.KEYWORD visordesktop
.FLYINGHEAD IMPORTANT HOTSYNC FIX
.TITLE How to use Palm Desktop v4.0 with your Handspring Visor
.FEATURE
.SPOTLIGHT FIGALT cover.gif
.SUMMARY An interesting thing happens when Handspring Visor users install Palm Desktop 4.0. They can no longer HotSync! This is exactly what happened to PalmPower Editor-in-Chief David Gewirtz. Fortunately, however, he found a solution. Whether or not you’ve already installed Palm Desktop 4.0, the solution in this important article will work for you.
.AUTHOR David Gewirtz
If you haven’t already heard, Palm has released Palm Desktop 4.0, a free software upgrade available at http://www.palm.com/software/desktop/. It’s pictured in Figure A.
.FIGPAIR A Palm Desktop 4.0 has been released.
It’s got a number of new features. For starters, it has vCard and vCal support, which allows you to send business cards or appointments electronically as vCard or vCal attachments to email messages. It also has Desktop Alarms, so you can get notification on your desktop for event alarms. Palm Desktop 4.0 will also let you view an entire calendar year in a single window, as shown in Figure B.
.FIGPAIR B View an entire calendar year in a single window.
You can also now mask private records so you can see the existence of the record while keeping the data hidden. There’s even a new Business Card View, pictured in Figure C, that lets you look at Address Book information in a whole new way.
.FIGPAIR C View Address Book information as business cards.
Palm Desktop 4.0 also includes a convenient link to Palm’s Web site. These are some exciting new changes, and I’m sure all Palm Desktop users will want to get this upgrade. However, if your Palm OS device comes from Handspring, you’re going to run into a problem. Though it will no doubt be rectified eventually, at the moment Palm Desktop v4.0 installer only supports handhelds from Palm, Inc., not its licensees. In fact, Palm’s Web site quite visibly says "Please note: Palm Desktop v4.0 installer only supports handhelds from Palm, Inc."
.H1 What’s a Visor user to do?
The problem, basically, is this. If you use a Visor, you can download Palm Desktop 4.0 from Palm’s site, but when you run the installer, it will overwrite Handspring’s HotSync manager and the Visor’s USB interface. The installer doesn’t offer any custom installation options, which will nuke your ability to HotSync with a Visor.
Let me tell you, I was a very unhappy camper when I discovered, after installing Palm Desktop 4.0, that my Visor Prism could no longer HotSync with my PC. However, I was able to find a solution, and I’d like to show the rest of you Visor users how to make Palm Desktop 4.0 work with your Handspring devices. Also if you’ve already tried to make Palm Desktop 4.0 work and have run into this problem, don’t worry. If you follow these instructions, the problem will be fixed.
So, to begin, if you haven’t already, download Palm Desktop 4.0 from http://www.palm.com/support/downloads/palmdt_4.html. Before you install, make sure you backup your Palm folder. Always do this.
Once your Palm folder is backed up, you can run the installer. When you run the installer from Palm, it will overwrite Handspring’s HotSync manager. As I already mentioned, this prevents USB Visors from being able to HotSync.
Don’t panic. We’re all going to get out alive.
.H1 The solution
Now let’s sort this thing out. First, go to http://www.handspring.com/support/ts_soft_download.jhtml. Here you’ll need to enter your device’s serial number and then download Handspring’s version of Palm Desktop 3.1. If you don’t want to download this 9MB file, you can also try the following steps using the version of Palm Desktop that comes on your Handspring installation CD-ROM. I used the downloaded version, so I can’t guarantee your success with the latter method. At any rate, here’s what you need to do.
First, make a backup of your Palm directory. Yes, I said that already, but it bears repeating. If you have the Handspring Backup Module (at http://www.handspring.com), you can use that as well. Trust me, you can never have too many backups. I know this from experience.
Next you’re going to double click the PalmDesktop3.1.exe file that you downloaded (or start the install process from your CD-ROM). The installer may ask if it can close your HotSync Manager, as shown in Figure D. Tell it yes.
.FIGPAIR D The installer will want to close the HotSync Manager.
When the installer gets to the Setup Type screen, select Custom, choose the path to your Palm directory, and click Next, as shown in Figure E.
.FIGPAIR E Select the custom setup type.
This is the important part. On the Select Components screen, pictured in Figure F, uncheck everything but the HotSync Manager and click Next.
.FIGPAIR F Uncheck everything but the HotSync Manager.
On the Connect Cable screen, pictured in Figure G, select either "USB cradle" or "Both USB and serial cradle" depending on your configuration and click Next.
.FIGPAIR G Select either "USB cradle" or "Both USB and serial cradle."
On the Choose Default Desktop Application screen, shown in Figure H, you’re probably going to want to choose "Synchronize with Palm Desktop." Then click Next.
.FIGPAIR H You’re probably going to want to choose "Synchronize with Palm Desktop."
You may see a screen that says "Third Party Conduit(s) Detected" like the one in Figure I.
.FIGPAIR I You may see a screen like this one.
You’ll be given a choice to use your existing conduits or go back to Palm conduits. I chose to use my existing conduits, but you might choose the opposite. Click Next after you decide.
Finally, select the folder where your Palm Desktop program resides and click Next. You’ll have an option to register, but you’ve probably already done that once. Go ahead and click Finish.
If everything worked, your HotSync Manager will be back in the System Tray. Right-click on it and be sure Local USB is selected. All you have to do now is put your Visor back in its cradle and press the HotSync button. You’re back in business!
Now you can continue using your Handspring Visor while taking advantage of all the great new features available in Palm Desktop 4.0. You might also want to keep this work-around in mind in case you run into other HotSync difficulties in the future.
And stay tuned for further coverage of Palm Desktop 4.0 in coming issues of PalmPower Magazine.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on Palm Desktop 4.0, visit http://www.palm.com/software/desktop/.
For Handspring’s version of Palm Desktop 3.1, visit http://www.handspring.com/support/ts_soft_download.jhtml.
For more information on the Handspring Backup Module, visit http://www.handspring.com.
For more information about Palm computers, visit http://www.palm.com.
.H1 Bulk reprints
Bulk reprints of this article (in quantities of 100 or more) are available for a fee from Reprint Services, a ZATZ business partner. Contact them at reprints@zatz.com or by calling 1-800-217-7874.
.END_SIDEBAR
.BIO
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