iQue and 2nd palm using same PC

[JMckie]

I've never tried this and I have my guesses, but I'm going to ask the audience. Some for those who are experienced with having two palm devices of different makes.

1) Is it advisable to use the same userid on both machines?

2) After installing the other CD, will I end up two versions (palm and garmin) of the Palm desktop?

3) Will my programs work on both machines?

4) Will my addressbook data, to do list sync to both machines?

[Moose Man]

You are not supposed to be able to run two machines with one user ID. The problem comes into view rather quickly because of the saved preferences files and other OS/Device specific items. You will get conflicts with devices that don't use GPS and vice versa.

The backup process saves this saved preferences file which is the root of most problems.

I run the same user name on two different machines. One for my Treo and one for my Que and that is the only way it can be done in my opinion. Which is based upon 8+ years of Palm experience. And also when buying the new toys always trying to run both for a short period of time. The end result was always hard resets.

There is so much "data" stored that deals with the hardware specific issues in the Saved Preferences file that the only way you can run too machines with the same ID is to have each machine overwrite the Desktop each time you sync. But in the process of doing so then you don't really sync.

I suppose that if you beamed all of your changes to each machine and avoided the hotsync process you could get around the issue. But then your giving up an awful lot of functionality.

My Que is pretty much relegated to doing "testing" and GPS functions so I have actually pulled most of the "other" software off it. I may still be in technical violation of one or two programs and the end user liscense agreement but......



If you had two identical Palm's this could be done. However it would still have limitations. Agendus for example uses a DeviceID for registration purposes that is handheld specific. You can't run one copy on two machines - it just won't work. Other software that uses simplier registrations can work.

But you can't run two Que's on the same machine becasue of their registration process for the maps. They are serial identified as well.

So bottom line is: no.

[HPH]

Maybe I'm missing something; but can't you control two Palm devices from the same desktop and use the same user ID if you do the desktop software install in two different directories? And it seems like I remember that it's possible to put address books and so on somewhere else than the default, so couldn't you point both installations to the same non-default location?

Clearly, it's important to keep the installations separate because of driver differences and so on. HPH

[Moose Man]

But then you'd have to have two full versions of the desktop running and how is the HotSync function going to recognize which "directory" you are pointing to?

To the best of my knowledge you can only have one version of hotsync running on the PC?

It is an interesting thought and one that I must admit that I have never tried.

But the issue of software registration still would not change. Those programs that use different device ID's in their registration process....you'd still have to buy two copies of that software regardless.

[Curious Cat]

I haven’t tried it either but I think the registry would point to only one directory for Palm.

[jUiceBoXx]

I have two different palm devices, a Treo 600 and the iQue. I sync both of them to the same PC, and I also sync one of them (The treo 600) with my Mac at work.

I want to sync my contacts, notes, etc. so they are updated on all of them. And so that when I make an addition or deletion to any of them it is reflected in all of them, but I don't want to sync all of the applications and preferences between the pdas.

The best way I've found to do this is to have a unique sync name for each palm and then add the sync name for the second palm to the Outlook profile.

You can do this by going into Outlook and clicking on view then folder list find the folder with your sync conduits name ie: in my case pocketmirror. Then add a blank note with the hotsync name of the second palm.

I use first initial, last name for 1st palm, last name, first initial for second palm. for example rsmith, smithr. So you would simply add a blank note named smithr to your PocketMirror folder (within outloook) and both palms would share the same contact information without any of the problems associated with using two palms with the same hotsync id.

Another advantage of using the rsmith, smithr convention for hotsync ids is then the same registration code that worked for your first palm will also work with your second palm at least that seems to be the case for my registered applications.

Good Luck!



Originally posted by JMckie
I've never tried this and I have my guesses, but I'm going to ask the audience. Some for those who are experienced with having two palm devices of different makes.

1) Is it advisable to use the same userid on both machines?

2) After installing the other CD, will I end up two versions (palm and garmin) of the Palm desktop?

3) Will my programs work on both machines?

4) Will my addressbook data, to do list sync to both machines?

[Moose Man]

I've done that same approach with no glitches....but the key is different user names. Two different devices and only one user name and I've always had reset issues caused by the saved preferences file. With two user names - there are no issues.

[jUiceBoXx]

Hi... That is key but I wanted to mention the procedure because many users (especially new users) do not know that it is even possible to sync their contact information and notes from two different palms to the same Outlook profile.

Originally posted by Moose Man
I've done that same approach with no glitches....but the key is different user names. Two different devices and only one user name and I've always had reset issues caused by the saved preferences file. With two user names - there are no issues.