Registered: Feb 2000
Location: Boston, MA USA
Posts: 2

I'm running a Mac G3 233mhz (beige desktop) OS 8.6 with a USB PCI card (Belkin) and after 3+ months of sporadic HotSyncing with my Visor Deluxe, I have now completely lost all HotSync ability (and my patience). Nothing was changed or added to the Visor or Mac to cause this loss, it just decided not to work one day.

Here's what I've already tried:
- The usual extension conflict tests.
- re-installing the desktop software several times (via the CD and the downloaded version via HanSpring.com)
- thousands (no joke) of soft resets on the Visor.
- Soft resetting the Visor while in the cradle.
- a couple of medium resets on the Visor (soft reset while pressing the up button).
- a couple of hard resets on the Visor.
- Booting up the Mac with the Visor in and out of the cradle.
- Booting up the Mac with the cradle plugged and unplugged.
- downloading and installing the recommended USB drivers (USB Card Support 1.3.5) via Apple.com.
- switching PCI slots for the USB card.
- Turning off the Serial Port Monitor at start-up and activating it just before attempting to Hotsync.
- Installing Desktop 2.5 from Palm.com (importing the 2.1 Serial Port Monitor and HotSync Manager)
- turning off AppleTalk via the Chooser.
- Several threats of physical violence to HandSpring's "Tech Support" (and I use the word "support" loosely).

My only thought at this point is that the Mac is not recognizing the USB port. When installing the desktop software I am giving an initial choice of modem or printer ports to use for syncing and I am forced to select one to complete the installation. In the HotSync Manager I am given the choice of three methods (Local, Serial, and USB) where I obviously choose USB only. However, the Mac's HotSync preferences file (in the System/Preferences folder) still lists my initial modem/printer choice in its settings. In the HotSync log file it also lists the following on all of the successful HotSyncs: Local Synchronization - Syncing via port "Modem Port" - Syncing at 57600 bps.

I also have an Epson 1520 printer using this card (it's a 2-port card) without problem. I have tried all of the above fixes with and without the Epson and it's extensions so I am fairly confident that it is not related to the printer.

I've placed multiple calls and spent several(!) hours on the phone with HandSpring and received nothing but ridiculously generic suggestions ("have you tried rebooting?") and the promise of a replacement cradle (someday!?). They really have no clue re: the Mac as their website and support material shipped with the product clearly show.

I have checked out every web site and newsgroup I can think of and tried every fix short of shaving my body and dancing around the damned thing, all to no avail.

If you have a tip or possible remedy, send it my way and I will name my children after you. Thanks in advance.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 97

Do you have IR capabilities on your PowerMac? I've had lots of hotsynch problems on Macs, too, and the IR (using IrLink) seems to work more consistently than the USB which frequently crashes my iMac. Some other things that have worked for me are repeatedly disabling and re-enabling the serial port monitor until it works, or changing the serial port settings back while it's disabled. Another thing you might try is springing 20 bucks for a serial cradle and going in through the modem or printer port, which works well for me with my G3 laptop at work. Sometimes, though, it's just unpredictable -- I can't figure out why it stops or starts working again because I haven't done anything differently. Good luck!

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: San Diego
Posts: 3

I am having the same problem. I'm on a Mac G3 350mhz, blue, OS 8.6 and have been sucessfully hotsyncing for almost two months (as long as I've owned the visor). All of a sudden, last Monday in fact, my desktop decided to stop communicating with the visor for no apparent reason. I've tried everything short of calling "tech support" (I am aware of the amount of time one must spend on the phone before actually talking to a live person).

Anyhow, I am as frustrated as you are. Please let me know if you have any luck fixing this problem and I will do the same.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: Boston, MA USA
Posts: 2

That's a little strange, as my Visor stopped last Monday as well. Before that, it was pretty random (lots of soft resets).

For a while I was disabling HotSync at start up and then starting it up just before I attempted to HotSync. It seemed to work up to last Monday. I assumed it was an extension conflict that I couldn't see.

I am beginning to wonder if my problem lies in the PCI USB card I use. I assume you have built in USB ports on your blue G3?

Out of curiosity, can you see any reference to the Cradle in the System Profiler/Devices and Volumes tab? I can only see my Epson 1520 printer in this area and no mention of the Cradle. Even with all of the Epson extensions off and the printer unplugged I see no mention of the Cradle.

Also, in your HotSync Preferences in the System/Preferences folder does it mention thge USB port or rather the modem or printer? (you can read this file via Simple Text or any text editor (BBedit, etc.) Mine lists the Modem port. I assume it should reference the USB port. Strangeser still is that it lists the modem port on all my successful logs, even though I was using the USB port.

