Registered: Jul 2001
Location:
Posts: 17

Bizarre USB error

Anyone ever have the wonderful experience of not being able to hotsync more than once before having to reset your computer? For some reason, after exactly one hotsync, my USB port stops functioning correctly, and I have to reset it in order to sync again. I've used the visor USB registry cleaner, reinstalled all the software, etc--all the obvious stuff.

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Atlantic Rim
Posts: 570

Try Me.

I had similar difficulties at one point and solved the problem by removing the glazed sugar from the cradle contacts on my VDX.

Registered: May 2000
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1429

And why do I ask was their glazed sugar on your Visor + cradle? don't you know to keep your Visor away from all Food and Drink? (Including Shiner Bock's, James ) Oh well.. Keep your visor clean - it's a smart lesson to learn.

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-miradu

Registered: Jan 2001
Location:
Posts: 278

This happens to me sometimes. It just comes and goes, if I restart my machine enough it works. I just blame Windows.

--David

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 75

This is my exact problem... I posted it in another thread. I have an HP printer which alerts you if there is a USB problem.

Whenever I dock my Visor into its cradle, I receive the pop-up message advising that there is an error with the USB ports. Uninstalling and re-installing the USB drivers, and even the Palm Desktop, does nothing. My only solution is to reboot.

I tried Keefer's suggestion, but no change.

Any other's?

Registered: Jul 2001
Location:
Posts: 17

Almost...

I also use an HP printer...but I never get a pop-up message. My visor just can't establish a connection with the desktop more than once before requiring a restart.
If I go into the control panel and check out the USB port, it tells me that the USB port has been disabled due to some kind of incorrect request or something. The only solution is to reset.
Dan

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 75

Dan,

That is the exact message I get when checking the USB settings in the device manager.

The pop-up message I get from the printer is to alert that the USB connection between the PC and HP has been lost... I just use that to alert myself that the entire PC-USB connection is lost.

I wonder if there's any way to correct this.... Another note, this only started happening when I switched from a VDX to a VPR. Would that have anything to do with it? I know the cradles are somewhat different, but I wouldn't think that would be the root cause?!

Registered: Jul 2001
Location:
Posts: 17

Change of Handhelds

Weird. My problems just started whe switching from a Visor to a Visor Prism...I wonder if there was some procedure for uninstalling the old palm desktop software and reinstalling the new that I didn't do...
Dan

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Midwest
Posts: 232

Just curious, guys...

What Operating system are you using? Win95 needed a patch to even support USB. It's very likely that more modern USB devices might prefer a more modern USB driver. Has anyone thought to look on Microsoft's site for updated USB support?

All my machines are set up with win98se. Two at home and one at work. On each I have had occasional problems such as the system rebooting when I simply set my platinum on it's cradle. It doesn't happen often enough to worry me, so I personally haven't checked for updated USB drivers for win98se.

I got a new ($400) digital camera, and it came with a USB cable. Before it would work, though, it required it's own drivers be installed. It works beautifully. I then bought a USB-smartmedia card reader ($40), and it also needed it's own drivers installed. These drivers were apparently not as polished as the camera drivers were (but at $40 this was really no surprise). It would work only 1/3 the time, and require a reboot to get it working if it wasn't. I got on the manufacturer's web site and was taken directly to their updated drivers page. I guess those drivers were the biggest complaint they suffered. The new driver took 30 minutes to download, but once installed has given me fault free performance of my smartmedia card reader.

My point? Consider that the USB drivers for your cradle (microsoft or handspring or palm) might be defective. Check all those websites for updated USB support relating to your operating system. Who knows, it may be the solution to your problem.

Dave

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There is nothing yet made by man that cannot be improved upon.

Registered: Dec 2000
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 75

Hey Dave,

I'm running off of Windows 98 (not SE)... The problem only started happening after I switched from a Visor Deluxe to a Visor Prism. I have a PCI-USB card (as my MB has no USB ports) with only teh Visor Cradle and an HP PhotoSmart printer plugged in.

When I had the Deluxe cradle and the HP printer plugged in, I had no troubles. As soon as I plugged in the new cradle, and hotsynched, I received the USB error. I also tried removing and re-installing all the drivers, but once again, no luck.

I'm actually going to take your advice and check the Microsoft and HP sites to see if there are any updated drivers.

It's just confusing that it would work with the VDX cradle but not with the Prism cradle.

Registered: Jul 2001
Location:
Posts: 17

Hey guys,
Well I think I solved my problem with the Visor Prism USB error ("Think" being the key word). According to Handspring's readme file, the new set of file extensions 3.5.2.1.4 or whatever it is (the newest ones!), the new extensions will, among other things,
"3. Fixes Connection method editing. After modifying the default profiles in the Connection section of Preferences, a USB HotSync operation or IR synchronization - which worked previously - would fail."

I have now synced 4 times in a row to test it, and there have been no problems. Normally, I get one sync and have to reset the computer. Now, I may be back here tomorrow telling you this was a fluke, but for the time being it looks to have solved the problem.
By the way---I didn't find any updated drivers, did you guys?
Dan