Registered: May 2000
Location: Aurora, CO
Posts: 15

I had a very weird thing happen today... so background, my Visor Deluxe is about 1 month old, has worked flawlessly that whole time.

Today, I was driving and opened Mapopolis to check out our destination, then handed it to my passenger (don't PDA and drive unless you're qualified). It seemed to be fine at the time, and I shut it off with the map screen still loaded. We arrive at our destination, and I need a cel-phone # and turn it on. Immediately, a message pops up that my battery power is very low, and the OK msg button does not do anything.

After about 5 seconds, it shuts itself off and basically won't do anything after that but bring up the previous screen and error msg. Ok, I buy some batteries, which seems strange due to just changing the batteries within the past week. Anyways, it is still shutting itself off after 5 secs of operation. I decide to soft boot, and after some errors, do a hard boot.

At this point, during the setup screens, it decides to stick on the stylus calibration screen, alternating between top left and bottom right, but NOT allowing me to leave that screen. I'm thinking something is seriously wrong, since the hard reboot didn't fix anything, even with the battery change. I should mention that I've handled this like a baby, the utmost care in handling while waiting for a back-ordered Rhinoskin Shocksuit (been 9 days since I've ordered, sheesh).

Next step, I call Handspring Tech Sup, where I'm advised to exchange it where I bought it if possible (couldn't, outside the CompUSA return period), OR, let Handspring replace it. A girl at CompUSA offered me a deal where if I paid the $99.99 for the two year replacement package, which included a box of stuff, she'd replace it for me today.

Needless to say, I wasn't too thrilled about paying another $100, but she said they'd even replace it if you dropped and cracked the screen. So I decide that is what I'll do, get the replacement package. At home waiting for my wife to come home from work, I decide to pull the batteries and see that that does. After about 30 mins, I put the batteries back in, and voila, the device is working beautifully.

I then proceeded to restore all my data back onto the Vdx, and deleted Mapopolis (could this have been the problem??) and ran through all the apps... everything seems fine from what I can tell. At any rate, I did go to CompUSA and get the replacement package just in case...

Has anyone else seen this kind of problem?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 42

I had the same problem a long time ago, shortly after I recieved my Visor. It was some other program (I forget which one, some drinklist/virtual bar type program) that caused a crash of my Visor. I soft resety did not do anything (it got stuck on the Palm logo). I did a hard reset, but the Visor would lock up every 5 minutes or so. I had to take the batteries out for over an hour (mine retains its memory for a LONG time) and after that no more problems. That was the only time I ever had to do a hard reset (I've had mine since end of Nov, begining of Dec). Needless to say, I did not reinstall the suspected program. Though currently I do use Mapopolis and I have never had a problem.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Baltimore MD, USA
Posts: 717

Leaving the batteries out for a few hours is considered an "ultra-hard reset", and is occasionally needed for serious bugs.

I seemed to recall mention of the dreaded digitizer infinite loop lock-up, but I disremember what was said about it.

It may have nothing to do with it, but I habitually hit the Home silk screen button before I power off my Visor. I have been using Mapopolis with no problems.
So far...

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 46

did you -- i hope -- post this to the visor incompatibility list?

Registered: May 2000
Location: Aurora, CO
Posts: 15

Nice to know about the hard reset pulling the batteries. In the month I've had the Vdx
this was the first time I had to do a reset of any sort. Interesting that you've heard of the loop lock-up, in all my reading I haven't seen it, but good to know.

As for your habit of powering down at the home screen, is that something one should do? I vaguely remember seeing that bit of info, maybe I'll fire up the dox and see if I saw it there.

I'll report Mapopolis if I crash like that again...

quote:

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Originally posted by Winchell:
Leaving the batteries out for a few hours is considered an "ultra-hard reset", and is occasionally needed for serious bugs.

I seemed to recall mention of the dreaded digitizer infinite loop lock-up, but I disremember what was said about it.

It may have nothing to do with it, but I habitually hit the Home silk screen button before I power off my Visor. I have been using Mapopolis with no problems.
So far...

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Registered: Nov 1999
Location: bright side of the moon.
Posts: 996

i REALLy don't think it's a Mapopolis thing...or any app thing for that matter. This has happened to me in the Datebk+ app and to my girlfriend in memo!

Both times the common occurance (and in your case aswell) has been a low battery. I think that some batteries drop off suddenly and when the 'low battery' warning pops up, there's VERY little left (with these types of batteries ...or these odd ones off the assembly line). Once your visor gets to this point, something really strange must happen with its operation at such low battery levels and it enters the described symptoms.

So, since these 2 occurances, i have changed my batteries religiously (no more trying to squeeeeeze a few more hours out of them) and if i haven't received my warning by 15%, i'll just change them regardless.

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: nowheresburg, PH
Posts: 98

This happened to my BVD after I received the replacement from Handspring (screen problem). I restored data from the back-up module (A must have!) things worked out fine except that it just freezes every 5 minutes of operation or so..... I tried to do a soft reset, removed all hacks, etc. I still had the same problem. I was already tempted to call and ask for another replacement. I tried to do a hard Reset(thank GOd for the Backup module). And viola! that solved the problem. It's wierd, but it worked... I had no problem ever since.
BTW, i also use mapopolis, and I haven't encountered any problems ever since I installed it. SO, that rules Mapopolis out.

Hope this helps.

Perze

Registered: May 2000
Location: Aurora, CO
Posts: 15

That is what bothers me, the batteries were just replaced within 5 days of the problem, and they were Duracell Ultras... which I though were about the best you can get.

I'm also using Battery Info, and on checking the previous night, I was still at 100% power, so I'm leaning against a sudden drop-off of power... Believe me, I'll be keeping an eye on it

quote:

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Originally posted by Hoser_in_USA:
i REALLy don't think it's a Mapopolis thing...or any app thing for that matter. This has happened to me in the Datebk+ app and to my girlfriend in memo!

Both times the common occurance (and in your case aswell) has been a low battery. I think that some batteries drop off suddenly and when the 'low battery' warning pops up, there's VERY little left (with these types of batteries ...or these odd ones off the assembly line). Once your visor gets to this point, something really strange must happen with its operation at such low battery levels and it enters the described symptoms.

So, since these 2 occurances, i have changed my batteries religiously (no more trying to squeeeeeze a few more hours out of them) and if i haven't received my warning by 15%, i'll just change them regardless.

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