Palm VII Hotsync Problem- w/PC lap top

[fh_associates]

:( Hi, This is my first time posting but I have a problem with my new Palm VII that has stumped the Palm Help desk and the Tosiba lap top support team. I've worked with each (6 hours totally) and have ended up with Palm saying it was a Tosiba Problem and Tosiba saying it was a software problem.

I am hoping that someone in this group has some experience with this problem and can help me.

My Palm VII won't hotsyn. My Tosiba Satellite has 2 USBN ports (so I am using a USB Palm Connect (that I bought when I was using a Palm V) on this machine.. (the reason I switched to a VII was that the Palm V hotsynch- actually crashed my computer at the end.)

The Palm software searches for COM 1 port and the Tosiba has named the two ports COM 3 and COM 4. The only external hardware I have plugged in is my mouse. This is where Palm says Tosiba needs to tell me how to change the names of the ports... and Toshiba says Palm needs to tell the software to search for COM 3-4...

If anyone has any ideas I would be soo grateful. Thanks for your help.

Florence

:confused:

[vollie]

I would say it is toshiba who should help (or Microsoft mayby since i presume you're runnig Windows), the com port ID in windows can be altered. To change the port you need to use the changeport command:

The change port command uses the following syntax:
change port portx=porty [/d portx] /query

The parameters and switches that are used by the change port command are:
portx=porty: Use these parameters to map COM port x to COM port y.
/d portx: Use this switch to delete the mapping for COM port x.
/query: Use this switch to display a list of current port mappings for the current session.

Example:
These are examples of how to use the change port command to
change and display COM port mappings:

To map COM12 to COM2, type the following line at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:
change port com12=com2

To display a list of current port mappings, type the following line at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:
change port /query

To delete the mapping for COM12, type the following line at a command prompt, and then press ENTER:
change port /d com12


Since this comment only holds until you logout again you might want to use a batch file or something like that and let it execute after login (simply link to it form startup folder).
BTW. above is for win2000 if you're running NT or XP i'm quite sure it will work as well (95 & 98 i'm not so sure). anyway just try if it doesn't workl in you OS just let me now.

[fh_associates]

Thanks. I will call Toshiba... I am not skilled enough to do this myself. But this kind of information equals me out in the techie conversation.

PS. I have Windows ME...

PSS. I am thinking of buying (another) new Palm with a direct USB cradle connection. I am choosing Palm- not as a satisfied user- but because all my data is in my Palm... and I can beam it to another Palm. Any other recommendations :rolleyes:

[JohnKes]

You don't have to go with Palm, just PalmOS. Depends on what you want to do with the new unit.

Do you like/need wireless (Palm 705)?
Do you want color (Palm 515, Sony, Handspring)
MP3 (Sony)?

Also go to an electronics store and try out what they have. Sony's have great screens, although some are too dark when the backlight is off. I don't like the buttons on the 665. Palm's are nice but fewer fancy features.

Good luck.

[DrMud]

I beleive you are on the right trail. The COM Port issue is common. The Palm Software is rather simpistic and it seeks to use COM 1 in preference to all other COM options. Your wise to have Toshiba tech support walk you through the change as ME is not too far from the functionality of Win 98 and there are times when WIn 98 has difficulty with plug and play correcting Com Port issues.
Doc