Hotsync problems

[GrouseTales]

My Palm OS PDA hotsyncs just fine when using the USB cable, but I can’t get it to hotsync with the IR adapter.

I bought one of these little add-on USB/IR adapters that plugs in the USB jack.

[*]When I plug the IR adapter in, the computer recognizes the device.
[*]When I put the PDA in view of the computer, the computer “see’s” the PDA and you hear the audible “boing” noise indicating an IR device in range.
[*]I switch the hotsync option on the PDA to IR mode. When I hit hotsync button on the PDA, I hear a “swish” as the computer looses connection with the PDA. The PDA then displays a message:

Unable to initiate Hotsync operation because the port is in use by another application

This has me baffled because I don’t have any other devices hooked up to the computer at the time. I’m not a computer guru, so I cant figure out what is hogging the port.

I’ve dinked around with a bunch of settings, but still cant get it working properly. I’m having similar problem syncing my cell phone, so I have a feeling the problem is based on my laptop.

BTW, I’m using XP pro operating system

Can anyone give me some pointers?

[GeoPink]

When you Right click on the HotSync icon in the TaskBar, is there a checkmark next to Infrared near the top? Other than that, you got me!

I’ll think on it as I too use the IR to HotSync and have never had any problems.

G’luck

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later,
Team GeoPink
Co-conspirators to make the world a better place

[kbraband]

I’m also having problems hotsyncing my Palm, but through the cable. I haven’t tried the IR method. I haven’t been able to hotsync the last several times I have tried it. I’ve been busy lately and haven’t tried for a couple of weeks, but it was frustrating. Previously when I had problems my solution was to open Windows Task Manager and one by one end all the processes that had my name next to them (as opposed to System tasks). This used to work, but it did not work the last few times I tried it. Brian, you might want to try it to resolve the COM conflict. As I said, it used to work for me.

[GrouseTales]

Yes, in the hotsync setup I have the “IR” checked.

Ken, I’ve closed out all the processes with a name…Still no dice.

Regarding your problem with the cable, I sometimes have the problem too. For some reason, it seems to be related to having the cable installed when you boot up the computer. I’ve found If I cant sync, I plug in the cable, and re-start the computer. It always works for me after doing the reboot.

[jthorson]

In the bad old days when I used a palm (now I use a pocketpc) the magic process to kill was wcescomm.exe, because it sometimes holds the serial port.

No warranty implied or specified.

[kbraband]

I just spent the past 45 minutes trying to hotsync… no luck at all with the cradle or with IR. I was going to try Jeff’s suggestion but I don’t have a process by that name. I killed all the processes I could and still no luck. Right now I can’t use my PDA for geocaching. It’s just an electronic calendar.

[kbraband]

After lunch I decided to tackle this problem once more. Huzzah! Problem is solved. My computer’s COM port somehow got switched to COM4. Switching back to COM1 and then killing some programs as before did the trick.

[GrouseTales]

I’m not finding that “wcescomm.exe” either.

[GrouseTales]

quote:

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Originally posted by kbraband:
After lunch I decided to tackle this problem once more. Huzzah! Problem is solved. My computer’s COM port somehow got switched to COM4. Switching back to COM1 and then killing some programs as before did the trick.

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How they heck do you do that?

[kbraband]

quote:

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Originally posted by GrouseTales:
How they heck do you do that?

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Open MapSource, then Edit>Preferences>Transfer

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