Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 15

I do not know what is going ON with the Minstrel S for the Visor but I do not have a day were the unit does not shutdown my Visor. Maybe someone can give me some tips as I am willing to think that maybe I am the one with the problem. Here is a summary of my problems:

1.- Charge Modem installed in the Visor, as soon as I come back in to use my Visor and try to connect the Unit constantly comes up with the "reconnect" "cancel" screen. After that there is no way of doing anything except a soft reset.

2.- If by any chance I am in an area that has poor signal, and still try to view a page ,I get the same screen as in item #1.

3.- If I have a server timeout during mail download and then I try to look at something else I get a FATAL ALARM.

4.- If I take my modem out and put it back in at a later time, I will have at least one soft reset before I can log in.Because of unit ID???.

5.- I have a PALM V with a modem as a loaner from someone else. They are both sitting on my desk. The Palm V connected itself and the Visor did not ( different unit ID , just in case)

Please help someone.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Silverspring,MD,USA
Posts: 17

I have the same a problem.
I am waiting on the arrival of a new modem as I already changed out my Prism without success.
I doubt that it is the modem it is likely the software.
Please also call Omnisky and let them know your problem.

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 18

BIG TIME OmniSky Crashes

I'm having BIG time problems with the Minstrel S and OmniSky on my PRISM....

* Occasional Hard Resets losing all data
* Soft Resets when pulling Minstrel out, followed by DataMGR.C error
* Looping reboots, followed by hard reset
* "unable to located deviceid" error from Modem
* "unable to connect to modem"
* crashing on launch of OmniSky Mail

If I didn't have the Backup module I'd have killed myself by now....BUT EVEN THEN, when restoring from Backup I get:

* HSExtensions3.5 is in use, AIMUtil in use, errors...

Also, the signal strength from the modem is around -90 to -100 while the strength on my PalmV and MinstrelV is -80 to -90 and MUCH MUCH FASTER!

Help!
Scott Hanselman
[email protected]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Silverspring,MD,USA
Posts: 17

I also have tested both the Vx Minstrel Omnisky and my new Prism with the Minstrel-S at exactly the same time and have seen the same differences in RSSI here in DC.
Please caal the omnisky tech folks and more importantly email [email protected] one of the engineers at Novatel that seems to really care about getting some resolution to this. I think that the folks at Omnisky and Novatel are dedicated to providing good service but they need our feedback.

Todd K. Malan
Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 560

GlucoPilot (Scott),

Before restoring from the Backup, try holding down the power button while resetting the visor. This makes sure nothing is in the Visor and you wont get conflicts.

I too was getting crashes when trying to launch OS Mail. I emailed omnisky and they gave me the fix. You have to delete a file. Off the tope of my head I don't remember it, but if you need it I can look for the email when I get home.

__________________
Felipe Garcia
Happy Treo 600 user, so far. Thanx Cingular for having an unlocked phone.

My Treo 600 is my phone, my PDA, my watch, and my MP3 player. Oh yeah, I take a picture once in a while with it. Convergence is such a great thing.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Silverspring,MD,USA
Posts: 17

Yes please send me further information on that file. I just called omnisky and they have no idea what file you are talking about..

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 18

What's creepy is...

Here's what's CREEPY....I Do a complete hard reset....holding power and everything. I reset, then I insert the backup and start a restore....and each time I get a different "database in use"...but they are always Omnisky databases.

Question: You guys don't have any databases that start with "AIM*" or "HSEx*"?

Scott

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Modesto, CA USA
Posts: 599

When initializing my Prism and Omnisky modem for the first time I too had some of these problems. Here is what I did and do not have these issues:

Deleted all Omnisky software from the Prism- I did so by choosing the files from the Palm/Applications/Memory program on the Prism. Then I installed the modem and reinitialized based upon the on screen instructions etc.

This fixed many of these issues: Regarding connectivity and the RSSI strength - I have seen the Prism connect when my Palm Vx Omnisky wouldn't and vice versa. I'm not sure of any correlation.

I'd suggest calling tech services at the 800-860-5767 rather than using email - this service is quicker and the Omnisky tech people have been very helpful to me on past issues.

I have not had any hard reset requests at all. My guess is there may be some conflict software that might be causing hard reset.

__________________
Moose Man
I may be from the LEFT coast but that's not the correct political view in my mind!

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 29

Definate cause of a hard crash

Hello,

I discovered a repeatable way of causing my Prism to crash while removing the modem.

I made the mistake of turning off my modem while the Power Switch application was still active. This caused my device to lockup. After doing a soft reset, I found that the device would either lockup in the startup splash screen or flicker at the startup splash screen. I had to do a hard reset and restore from my backup module. (With all of these crashes of late, I'm finding that I am constantly backing up my device. Luckily, the Prism's batteries are rechargeable...)

I thought that this problem occurred with the Minstrel application as well but it was not repeatable. It still locks up the device but I can resolve it with a soft reboot.

I find this odd because I am able to remove the Backup module eventhough the Backup app is still running.

I have sent an email to Omnisky about this and I have not gotten a response yet. If anyone wants to verify this, I suggest backing up first....

Regards,
Ron

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Modesto, CA USA
Posts: 599

Ronaldj
I'm not able to duplicate your crash. I hope that you don't have a bad modem or maybe I do hope that it's a bad modem. Either way, I believe that Omnisky should be able to help as I've stated in a previous post. I've found that talking to tech support is better than email support only because I've asked them to check with a supervisor on issues and they are usually akin to if they can't figure out the problem.

Good luck!

