Problem with Hotsync

[Dad]

While hotsyncing, Vx screen showed Palm Platform Logo and froze.

I tried a soft reset to no avail. I noted Dr. Mud's reference to the contrast button but got no joy.

Having all my backups up to date (Free RAM: 2198762, Total RAM: 8388608) I decided to try a hard reset but it sticks on the Palm Logo.
On the top left hand corner there is a "spot" pulsing. On the
view log I note an error - Unknown error: %lx
ERROR: Unable to create file on handheld: 68328EZ Serial Driver (16405)

Any suggestions please?

By the way I also tried another tip of soft resetting again - while I get some movement it goes back to the Palm Logo and that little dot pulsing on the top left-hand corner.

I am virtually in the " outback" and not near any service so any help would be welcome.

[danslaterre]

Hmmm . . . well, the hard reset should have worked. I'm puzzled as to why it didn't. Normally, when I get stuck in "loop" mode, I'm able to hard reset and get it back to factory condition and then synchronize all the data back on from my PC. Have you tried contacting Palm over e-mail? I've had to do this in the past, and have always gotten a response within 24 hours from them. If your unit is still not working, you may need to.

[Dad]

Thanks Danslaterre, I'll try Palm Support.
Never had this problem in the 2 years I have the Vx and BackupBuddy never let me down. All the software I use is legal, commercial or freeware. In this case I was doing some tidying and switched all from FlasPro back to ram. One of my BDicty files got corrupted and I had to download from their site again, pity they have a pretty lousy complicated download system unlike most and I got an "Error" report in the file log. After various attempts with the BDicty site I decided to reverse the function to " desktop overwrites" - just then the doorbell rang and when I returned I found the Palm Logo. Initially, I was not worried because I have never had problems before but now the panic bells are ringing - you lucky people in USA don't realise what you have going where technical help is just down the road, in my part of the world the PDAs are almost non-existent, I don't know anybody who has one! I can't afford a laptop so I have this Vx crammed with info on Wordsmith so I hope I can get it fixed somehow.

Thank you for your interest!

[danslaterre]

This is exactly the kind of information you need to let Palm know. I always tell them what was going on when the problem occurred, and I give them a list of the 3rd party applications and hacks I have loaded. That will help them in assisting you with the troubleshooting. As long as you have a recent backup on the PC that you synchronize with, it's just a matter of getting the unit to hard reset. Best of luck to you, hope it works out. Do me a favor and post after you're able to get the problem resolved. I'll be interested to hear what it took.

[Dad]

Will do. I sent an extensive BupB log report to Palm.The Vx remains " on" and the dot pulsing so there is life. Question is if there is life after death?
Perhaps if I wait for the battery to run itself down any file that is bugging it may be erased. I've seen Furbies die quicker!

[Telyx]

It sounds like your Vx is stuck in Debug mode. The usual way out of that is a "soft" reset (just poke the reset button), but if even a hard reset isn't working, I hope your ROM didn't get corrupted somehow by moving files from Flash to RAM. (I've never heard of that happening, but you never know.)

[Dad]

Thanks Telyx,

I tried both soft and hard resets and I get back to the Palm Logo and a dot pulsing on the top left hand corner below the contrast button. I did hear about the contrast button giving problems and tried it a few times. Curiosly on one hard reset when it asks to press the " up" button to clear all information, I pushed the contrast button to see what would happen and it cleared so the button is not jammed.

I let the battery run right down completely and this morning the Palm Logo was gone. I put on charge for a few minutes and the Palm Logo came back with that pulsing dot - I had hoped that by draining it I might flush out any buggy file.

Question, If the ROM is currupted should I get anything on the screen?
What is the worst I can expect? Is it worth fixing?
When I do a hard reset it screens the options.

Referring to moving from flash, everything worked perfectly afterwards. I use dictionaries a lot and it was when I went to use BDicty it did not identify me and I tried to backup that failed because of a corrupted Bdicty file. When I went to "my stuff" on their download site that things started to go sour - instead of the usual straightforward .ZIP download I got .dll files, I reckon I may have made a mess of it and got a message on the BackupBuddy Log File - WARNING: error loading plugin BDicty492.prc.dll (31)
Then the spaghetti hit the fan...!It just appeared to stick with the Logo.

I am waiting for Palm Support to reply, I am also thinking of leaving the Palm lie off charge for about a week to let it drain out thoroughly and try again.

In the meantime, please readers come up with some ideas!

[DrMud]

Patrick after sending you an email I read this thread.

I see no othe alternative but to agree that the OS is damaged. The debug mode is a somewhat open mode that can sometimes loop but not in the manner you have experienced. It may still be possible to reflash the OS. To flash the OS you need to be able to HotSync the loader stub on to your palm. When you get Palm Tech see if they will email you the 3.5 OS and the Palm Vx Flash tool.
DrMud

[Dad]

DrMud,
Yes, it would appear so! No ends of soft and hard resets have come up with nothing. Got to put it down to experience, it just goes to show what a little carelessness can do! You say it may be possible to “reflash the OS” and also refer to a “Flash tool”. Can you please run me through that so I can be prepared for the Palm tech? I much appreciated your mail.

