weeks, so that's not the problem. Whether or not the hacks were active had no bearing on the problem.

Anyone ever seen anything like this before?

Joe

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: San Diego, CA USA
Posts: 89

Warranty service?

Have not heard about this problem before. But if you follow the links in the Visor Dissected! discussion you will see that the hard buttons are actually contained on a separate circuit board from the rest of the Visor. If your device is still under warranty then I would suggest that you call Handspring and ask for a replacement unit. If you device is out of warranty you may be able to use the screwdriver in the Deluxe stylus to open up the case and reseat the circuit board.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 15

Thanks Ed. I tried soft and hard resets last night, then restored from my PC. Basically, everything is working except the buttons (although I was wrong, the scroll buttons do work, not the rest). I am getting into and out of the PDA by attaching or unattaching any springboard module, which turns the until on automatically, and then everything is working from there.

It's still under warrantee, and I guess a trip back to Handspring is needed, sigh.

Joe

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: San Diego, CA USA
Posts: 89

Painless procedure

Joe,

In case you have never returned a Visor to Handspring. I would like to tell you that it is a painless process. Call Tech Support and if they can't resolve the problem then they will send you a new Visor. Then you can backup your current machine and restore to the new Visor. They also include the return sticker for the defective unit (use the same box that the new unit came in). Viola� You don't have to be Visorless at anytime in the process. Call them now!

Registered: Dec 2000
Location:
Posts: 15

Ed,

Just called them, I had been putting it off, wondering what I was going to do without my Visor for a week or more. But, just as you said, they're sending me a new one, so I'll use my current one until it gets here, and then send the broken one in. VERY nice!

Joe

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Dallas-area, Texas
Posts: 82

Ha! you think youve got it hard. My Visor had a problem that it locked. The reason was I had it in grayscale mode with the batteries low. After I turned it off, it wouldn't come on again. So, I did the infamous hard-reset after soft-resetting and hitting a reset loop. Anyway, long-story-short, I sent it for an exchange. New one works fine. Except the down-button is now flaky (same way). Since I received the original unit last April, I'm probably going to send for another replacement.

__________________
Tim
<A HREF="http://vbq1.tripod.com/"></A>

Registered: Oct 2000
Location:
Posts: 23

quote:

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Originally posted by thatch
So, I did the infamous hard-reset after soft-resetting and hitting a reset loop.

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