HotSync "hangs", shows status as "Installing to Card" but there's 0 to install!

[jn46]

After 10 nearly flawless months with my trusty T3, I have for the
1st time lost the ability to HotSynch altogether and would very much appreciate any suggested solutions. My PC is a Dell Dimension 2400 that works on Windows XP Pro, and my Palm Desktop Version is 4.1.2. Here is what happened:

Having nearly filled up a 256MB card (Kingston) -- mainly with E-
books -- I sought to move the contents to a 512 MB card (also
Kingston). I tried doing so by creating a folder for that purpose on my PC, putting the original card's contents there (via a card
reader), and then trying to move the files thus amassed to the
larger card via QuickInstall; I sought to move them by dragging the various files to the bottom half (Expansion Card destination) of QuickInstall (with the 512MB card safely ensconced in my T3).
Somehow, some files transferred to the larger card, but then the
transfer seemed to "freeze" interminably in midstream; I finally
cancelled the HotSynch (both on the Desktop and the T3) and deleted from the bottom portion of QuickInstall those files that hadn't transferred, figuring I would HotSynch them them over later.

To my horror, I see that I've now lost the ability to HotSync
ALTOGETHER. When I try the simplest HotSync, for example, intending to transfer only a single calendar event (and setting all the other conduits to "do nothing"), 1) the HotSync progress box on the PC continues to describe "status" as "Installing to Card" -- although to my knowledge, there is NOTHING to install to the card (and certainly nothing that shows in QuickInstall) and 2) the HotSync progress box on the T3 says "synchronizing". Eventually, I have no choice but to give up and cancel. In short, I cannot HotSync at all.

For this vexing problem, I would very much appreciate receiving suggested solutions from those who are comfortable with such matters. Many, many thanks in advance.

Jeff

[CarmineCastiglia]

Quick and dirty response with only a minimum amount of thought put into it beforehand:

Open Windows Explorer and browse to C:\Program Files\Palm\<your_user_folder>\Install and make certain that the folder is empty.

Next, look in C:\Program Files\Palm\<your_user_folder>\QuickInstall\ExpCard and make sure it is empty.

Finally, do the same with C:\Program Files\Palm\<your_user_folder>\QuickInstall\Handheld

Any luck?

Carmine Castiglia
Missing screws from your T/T2/T3?
Get 'em here!

[jn46]

Carmine,

I took at look at the 3 folders you cited, and on the assumption that [your_user_folder] means in my case one named "Jeff" -- my first name (and my user name) -- then each of the following three folders is, indeed, empty:

1) C:\Program Files\Palm\Jeff\Install

2) C:\Program Files\Palm\Jeff\QuickInstall\ExpCard

3) C:\Program Files\Palm\Jeff\QuickInstall\Handheld

I did note, however, that there is a separate folder within Palm called "PalmJ". This folder looks quickly like *somewhat* of a "parallel universe" to that of its counterpart, "Jeff". Quick count: The "PalmJ' folder seems to have 20 sub-folders ("address", "archive", "backup", "backup.old", "CardInst.", "datebook", etc.) that sound much like the 22 sub-folders within the "Jeff" folder. (In the "Jeff" folder, however, I do see a sub-folder called "BackupBuddy", which I only installed 4-5 days ago.)

In any event, IF I substitute "PalmJ" for "Jeff" in your suggested file search -- and I'm not at all sure that I should -- I find the following:

1) C:\Program Files\Palm\PalmJ\Install

There are 20 different files within this sub-folder (including, for example, WTGFontPackage, DGraphConverter, DvzSSFonts, DocsToGo, etc.)

2) C:\Program Files\Palm\PalmJ\QuickInstall\ExpCard

There are no files within this folder

3) C:\Program Files\Palm\PalmJ\QuickInstall\Handheld

There are no files within this folder.

I don't pretend to know what to make of these results, but there they are. Thanks for your suggestions. If you have any further insights, I would be appreciative.

Jeff

P.S. Not incidentally, I thought I'd mention that you were good to
your word when earlier this week, you sent me, *without charge*, several "precise fit" replacement screws for the T3 -- which I bought just in case -- in place of the "near fit" screws you had sold me last month (because you hadn't yet located a source for the "precise fit" screws). I much appreciate your integrity in these matters.

[CarmineCastiglia]

Jeff,

The Palm HotSync module uses some weird algorithm (which I haven't wasted time to figure out) to create a "master" folder for each user. My T3's hotsync ID is "Carmine Castiglia" and the master folder within the \Palm folder is named "CastigC".

Within that folder, the "Install" folder is used to temporarily hold files to be installed by the basic Palm installer - let's call it the "old" installer.

The folders named "QuickInstall\ExpCard" and "\QuickInstall\Handheld" are holding areas for files to be installed by the newer "palmOne Quick Install" tool.

Either way, once files have been installed by a successful hotsync, all of these folders should be empty.

The first thing you need to do is determine which set of folders on your PC is the "active" set, "Jeff" or "PalmJ" (user ID "Jeffs Palm" perhaps?). The other is most likely a leftover from a previous device. "Jeff" seems to be the active folder (installed BackupBuddy 4-5 days ago...) and the install folders are empty - unfortunately, that gets us back to the beginning. Oh well...

P.S. Not incidentally, I thought I'd mention that you were good to your word when earlier this week, you sent me, *without charge*, several "precise fit" replacement screws for the T3 -- which I bought just in case -- in place of the "near fit" screws you had sold me last month (because you hadn't yet located a source for the "precise fit" screws). I much appreciate your integrity in these matters.

Great! Glad to hear you are pleased with the product and the service. Skip on over to my website's forum and post a note when you get a chance.

Carmine Castiglia

[jn46]

Thanks again, Carmine, for your insights. As I said, the "Install" folder and the QuickInstall\ExpCard and QuickInstall\Handheld folders were already empty under my C:\Program Files\Palm\Jeff folder [almost certainly the active one, as you noted]. When I checked the *formerly* active folder,

C:\Program Files\Palm\PalmJ\Install

I saw some 20 files within it. I concluded that there was no "downside" in emptying that install folder, so I did. Sure enough, it didn't hurt, but neither did it help; my attempts to HotSync still "hang": The HotSync progress box on the PC continues to describe "status" as "Installing to Card" -- although to my knowledge, there is NOTHING to install to the card (at least nothing that shows in QuickInstall) and 2) the HotSync progress box on the T3 continues to say "synchronizing".

Carmine (or anyone else knowledgeable): Do you think a possible solution lies in my reinstalling Palm Desktop software from the CD (on the theory that that software may somehow have become corrupted)? If so, is there an "uninstall" to be effected first -- and if so, precisely how does one uninstall -- or shall I just reinstall the PD software "over" the current software ?

Many thanks again -- and in advance.

Jeff

[jn46]

Success! A good and knowledgeable person in another forum offered up the precise solution to this most vexing problem. I thought I'd pass along his teaching so that others who may later research the issue will have the solution at their fingertips (less the angst).

This other person advised me simply to

Check your "/Palm/<username>/CardInst/Slot-SD" directory

Sure enough, when I navigated on over to that directory, I found that it was filled with many e-book files that evidently had gotten "hung up" in a single, non-functional HotSync attempt. As soon as I deleted them, I regained the ability to HotSynch.

Jeff

P.S. Thanks again, Carmine, for your constructive suggestions.

[CarmineCastiglia]

I feel pretty silly having missed that folder when I gave a list of folders to check in my original reply.

Oh well!


Carmine Castiglia
Want it back? Put a label on it!

[jn46]

The salient point is that you gave; each of us does better in hindsight. Thanks again.

Jeff