Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 17

Just a bit misleading but I figured out a way to sync with Windows 2000. I am not sure how many of you have multiple computers but I am fortunate enough to have many machines to play with. I currently have to run WIN98 on my laptop to ensure DVD compatability. I am currently running Windows 2000 RC3 on my desktop at home so I obviously can't sync with it yet. What I do is network my two machines together and I do a NETWORK hotsync with the computer name on the Visor set to the IP Address of the Windows 2000 machine - IT WORKS PERFECTLY.

I know this isn't what you probably wanted to hear, but it does work, and I am happy that I currently have a work around until Handspring releases the drivers to make the Visor USB compatible with Windows 2000.

I find it somewhat irritating that a new technology compnay, like Handspring, doesn't try to address the problems of its users better like releasing a beta driver or something for all of us that are early adopters of new technology LIKE Windows 2000.

Please feel free to voice you opinions on both this solution and on my comments about Handspring's care for its customers.


CaptainZero
"Defender of Nothing (zero)"

[This message has been edited by captainzero (edited 12-13-1999).]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Lincoln, NE
Posts: 56

Don't blame Handspring for this one. Microsoft is actually the one to blame, from what I know from playing with Windows 2000 RC3 it does not support USB, and it is still in the air as to wheter or not W2K ever will. Kind of hard to sync a USB device with a computer that doesn't support USB. (I amy be wrong on not supporting USB, but I do know that if MS does support USB, then it is not fully b/c I cannot get ANY of my USB devices to work with W2K!)

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: MI
Posts: 13

What you all must realize is that the number one problem here is that Win2K is developed off of Windows NT, not 98. NT4.0 was never USB compatible (Even microsoft products don't run on NT). The problem is that the drivers available are all written for Win98, which has a completely different way of working with devices. No manufacturer has developed NT-compatible USB device drivers, because there was no need to.

Win2K is fully USB compatible, and once it is released in a final format, the always-liable companies will finally release the USB drivers.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 431

Do you think Win2000 will sync OK if a serial cradle is used instead of the USB cradle?

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 19

Cpt Zero: That's hilarious! How cool! Now if I only had a 98 machine laying around...

bolson: I'm mousing around with a USB mouse under W2K, have been for a while. OverZealous is right, the problem is with the hardware vendors dragging their feet on the new USB drivers (Handspring included). Honestly, that's part of the reason W2K is in public beta, so developers can produce updated drivers for it.

Kalahari: Win2K syncs with the Visor just fine over serial.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Honolulu
Posts: 31

Just wondering how exactly you did this... I'm trying to hotsync to a windows NT machine via a networked windows 98 machine.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 17

Set your NT machine as Network SYNC and make sure you choose your visor's name as the primary user of that machine in the network sync options. Go to your Visor, Chose the Hot Sync and make sure that LANSync is selected (not local hotsyc).
Under the Primary PC Setup, chnage the Primary PC Name to the IP address of your NT machine and select OK.
After this is done, go to your Win98 machine and perform a hotsync. You should see the Visor go into action and then you NT machine should receive the request from the visor and start Sync-ing properly.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Sydney Australia
Posts: 1883

Maybe a silly question, but if you have a win98 machine, why syncing on win2000??

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 103

I'm currently using Win2K (RC2) for all my syncs. I've got a serial cradle to do it with. Absolutely no problems.
Win2K does support USB, I'm using a USB mouse everyday with no problems. I've got other devices that I use too (fingerprint scanner for testing purposes, etc..). So, Win2K DOES support USB, and if you have a serial cradle, it'll sync with your Visor great. My only problem is the USB Visor drivers won't work with Win2K, and HandSpring's tech support won't answer any emails and give a timeframe when they'll have the drivers ready. I've heard on here (long ago) that someone got Hawkins to admit that the Win2K USB drivers wouldn't be out until Win2K went 'Gold' in Feb.

------------------
BC


[This message has been edited by MelonBoy (edited 12-15-1999).]

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 103

The answer I got from Handspring was that they were going to wait until Win2K was released before even starting on the USB drivers for the Visor.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 17

Toolkit - The reason I SYNC with my Windows 2000 Machine is because that is where I do all of my development and where I have Outlook installed to track all of my contacts, calendar, and email.

Just so everyone knows, Windows 2000 went "GOLD" today [12/15/99] (also known as RTM {Release To Manufacturing}) so hopefully we will be seing some USB drivers sometime in the near future. I have had great success with Win2K so far and I am very impressed with Microsofts efforts to make a more stable operating system.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 103

Cap'n,
Just out of curiosity, what's the size (mb) of your windows directory? I was looking for some room on my laptop the other day and killing old stuff when I checked the size of my windows directory and this blew me away... 940mb!!! 3 times the size it should be. I'm using RC2 and I know it still has some inflated code, but Sheesh! Other than that, I like it pretty well, other than the slowness of it (noticably slow on my 300mhz 128mb 2gb laptop).

------------------
BC

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 17

823 Megabytes.... That is quite a bit. I am running RC# Build 2183 (I am getting the final build 2195 in 2 days).

It is very bloated but I love the new OS. I haven't been able to crash it and I am a HardCore gamer and I could crash Win98SE anytime I wanted. I am very impressed with the overall function of the system and I have been able to get other USB devices to work with it (Web Cam, Printer, Camera) so I know Handspring can get us some working drivers sometime soon.

[This message has been edited by captainzero (edited 12-16-1999).]

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 19

Starting to get offtopic, but oh well...

The reason the W2K directory is so big, aside from the larger codebase is simple: \winnt\system32\dllcache.

All of the important system files are copied here in case something goes awry.

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 3

Sorry to continue the topic drift but...
Anyone know of DVD decoders (sw or hw) for Win2K? I'm dual-booting RC3 and 98 at home for the sole reason that my Quadrant DVD card has no 2K driver. Well, that and the Handspring USB thing.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 276

I have the final version of Win2K and syncing has not been fixed. It is now in Handspring's court to fix it.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Bath, Avon, UK
Posts: 56

Handspring have informed me that they will have Windows 2000 drivers available for Beta testing at the end of January.
So soon as I hear more I'll post here.

agoldfish

Registered: Dec 1999
Location:
Posts: 6

I just installed Win 2000 and can confirm that syncing works fine with the serial port.

Just waiting for that USB fix so I can get some speed!

Registered: Dec 1999
Location: USA
Posts: 3

Watch out for the network hotsync...

Post from rootshell follows:

[ http://www.rootshell.com/ ]

Date: Wed, 5 Jan 2000 19:55:45 -0600
From: Jay C Austad <[email protected]>
Subject: Handspring Visor Network HotSync Security Hole

If you have Network HotSync (provided on the CD that comes with your Visor)
enabled on your machine, and a malicious user knows your name (ex. John
Smith), and the ip of your machine (ex. 192.168.22.22, or
jsmith.company.com), he can change the name on his Visor to yours, do a
Network hotsync with your ip, and download all of your email, send email as
you, and perform any function that you can.

There is no password or authentication of any kind. If I wanted to read my
co-workers email, or send a nasty message from him to his boss, all I would
need to do is put his name into my visor (Jim Beam), and do a network sync
to jbeam.company.com.
---

I tried it out on my co-worker, and this does work. I found it rather useful.