Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 8

I had MANY problems turning off and on the Minstrel Modem and I am wondering if anyone experienced this problems. Here's some of the example:

CENARIO 1:
===========
1. Modem turned on. Connection established
2. Browsing using OmniSky and Email with OSMail works fine.
3. Click on the "Power Switch" Icon to turn off the modem.
4. The following error occured:
MemoryMgr.c, Line:4450
Invalid chunk ptr
5. Soft Reset is required

SCENARIO 2:
===========
1. Modem PLugged in. Start OmniSKy Software and selected MovieFone.
2. No Connection can be made.
3. Must go to Minstrel Icon and click on it.

SCENARIO 3.
===========
1. Modem turned on. Connection established
2. Browsing using OmniSky and Email with OSMail works fine.
3. Turned off the Visor unit.
4. After a few moment, turned on the Visor Unit. Works fine.
5. Click on OMniSky icon or Minstrel generate the following:
NetLib.c, Line:296, Error sending
5. Soft reset is required.

I have NO ANY OTHER 3RD APPLICATIONS installed on the Visor, except Jot 1.2.1 and HandSpring Visor Updater 1.1. I took out Jot 1.2.1 and the problem still remains. After long hours of reset and install, the problem is now minimized. Here's what I did:

1. Hard reset the Visor Prism
2. Install the updater 1.1
3. Soft Reset
4. Install Minstrel S modem.
5. Reset
6. Install Jot 1.2.1
7. Reset

Any other combination will yield the above problems. I still see some "Fatal Exception" errors but this can be "carefully" rectified if I did the following:

1. Turn off/on the modem from the "Power Switch" icon ONLY.
2. NEVER EVER access the "Minstrel" icon when the Modem is off.

If anybody has an insight to this, please share it with me. I am not sure if my PRISM is defective but I just bought it 3 days ago so there should be no problem (I have heard that the first batch of production for the PRISM had problem).

Thanks, All!

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Modesto, CA USA
Posts: 599

Software Glitch?

lanwarrior,

There have been several posts about certain problems with turning on and off the modem. Omnisky is supposedly aware of it. Please remember that the Minstrel S was only available early this month for purchase so there is somewhat of a beta test going on with these units and I'm certain that Omnisky will quickly post a patch.

Here's what I'd suggest as I was having very similar problems initially:

Modem out of Prism - delete all software related to Omnisky out of the Prism.

Reinstall Modem - and allow the modem to reinitialze the Prism.

This will facilitate that you have to reload your email and password settings but it will purge the Prism of any error'd software.

If these problems persist or I'd even recommend first contacting Omnisky tech support at 800-860-5767. They have usually been pretty helpful. If you don't think the tech your talking to has the level of expertise then ask for a different tech. They have been very helpful to me during beta tests as well as a two time customer.

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Moose Man
I may be from the LEFT coast but that's not the correct political view in my mind!

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Posts: 80

lanwarrior, nice write-up of the problems you're having! It's a lot better than the usual "My Visor is having problems. What's wrong with it?"

I've had the OmniSky/Minstrel-S (O/M) for only four days so I'm in the same position as you. At first I was having problems. The first day I had the unit, Thursday, I was at work and ended up with a hard reset. I had the Backup Module with me so I could restore what I had. I did a backup BEFORE installing the O/M software, but not AFTER. That meant that I could not use the O/M until I returned home and reinstalled the software.

I started following this m.o. and have not had any problems (so far). As part of my "going to bed" routine I:

1) Go to the Minstrel app and tap "Shutdown"
2) Once the Minstrel is powered off, go to some non-modem app (i.e. DateBook, CityTime, etc).
3) Remove the Minstrel from the Prism.
4) Insert the Backup Module.
5) Place the Prism in the charging cradle and tap "Back up now". Leave it that way until morning.
6) Attach the Minstrel to it's charging unit; while detached from the Prism. Leave it that way until morning.

I use a program called "AutoSync" that is timed to syncronize the Prism with the desktop and go online to update AvantGo at the same time my alarm goes off.

7) If everything properly sync'ed, go to the Backup app and tap "Back up now".
8) After the backup has completed, go to some non-Backup app.
9) Remove the Backup Module. Wait a couple of seconds.
10) Insert the Minstrel-S.
11) Wait until the O/M is online.

Since I started doing this I haven't had any problems. I do not have to delete any app/PQA.

The only other thing that I've done, and I don't remember what the default settings were, is set the following in the Minstrel app: Menu > Advanced > Config and set "Auto Power Off" to "Disabled" and "Sleep Mode" to "Enabled" then tap Save.

=Dave=


[Edited by dpdamour on 11-26-2000 at 03:09 PM]

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I do NOT look wierd! I just look ... "different".

