Palm (Treo 680) Hot Sync: COM1 Not Available

[bijkler]

I'm trying to use my Treo 680 with Palm Hot Sync on the latest Parallels desktop 3.0 and I always get COM1 not available even though 1) the device is plugged in, 2) the USB hub in Parallels sees the device as "Palm Handheld" and 3) I have checked this item from the menu to activate it.

I am using Palm HotSync manager 6.0.1 for Windows which is the one that came on the CD with the Treo 680.

What gives?

 

[Alicia]

Hello,

please, check this thread. Will the steps from it help?

Best regards,
Alicia.

 

[bijkler]

Nope, doesn't help!

This thread you've referenced has a lot of different things to try and I've tried most of them (hitting the sync button before running Parallels, enabling the USB device from the menu, reinstalling the Palm software, running Parallels from the Application folder), but if you note ... the dates are in January for a much older build. This is back when the Palm HotSync used to work for me. I'm
having troubles with the recent upgrade to 5160 (3.0), the version that includes Coherence.

 

[bijkler]

Full Re-install

I just now trying a full re-install of the Palm Desktop software for the Treo 680, meaning that 1) I uninstalled from the Win Software management, 2) I deleted the leftover "Palm" folder under "Program Files" and 3) started a re-install, all the while double checking that from the Parallels "Devices" menu that the "Palm Handheld" device was still present and checked off. The sync still doesn't work.

 

[cutter]

bijkler:
Hi!
Please make sure that COM1 device present at guest OS (right click on My computer, choose Properties, choose Hardware tab, press on Device manager button). Try to find COM device at Ports (COM&LPT) section.

 

[bijkler]

No COM1 Port and no driver for "Palm Handheld"

When i go to the Hardware control panel for System, there is not COM1 in the ports section and the Palm Handheld shows up as an unkonwn device with no driver. Please note, that I have installed/uninstalled the Palm Desktop software *several* times. Also, a reminder, the Palm HotSync used to work fine on the 2.x versions of Paralles for me.



I'm attaching another screenshot for clarity.

 

[bijkler]

Scan system for new hardware

Oh, forgot to mention ... I tried, while in this panel, "scanning the system for new hardware" which causes the panel to flicker a lot ... and the Treo and OS to "beep" alot ... but accomplishes absolutely nothing.

 

[Alicia]

Hello,

it seems that your Sync software isn't set to support USB connection for the device and Parallels doesn't support COM1 connections. Try to update your Hot Sync software to the version with USB support.

Best regards,
Alicia.

 

[bijkler]

USB HotSync and COM1

Actually, you're wrong about this. The PalmDesktop and HotSync (or maybe Windows?) install COM1 and COM2 devices which corresponds to the USB connection with the Palm Handheld device. I use the USB connection on a vanilla WinXPHome box and on a MacBookPro Intel with VMWare fusion and these all work fine. Note that the exact same USB HotSync setup worked in previous versions of Parallels too. Also note, that on all three setups, I am using a Treo 680 with the PalmDesktop software on the CD which came with it.

I'm now attaching screenshots from VMWare Fusion (this is a WinXPPro virtual machine) of the hardware manager and the HotSync setup.

 

[Alicia]

Hello,

my bad, you are right about ports. We are trying to reproduce the issue in-house and to fix it. I will keep you informed. Thank you!

Best regards,
Alicia.

 

[Xenos]

Hello bijkler,

The Palm Treo 680 issue is supposed to be fixed in the new build 5582. Please try.

Best regards,
Xenos

 

[bijkler]

Build 5582

I installed build 5582 and it didn't seem to change the situation any. The Parallells tools in Windows also seem to upate themselves when I opened the VM.

I ran out of time, but I will try to re-install the Palm Desktop/HotSync software again with thie image and build.

 

[Xenos]

Mat, could you specify the way Treo is synchronized? When you connect HotSync, you should choose Local USB - as the attached picture shows.

Best regards,
Xenos

 

[bijkler]

I have been choosing USB as the method (as your screenshot shows) since the beginning. Note also, as I promised, I went ahead an de-installed and re-installed the Palm Desktop/HotSync software after upgrading to build 5582, but the behaviour is still exactly the same.

My question is, when do the COM1 and Palm Handheld devices get made in the guest OS? Perhaps you guys at Parallels have installed things in a different order and that's why it works for you?

 

[Xenos]

Hello Mat,

Palm Treo 680 does work with Parallels Desktop 5582, as our tests prove. I'm not sure this news is reassuring or helpful for you...

Here is another hypothesis: you might have some problems with the installed USB driver. If this guess is true, you should reinstall USB Controller:

1. Please uninstall Parallels Tools and right after that, without restarting Windows, uninstall the USB Controller and Palm device in Device Manager. For this click Start -> Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Computer Management -> Device Manager and right click the USB controller and the device, choose "Uninstall".

2. Shut down Windows and remove USB controller in Configuration Editor.

3. Run Windows and make sure that there is no USB Controller and no Palm device in Device manager.

4. Shut down Windows and add USB controller in Configuration Editor.

5. Run Windows and wait for a while to let drivers to get installed again. Make sure that the USB Controller is back.

6. Install Parallels Tools.

7. Check if your Palm Treo works now.

Best regards,
Xenos

 

[Xenos]

Hello Mat,

Please try the Parallels Desktop custom build with improved USB support.

With best wishes for a Happy New Year,
Xenos

 

[bijkler]

Tried everything but no luck.

Xenos,

I tried everything from your last two posts but no luck. I actually installed the 5582.5 build first, changing nothing, but that didn't work, then I went back to the previous post and followed the steps (not once, but twice) to remove the (1) USB controller from Win and the (2) Parallels tools, then allowed Win to reinstall (1) then manually reinstall (2), but still, it behaves exactly the same.

 

[Xenos]

Mat, could you please let me know, on which Parallels Desktop builds you had Palm Treo 680 working before?

Best regards,
Xenos

 

[bijkler]

At what build did the Palm HotSync for Treo 680 break

This is a little hard for me to tell actually. I know that in Feb 2007 on Parallels 2.x it was working. When I upgraded to 3.x, I actually hosed the one WinXPPro virtual image I had (no big deal) and reconstructed everything with a fresh WinXPPro install. I think this was in July or Aug.

Anyway, I have saved the DMG files with their dates if that helps (see screen shot).

 

[bijkler]

.. and where did my screenshot go

(trying again)