Registered: Mar 2002
Location:
Posts: 7

Need a driver / USB hell

I have been looking around for some time, but I havent seen anything like this:

when i try to sync, my win2k wants me to install a new driver. I have uninstalled, reinstalled, uninstalled, reinstalled, and it keeps being unhappy.

I have a usb cord, not cradle.

It was syncing fine till about a month ago.

any ideas why win2k wants a driver all of a sudden?

Registered: Apr 2000
Location: St Petersburg Fla
Posts: 224

Others have experienced this.

Search the discussion threads for syncing problems.
Also, try Microsoft's knowledge base. There may be USB related articles there.

I'm using WIN98SE and had a problem with USB synching that would restart the machine. Random problem that went away mysteriously.

I've known others to have same problem with scanners, etc attached to USB.

Registered: Mar 2002
Location:
Posts: 7

win2k drivers

Howdy,
Thanks for the reply. I did search the disc. group here and at several other places before posting. Nobody on any of the groups had an answer that worked for me.

My usb ports work fine with other toys, but not with my g-d-m-d handspring.

Registered: Mar 2002
Location:
Posts: 7

Win2k USB just isnt supported is it?

So i went out today and bought a serial port. everything works fine with it.

Handspring is seriously messed up if they cant put out a USB driver that works with win2k service pack 2.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

Re: Win2k USB just isnt supported is it?

quote:

---

Originally posted by crackers
Handspring is seriously messed up if they cant put out a USB driver that works with win2k service pack 2.

---

__________________

God bless America, my home sweet home...

Registered: Mar 2002
Location:
Posts: 7

Is 3.1.2 the latest manager?

Yes; or at least i believe so: I downloaded what Handspring calls their latest package-Palm Hotsync manager 3.1.2, with PIM 4.0.1.

I have uninstalled it and reinstalled and redownloaded it about six times.
works fine with serial, doesnt work at all with USB.

I should note that the USB registry thing thinks it works, that I do not have an older VIA chipset controlling my USB ports, and that I have tried the looking for "visorusb.inf/ini" and erase game.

Any other ideas? I would really like to use the USB port, and if Handspring can't support it, I won't support them in the future.

Registered: Mar 2002
Location:
Posts: 7

Amazingly enough, new advice from handspring

Handspring's USB drivers can be deleted using Windows 2000 Add/Remove
Hardware utility. First try the simple steps 1 to 11. Those should be enough
to solve your problem. Steps 12 and on are for more unusual situations; use
these steps as required. 1. Click on Start | Settings | Control Panel |
Add/Remove Hardware...
2. Click on the Next button.
3. Select Uninstall/Unplug a Device and click on the Next button.
4. Select Uninstall a Device and click on the Next button.
5. Select any Show Hidden Devices check mark box or radio button.
6. Look for any of:
i. Handspring USB
ii. Handspring Visor
iii. USB Device
Select (click on) any one of those and click on the Next button.
( Note: it is generally unwise to delete other device entries. Consider only
the three listed. DO NOT delete "Unknown Devices". )
7. Click on the Yes button to uninstall the drivers.
8. Click on the Finish button and unplug the USB cradle.
9. If you saw multiple Handspring or generic USB device items listed in step
6, perform steps 1 to 8 again.
10. After you have uninstalled all the USB entries you need to, you may wish
to restart your PC.
11. Plug the USB cradle back in and perform a HotSync operation. Windows
2000 will build a fresh set of drivers and should proceed with a successful
synchronization.
If above steps did not help, use these additional steps:
METHOD #1: 1. Remove the Handspring Visor Device using Add/Remove Hardware
Wizard.
2. Delete any Visorusb.dll, visorusb.sys, visorusb.inf, visorusb.pnf files
on hard drive. You can find where each one is by clicking Start | Find (or
Search) | For Files or Folders... and, in the text box labelled "Search for
files or folders named:" enter: visorusb.* and then click the Find Now
button.
3. Optional step: in rare cases, especially when Palm's version of Palm
Desktop 4.0 or 4.0.1 has been installed, you may need to do the following:
i. Click Start | Run... and enter: INF
ii. A large list of all your driver information files will be displayed.
Scroll through them and see if there are any files with names such as
OEM1.inf, OEM2.inf... OEM7.inf, etc. (Ignore any other file other than OEM
followed by a number -- we will call that series OEM#.inf as a short form.)
If you do not see any such file, close this window and continue with step 4.
iii. Rename all the OEM#.inf files you see to OEM#.old and make a note of
these renamings.
4. Unplug the cradle from your desktop computer.
5. Reinstall the Palm Desktop Software with the "Typical Installation" (not
"Custom"). For details on installation, see "How do I install Handspring's
Palm Desktop software for Windows?"
6. Now try a HotSync Operation.
7. If you used all of step 3 above, now go back to and rename the OEM#.old
files to OEM#.inf. (Remember, the files are literally called OEM1, OEM2,
OEM3, etc.) Then restart your PC and check again to see that a HotSync
operation works.
METHOD #2:
If steps the above steps do not help, try rebuilding the Windows 2000
configuration so that it points to the correct USB driver for your cradle:
8. Right click on the "My Computer" icon | Properties | Hardware tab |
Device Manager button.
9. Click on the plus (+) sign beside "Universal Serial Bus controllers".
This will show a list of USB devices.
10. Closely examine the Device Manager window while attempting a HotSync
operation. If you see a "Handspring USB" or "Handspring Visor" item appear
in the list, right click it as soon as possible and select Properties. If
the item disappears before you can right click it, then you should repeat
this procedure from Step 1.
11. Select the Drivers tab | "Update Driver..." button.
12. In the Welcome screen for "Upgrade Device Driver Wizard", click the Next
button.
13. On the "Install Hardware Device Drivers" window, select the radio button
labelled "Search for a suitable driver for my device (recommended)".
14. For the "Locate Driver Files" window, check mark the box labelled
"Specify a location".
15. Click the Next button.
16. Ignore the prompt asking to insert the installation disk and click the
Browse button instead.
17. Navigate to the folder C:\Program Files\Palm\Drivers and double click on
the VisorUSB.inf file (or whatever file and path is called for in your
circumstance -- you may need to navigate to ..\Handspring\Drivers.)
18. Back in the "Upgrade Device Driver" wizard, click the OK button.
19. When the "Driver Files Search Results" window arrives, place a check
mark in the "Install one of the other drivers" box (if it is applicable).
20. Click the Next button.
21. From the displayed list, select Handspring USB.
22. Click the Next button.
23. Click the Finish button. (You may have to click Finish more than once if
you see the "Completing the Upgrade Device Driver Wizard" window again.)
24. Close all windows and attempt another HotSync operation.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: Connecticut USA
Posts: 2682

Re: Amazingly enough, new advice from handspring

quote:

---

Originally posted by crackers
Handspring's USB drivers can be deleted using Windows 2000 Add/Remove Hardware utility. First try the simple steps 1 to 11. Those should be enough to solve your problem. Steps 12 and on are for more unusual situations; use these steps as required.

---

__________________

God bless America, my home sweet home...

Registered: Mar 2002
Location:
Posts: 7

Not yet...

I tried quickly, and it did not work. I am going to try the .inf to .old and see it if works. I will let you know in a day or two.