__________________
Moose Man
I may be from the LEFT coast but that's not the correct political view in my mind!

Registered: May 2000
Location: Austin, TX, USA
Posts: 18

Got my Minstrel/OMnisky and Platinum on the same day. Transferred my files from my Deluxe. Installed Omnisky.
Problems
1) A flashing red battery light regardless of charge (OS is sending me a replacement)
2) Cant get Avantgo or Eudora to work.
3) On occasion, OS goes dictatorial, no matter where I am in my Visor, if the modem is in, I hear a click and lo! I'm in Omnisky.
4) Lost of errors, serial errors, no connection, etc.
5) 3 emails to Omnisky remain unreturned.
6) the phone help has been spotty, lots of hard resets and restores, but still the clicks and the 'bouncing ' me to Omnisky with no control.

I'm hoping that my replacement modem will be an improvement. Fingers Crossed.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 560

Here is the error I got when I tapped out on OS Mail:

Fatal Alert
DIUtilities.c, Line: 127, Catname

Omnisky told me to delete catagories.db from the vior.

I did and it worked.

The above was from an email request for help, I called the phone number first. They triewd their best, but coould only help me if I did a hard reset. Didn't want to do that. :-)

Scott,

I have:
Aim
AimMsgDB
Aim Transport
AimUtils

I guess they belong to AOL Instant Messager

The Hs are hanspring extentions

__________________
Felipe Garcia
Happy Treo 600 user, so far. Thanx Cingular for having an unlocked phone.

My Treo 600 is my phone, my PDA, my watch, and my MP3 player. Oh yeah, I take a picture once in a while with it. Convergence is such a great thing.

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 7

I experienced the same kind of crashes with a Prism/Minstrel S. Mine was repeatedly complaining about some kind of memory problem. Seems something was stepping on some memory it shouldn't be. Could not open OSMail with out a fatal exception.

I unplugged the Minstrel S. Deleted all apps associated with OmniSky (some are just entitled "applications" or "untitled"), including some web clip apps I downloaded. Performed a soft reset. Plugged the Minstrel S back in, watched it do its install thing. Tested it. OK. Re-downloaded web clip apps. Tested again. OK. It has worked without a hitch since.

Reception in the SF Bay Area seems to pretty much mirror AT&T/CellOne cell phone reception. Now if OmniSky would just fix the software associated with the E-Mail notification LED so it doesn't light up when I don't have E-Mail, I'll be happy.

Gary Lewis

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 27

Strange problems

HI,

I just recently got a Visor Prism, Omnisky Modem/Service and a 8 meg backup module. Seem to be having some of the same problems mentioned in this thread, so i am reposting my message here.

The reason I got this setup, is so that when I travel I can leave my laptop at home. I have encountered several crashes this past week, that required several hard resets.

I've run into a strange problem. The 8meg backup module should backup the complete visor, with all its files, correct?

Here's what I have encountered:

1. Have the Minstrel S & Omnisky working properly.
2. Do a complete backup with the 8 meg card.
3. Do a hard reset.
4. Restore with the 8 meg card
5. Plug modem back in

All should work fine, execpt that after the restore from the 8 meg card, I get an omnisky error "Unable to connect with Modem."

The only way I can get the modem to work again, is to hard reset again and:
1. Do a hotsync to the desktop
2. plugin the modem
3. Omnisky then says that some file are corrupt or missing
4. Omnisky reinstalls them

Then the modem works again.

If I need to do a hotsync everytime I have to hard reset it basically blows my whole idea out of the water of being able to travel without my laptop.


Any ideas?

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 18

You post is a much better explaination of the problems I'm seeing. When the Omnisky decides to be stupid, since I have the backup module, I figure, what the heck, just hard reset, and restore...then I get:

* unable to connect
* deviceid not found

etc...

It makes me worry about the stability of springboards generally....shudder...

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 27

quote:

---

Originally posted by GlucoPilot
You post is a much better explaination of the problems I'm seeing. When the Omnisky decides to be stupid, since I have the backup module, I figure, what the heck, just hard reset, and restore...then I get:

* unable to connect
* deviceid not found

etc...

It makes me worry about the stability of springboards generally....shudder...

---

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Richardson, TX
Posts: 59

What is Omnisky doing about all these crashes?

I got my module last night and have had 4 crashes and 1 hard reset. I don't mind the soft reset, but when I lose data I get kinda upset.

I think it is time to buy a backup module.

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 27

Ok, here's the way to be able to reinstall from the backup module...and have the modem work...I finally got it to work.

1. Get the modem working
2. Put in the backup module
3. Do a complete backup.
4. Do a hard reset
5. Put modem back in
6. Let modem go thru its installation process of lost files
7. Put backup module back in and do a complete reinstall from the module.

Dont know why handspring or omnisky couldnt tell me that....

Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Richardson, TX
Posts: 59

Called Omnisky

I called Omnisky asking about all the hard and soft resets on my Prism and they said they are aware of all the problems. They said that the Handspring version is still in it's first release and may have a few bugs.

They also said they had the same problem with the Palm V's on their first release.

They said to keep checking the website for updates. They are not going to use the ScoutSync to update the software.

Registered: Nov 2000
Location:
Posts: 27

Thats strange that they are not going to use the scout sync software. I thought that was the whole idea of it. To find upgrades.

I agree with them 100% that there are going to be bugs in a version 2.0 software. Not to mention, running on a brand new version of a handspring device. I can live with bugs in a version 2 software. I'm just hoping that its not any type of a hardware problem with the modems.

I also have to applaude omnisky with the speed of their tech support. I called 5:30pm on a monday night, and got right thru to a customer service rep. I was quite amazed.