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 8

dpdamour and RGMOOSE,

Thanks for the help. Your advise certainly does help me. I am now understand that it is a known problem. I have indeed called up OmniSky tech. support but they said that they do not know and never heard of this problem before. As a matter of fact, a case number was created for this "special" problem.

So far, inregards to transmission, it is working flawlessly but the turning off/on of the modem makes the Minstrel S to be very fragile. For example, a friend of mine was plaing around with my Prism and he pull out the modem (to check it out) while the modem is on and BOOM! Fatal exception occured.

I sincerely hope that OmniSky will fix the problem as I do like their service. Thanks, all.

NOTE: RGMOOSE, you mentioned that you're a two time customer. How long, based on your experience, does it take OmniSky to fixed this kind of problem?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Modesto, CA USA
Posts: 599

lanwarrior

I've been a user/testor since early February. I believe that we should see a patch within this year. There were 3 beta loads during the testing and since the initial offering there have been 3 upgrades to the software so 6 releases is quite appropriate. Version 2.0 was a minor overall to the interface compared to version 1.0 but the jump from the beta versions to the first shipping version was a major departure - welcomed to say the least. I can say that Omnisky does listen

I've always had better luck talking to tech support than I've had using the email tech support, primarily because if the initial tech couldn't solve it then the issue always went up the ladder. However, I've also noted that one tech doesn't always know what another tech has done or has in the database therefore for your tech to say he was unaware of the "power switch" problem doesn't suprise me.

Also, remember to use Scout Sync conduit once a week or so because you might get a patch to the software and it would be seemless. I have done a wireless scout sync with the Minstrel S and it took quite awhile so I'd suggest using it through the hot sync conduit for speed sake. It will also update some of your "channels". For example; the last scout sync took off the Election 2000 link so there were some changes made, at the very least, to some of the databases stored on the Prism and not in the modem.

Sorry to be so wordy but I was just trying to be clear.

[Edited by RSGMOOSE on 11-26-2000 at 09:10 PM]

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Moose Man
I may be from the LEFT coast but that's not the correct political view in my mind!

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 8

Moose Man,

I was talking to about 4-5 tech. support guys over the past two days, so I am not sure what was going on that the claimed they never heard of my problem. Because everyone is on holiday, maybe?

Speaking on the ScoutSync conduit, I am not sure if hotsync-ing my palm will also update the OmniSky content software. It does "synchronize" files becase the HotSync screen says so. I notice this because no network transmission is being performed to update the OmniSky content. I have a mini-network at home but I am using a Cisco Router and a firewall box that supports stateful packet inspection. During Hotsync, no reference was made to packet being sent to Omnisky site or from the Network card of the machine I am hot-syncing.

FYI, after the unfortunate hard reset and de-install/install of the Palm Desktop software, I have to manually install ScoutSync Conduit that was downloaded from OmniSky website.

Will it shows anything on the log file if the ScoutSync conduit is sync-ing / updating the file? Thanks for your help.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Modesto, CA USA
Posts: 599

Cool Network

lanwarrior

The sync log won't show it but it will show on the Prism screen each item that is updated. It will only show "Omnisky: Ok" on the log as I just synced while I was away from the board.

I'd say that the since most of the tech support guys I've talked, to that are worth their weight in gold, are from Florida then they are probably pre-occupied with either Turkey Day or the Decision 2000. I have had better luck during the weekends and later in the afternoon from the West Coast. It's like any other tech support - it depends upon who you get and I've never got the same guy/gal twice in the 4 or 5 calls that I've made on technical issues. Not a vast database but I usually work through my own problems once I have the necessary tech information. Also, having a Palm V/MInstrel V modem setup makes it easier to check a know good against the Prism S.

The only other comment on this issue- the original beta included Launch'em by Synergy Solutions. Call me superstitious but I'm currently beta testing version 3.0C of said software and I think there might be some "code" that is left over and the program seems to run better since the builds were produced as such. I know it shouldn't be that big of a deal with the Palm OS and Omnisky did release without Launch'em but .......I grew to love Launch'em.

I probably sound like a poster child for various software/hardware companies but I swear that I'm not being paid for any of it....I'm just a gadget lover and try to help. Here are some versions you can check to see if we pair up since I just scout synced:

Ominsky: v.2.0.0.4
Omnisky: v. 2.1.0.15 (not sure of the sub program duplication)
OSMail: v.2.0
OsActivator: v.2.0.0.6
OsInetLib: v.1.0
OSkyMsgs: v.2.1
OSSetupWiz: v.2.1


Your not using Jot are you? Tech Support told me that it can cause some conficts and since I don't use it anymore then I don't know if it's been resolved. I use TapPad Hack and MiddleCaps Hack and don't notice any problems.

Gotta Run. Email me if you have other questions and I'll check tommorrow.

[email protected] or [email protected]

__________________
Moose Man
I may be from the LEFT coast but that's not the correct political view in my mind!