Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 26

Problem restoring to new Visor

Help please. I'm at a total loss.

After the dog ate my Platinum, I replaced it with a Prism which I received yesterday. I figured I could just restore my data from the backup module, which has my most recent backup. But, it's not happening.

Everything seems to be restoring OK, until the very end when I get the following message:

Fatal Alert
.../src/Palm/HwrBattery6
8Z328.c, Line 1910, Invalid
battery kind

I had installed on my Platinum both Runtime and a battery hack that added Battery to the options on the Preferences menu. I was using NiMH batteries on the Platinum. The Prism is a rechargable unit. I'm not sure this is the problem, but it's all I can figure.

Anyway, the only way to get out of the Fatal Alert loop is to hard reset. I've done this a number of times already. I'm at wit's end. If I cannot restore my data, I guess I'll recover emotionally (sigh), but if anyone has any answers, I'm all ears. There should be a smiley for FRUSTRATED!!!

TIA

__________________
Di
http://loveyourmother.homestead.com
http://www.pbase.com/di

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

Since the offending app is on the Backup module, I think you're only option (besides a tedious restore-from-desktop) would be to restore to a Deluxe or Platinum (assuming you know somebody who has one), delete the battery app, restore the battery type, backup to the module, and attempt the restore to the Prism.

I know, you probably didn't want to hear this, but I think it's the only way. Unfortunately, the Backup module is an all-or-nothing solution.

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God bless America, my home sweet home...

Registered: Oct 2001
Location: Macau
Posts: 52

I had a similar problem when I updated from a deluxe to a prism. In my case, it was the updates for using IR and for some odd reason, something about my keyboard settings that caused a problem. Eventually it all got working, though, so take heart.

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 26

Mark, you're right. I didn't want to hear that. Do you have a deluxe or platinum I can borrow? I'd send it right back, honest. If maybe you'd be willing to take me seriously, and be willing to take the risk, and/or know someone who would, I'd really appreciate it. This is a rotten dilemma.

I tried getting the old one to work. The buttons work, but the screen input is completely dead. Any ideas??

Thanks for your reply.

__________________
Di
http://loveyourmother.homestead.com
http://www.pbase.com/di

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

quote:

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Originally posted by Di
Do you have a deluxe or platinum I can borrow?

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You can have it when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers...

Ok, obviously you don't know anyone else with a Visor. Maybe a trip to the local electronics retailer with working demo's on display? Restore, delete the offending files, backup, hard reset the demo unit... if that's not an option then I guess you'll have to bite the bullet and restore from the desktop.

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God bless America, my home sweet home...

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 60

Have you tried this?

Just a thought, but have you tried a "warm reset"? This would entail pushing the reset button on the back while holding the up scroll button pressed. I think this bypasses startup code like hacks. If you can get it up you can then delete the battery hack and then perform a normal soft reset.

It's worth a shot anyway, you've got nothing to loose.

By the way, as a rule I deactivate all hacks and hack-like programs (gotype keyboard, graffiti echo, textplus, and always use LauncherIII) before I back up to my module. It's a bit of a pain, but I am paranoid about safeguarding my data. I also run BackupBuddyNG so that my desktop serves as a back-up of last resort.

Joel

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 26

Joel, that was it!!!! Bless your heart. That's all it took. I love this forum.

And, even though there are a few teeth marks in the 8mb flash module, it works!!! I am good to go.

Mark, you just know I had to ask, right? You are this group's moderator, so I was maybe thinking that you have a whole bunch of Visors laying around. It was wishful thinking. :-)

__________________
Di
http://loveyourmother.homestead.com
http://www.pbase.com/di

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

quote:

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Originally posted by Di
so I was maybe thinking that you have a whole bunch of Visors laying around.

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Now that's wishful think on my part! Believe it or not, I only have my trusty 2-yr old VDx. I had a Platinum loaner for the Digital Link review but that's packed for shipment on Monday.

I never thought of the warm reset because I assumed you were getting the fatal error during the restoration from the module. I'm glad it worked but I'm puzzled as to why. If you attempted a restore immediately after a hard reset, I would think the Prism would be in the same state as after a warm reset. Oh well, live and learn.

Oh, make sure you get lots of nice chew toys for that doggie of yours... wouldn't want to see him think the Prism was the latest offering from Milk Bone.

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God bless America, my home sweet home...

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: New York, NY, USA
Posts: 60

Great!!

Di,

I am so glad that the warm reset worked. I thought of it because in your original description you stated that the problem occurred at the very end of the restore and the error message sounded like the restored OS balking because the battery type hack was active, implying a successful restore from the module. I think what happened is that the warm reset bypassed the activation of that hack and then the OS could run allowing you to delete the offending hack.

This is all just supposition, as I have no real technical training. I just can't stop mucking around with my Visor and have picked up a few tricks along the way. I've been playing with them since my first PalmPilot Personal from USRobotics. I then upgraded that to 2mb/ir with the palm upgrade. A VisorDx was next as soon as they were available. I just recently switched to a used Prism I picked up on Ebay and sent to Tony Rudenko to upgrade to 16mb. With my VisorPhone I now have nearly everything I want in function al be it in a rather large size.

Glad you're all fixed up.

Joel