[DrMud]

The two most common "flashable" versions of the OS for the Palm Vx are OS 3.5 (which was then upgrade to 3.5.3 with a "patch" that could be hotsynced onto the unit.) and OS 4.1 (the newest).
The Flash tools come in two forms: the tool and a seperate ROM IMage , and The tool as a single file containing the specific ROM Image. The latter is too big for emailing on most ISPs. Be sure they send the ENGLISH versions! The file name you need for OS 4.1 is “PalmVx_ENG_Flashtool.exe” size 2,175 KB.
Doc

[Dad]

Thanks a million Doc, your generosity matches your knowledge ability! Let’s hope the Palm tech can be as understanding. I will advise the outcome, keep the fingers crossed.

Telyx got me prepared for the bad news when he reckoned the ROM may be corrupted and you've confirmed it, now I have to see what the Palm chaps come up with. I will advise the outcome, keep the fingers crossed.

[DrMud]

If you do get the software from Palm be sure to take your Palm/(hot sync ID)/Backup folder, and rename it , to get it out of harms way. When you do the first Hotsync to start the upgrade it is best if nothing else gets loaded. Be sure to put the Flash tool exe file in its own folder along with a copy of "condmgr.dll." You will find that file on your PC, copy it to the folder with the Flash Tool exe.

If Palm is not generous they have a special price on the upgrade Palm OS 4.1 CD on the Palm.com site.
DrMud

[DrMud]

Here is the link to the discount on the Palm OS 4.1 upgrade CD.
I have no idea if it is applicable to Downunder!?
Doc
http://store.palm.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1157349

[Dad]

Thanks Doc,

1 The palm tech sent a mail but apart from acknowledging my mail he just went through some copy and paste exercises!If he had read clearly he would have got the message.

I replied but got another " job card" number so I pasted this forum and await a reply.

2 Appreciate the link but the big problem down here is that the country is in default with IMF so my money is useless!! The international banks confiscated our dollar deposits!
We had a tremendous devaluation we were once 1:1 with the USD now it is 1:4.

I used to use N2P but they won't accept charge cards from Argentina - you people are in heaven and don't know it :-)

I will keep positive on Palm coming up with a solution for the moment and keep you posted.

[Dad]

I'm somewhat bemused, while I have not received any satisfaction from Palm Tech yet, one fellow receives my detailed suport request and replies with copy and paste without thinking too much. I reply and another fellow writes to the effect that if I don't give the details necessary how can he deal with the problem - get it? Perhaps I will get another mail from yet another fellow asking what that reply was all about? You can't blame the poor fellows if the the management is not committed and comitment is planning and getting it right first time.

Ah but yes, - wait for it- I just received a Palm Support Satisfaction Service Survey !!
" We take customer service very seriously and have great pride in
providing you with only the very best customer service" -
(Bless their little hearts!)

Nice product, pity about the faces!

In the survey I suggested they take some example from the real professionals - you regular participants in the PDA street forums.

I think this thread has run it's course, it was my first time, I learned a lot and I want to thank, DrMud, Danslaterre and Telyx for their excellent help.

[Dad]

Is there any limit to the cretinous and irresponsible behaviour of the Palm Support employees. Can anyone let me have a direct contact to complain about this so-called service? In my message above you will sense my frustration but the enclosed emphasises the lack of interest and ability of these boys, do they know what a Palm is? As if to add insult to injury the poor fellow asks me to take some time to fill in the Customer response???!!! How do they train parrots? Oops, sorry parrots!

Read below, let it be a lesson -

Subject: Re: Attention Will T URGENT PLEASE (KMM2217712V9588L0KM)
From: Palm Support <support@palm.com>
Reply-To: Palm Support <support@palm.com>
X-Mailer: Kana 6.0
X-MIMETrack: Itemize by SMTP Server on Ranger/SRV-NA/Stream(Release 5.0.10 |March 22, 2002) at
10/15/2002 03:24:29 PM,
Serialize by Router on Ranger/SRV-NA/Stream(Release 5.0.10 |March 22, 2002) at
10/15/2002 03:24:45 PM
Dear , ( they could not even get the name!!!

Thank you very much for your inquiry.

For further questions you may send another E-mail message ( another one, they got three) or use our
telephone support.

To telephone Palm U.S. Technical Support, please dial:

(847) 262-7256

NOTE: All Palm handhelds have a 90-day technical support warranty that
is effective from the original date of purchase. Upon expiry, all
telephone queries requesting additional technical support will be
subject to a $25 fee.

US Customers can purchase the Palm Toll Free Plan to get a full year of
telephone technical support. Visit this Web site for details :

http://store.palm.com/poc

To learn more about Palm handhelds, please visit the Palm Knowledge
Finder on the Palm Web site at:

http://kb.palm.com/

Please take some time to fill in the responses on the Customer
Satisfaction Survey form that was mailed to you for this case. It will
help us improve our responses and resolve your issues in a more timely
and efficient manner.

Best regards,

James L.

[Dad]

Thanks to DrMud and his efforts, I've got the OS fixed and back to normal!!

What a bit of luck finding PalmBlvd and the interested people on the PDAStreet.

Sorry I can't say thanks to Palm Support - lots of robot like time wasting replies from all of them - just waffle - but they never even tried!

Dad

[DrMud]

Congradulations!
Not only is your Palm working you are now a certified Palm repair expert. Welcome!
Doc