Thanks for the reply, any help is greatly appreciated... HandSpring's tech support is truly clueless. They apologize and yet offer no suggestions for further troubleshooting. Don't waste you time (or phone bill) with them, the boards like these are far better. Good luck.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: San Diego
Posts: 3

This afternoon I removed entire Visor file from my hardrive (I backed a copy up on a zip just in case). Then I reinstalled the original software from the Handspring CD back on to the hardrive and performed a HotSynch. It seems to be working....at least for now. Obviously my problem was in the software not in the cradle. Anyhow...hope this helps.

Registered: Feb 2000
Location: San Diego
Posts: 3

I thought I'd let you know....as I suspected.... the first fix was only temporary. Once I restarted the computer I lost my connection with the handheld again.

As a result I deleted and loaded the software many many many many times. Finally I went in to the extensions manager (which it sounds like you alread did but might want to try again). I found that ALL my palm-related extensions were turned off. After I turned them all back on and reloaded the software ONE more time the problem seems to be resolved....I've rebooted and everything and it seems to be working just fine. Quite a frustrating problem however....these things are supposed to make our lives easier.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: New York
Posts: 3

Suggestion to unhappy Mac Hotsynchers

My boss has been having similar hotsynching problems between his iMac running MacOS 8.6 and his Visor via USB cradle. Seems no way around a reboot before every hotsynch. The serial port monitor also quits with a "Type 3" error.

A complicating factor, however, which might help others trying to sort through this hotsynching mess is in the Hotsynch Manager setup.

I found that when the Local Setup is set to "Handspring USB" (as anyone would figure), hotsynching does not work, period, no matter how many reboots and resets you try.

However, there is a capricious extra setting in the Local Setup list called simply "USB". When that is selected, hotsynching works. It only appears after a reboot, so I suspect it is associated with the Serial Port Monitor that always wants to quit after your first hotsynch and can only be brought up again after a reboot.

This whole situation seems rather disgraceful to me, especially the apparent cluelessness of the Handspring techs. Very surprising to me that this chronic problem hasn't reached scandal proportions in the press.

Is there such a thing as a Serial Port Monitor upgrade? Seems that's what's really needed here.

Replies welcome.

-Alex Yourke

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: Hawaii
Posts: 99

FWIW, I have found that if your PalmOS preference file gets corrupted or damaged, it can interfere with Mac hotsynching. When this happens I use a program called Preference Editor (available on PalmGear) to delete the PalmOS pref file, then my hotsynching will work again. In Gordo's case though, since he can't hotsynch at all I don't know how he would get the program on his PDA . Also, I have to point out that deleting preference files can be a way to solve crashing programs, I just updated my PortaMonkey to the latest version and it kept crashing on starting up, deleting the Portamonkey pref file solved that problem too. The only problem with using this program is that you could accidentally delete the wrong pref file, in which case you might have to reenter registration codes, or maybe even reinstall some dificult programs. Anyway, that's all I have to say in regards to Mac hotsynching, hope this info can help someone.

Note-If you use this program to delete the PalmOS pref file, be aware that you might have multiple PalmOS pref files on your Visor, the PalmOS pref file at the bottom of the scrolling list of pref files is the active one that is causing the problems, deleting that should help. If that doesn't work then deleting the bottom most PalmOS pref file one by one, hotsynching after each file is deleted should get you to a pref file that works. Or you could just delete all the PalmOS pref files, in which case your Visor will make a clean one from scratch (if you do this tho you should have all your pref settings written down or memorized, in case you need to reeenter any pref settings). Also, if you delete every PalmOS pref file at one time, be sure to open your Prefs icon to reset all your preferences, my limited understanding is that you might have problems if you don't reset all your Prefs settings.

[Edited by kamizuno on 09-15-2000 at 06:26 PM]

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garinballbarin

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: New York
Posts: 3

Keyspan adapters can screw up Hotsync

Still trying to sort out various Hotsync problems - what a *%@# moving target this whole issue is! Like the "blind men describing the elephant" parable, except the creator (Handspring) is one of the blind men.

Anyway, here's another hint from another blind man: Keyspan USB-to-serial adapters can throw in the serial printer port into the pulldown list of Local Setups in Hotsync Setup. In my case, it seems to have crowded out the regular "USB" setting that (usually) works. Of course, they both coexisted for a few weeks, and now suddenly there's a problem... ARRRRGH!

BTW, I've found that when Hotsyncing works, the Local Setup pulldown list has a "USB" option, which should be selected even if a "Handspring USB" option is available. When "USB" mysteriously disappears, so does Hotsync ability.

So much wasted time...

-Alex Yourke
Bohn Fiore, Inc.