Yet another reset loop problem

[James_Screech]

I recently bought a LifeDrive on ebay (oh, no! Not another one!) and it keeps going into reset loops, forcing me to do a hard reset. Then, when I’ve performed a hotsync to reload my data it tells me that I need to reset the PDA. Yes you've guest it, this becomes another reset loop and I’m forced to perform another hard reset and reload all my data and applications manually.

Have I bought an expensive brick or is there a solution to this problem?

James

[brandon-wan]

sounds like a corrupted file somewhere. what are you trying to reload and are you sure it's designed specifically for a lifedrive? i had this same problem a few days ago with butler from hobbyist and then i found it doesn't support the ld.

[James_Screech]

sounds like a corrupted file somewhere. what are you trying to reload and are you sure it's designed specifically for a lifedrive? i had this same problem a few days ago with butler from hobbyist and then i found it doesn't support the ld.

I don't think that's the problem. I've had the same thing happen 4 times each time using a different application, including the inbuilt email and web browser. Anyway an incompatible application shouldn't be a problem when performing a hotsync to reload the applications and data.

[hgradeca]

Well, I had similar problem a year ago. Sorry, but you'lll have to reinastall Palm Desktop first and then install all the applications manually, one by one.
That worked for me, hope it works for you too! :)

[potter]

I think brandon-wan is still correct. When it comes to applications that are not NVFS device compatible the main issue is that these applications, because of some special function they do (typically background in nature), need to lock a portion of there code in memory (something that technically the programmer was suppose to have done all along, but previously rarely caused problems, but under NVFS devices cause major problems). What happens is a when one launches another application (typically a large application), in order to make room in memory other unlocked applications and data are swapped out. However, the the incompatible application just got swapped out. Then when the incompatible application's background event occurs (could be an event that occurs ever second or less), since the code is not where it should be the device crashes and resets.

Try the following the next time you hard reset and have to restore:
Launch Palm Desktop (even if you do not sync your PIM information against Palm Desktop).
Perform a menu 'Tools', 'Options...'
In the 'Options' dialog box, in the 'General' tab there is a field labeled 'Data directory'. Note the value of this field.
Cancel the 'Options' dialog box and exit Palm desktop.
Open a Windows File Explorer (Windows-Key-E).
Navigate to the data directory noted above.
Off of this directory there will be several sub-directories. One of these sub-directories will be named a shortened version of your device's Hotsync ID. Example: If you device's Hotsync ID was "John Smith", the directory might be named "SmithJ". Navigate into this directory to double check that this is your device's directory.
My current understanding of how the shortened name is derived from the Hotsync ID is as follows:
If the Hotsync ID has two or more words, take the first six characters of the second word followed by the first character of the first word. Examples:
"John Smith" becomes "SmithJ"
"James Johnson Smith" becomes "JohnsoJ"
"Jane Q Doe" becomes "QJ"
If the Hotsync ID has only one word, take the first six characters of that word. Examples:
"PDAMaster" becomes "PDAMas"
"John" becomes "John"
If there already exists a directory with that name, appends a number to the end of the name to make it unique, starting with 0. Examples:
"John Doe" and "Jane Doe" both sync against the same desktop, John's was synced first. Therefore the data directory for "John Doe" would be "DoeJ" and the data directory for "Jane Doe" would be "DoeJ0".
Later their son starts syncing a new device to the same desktop. If this new device was named "James Doe" it would use the data directory "DoeJ1".
Inside this directory there will be several sub-directories, such as: address, Archive, Backup, datebook, Install, memopad, QuickInstall, todo. If you are using Hotsync Manager 6.X or latter there will be the file 'HotSyncLog.htm'.
If 'HotSyncLog.htm' is there, double click on it to open it up in your web browser. This first line will read 'HotSync operation started for NAME on DATE TIME', where NAME is the full Hotsync ID of you device and DATE and TIME is when you last performed a Hotsync.
Locate the sub-directory named 'Backup'. Rename it to something like, 'Backup.Old' or 'Backup.PreLifedrive'
Hotsync you device as normal. This will restore all the PIM information, but none of the third party applications or data.
Run this way for a day or so to see how stable the device is.
Assuming the device checks out as being stable, you can start installing third party applications. Recommend installing one at a time and checking it out for awhile before installing others. Be aware that an application that causes system instability on an NFVS device probably causes crashes in other applications.

[James_Screech]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. The problem was a missbehaving application. For future referance it was AOL's IM client for PalmOS (AIM.prc) that was causing the problem.

[hgradeca]

:) I'm glad you have solved it! :)
And regarding IM software, I recommend Verichat, it works great on my LD! :)

[James_Screech]

None of this explains why the LifeDrive v2.0 upgrade also sends my feDrive into a reset loop. But I can atleast use it now and just not bother with the update.

[hgradeca]

None of this explains why the LifeDrive v2.0 upgrade also sends my feDrive into a reset loop. But I can atleast use it now and just not bother with the update.

That is strange... I was fortunate enough to install the update the same day I bought it, so it worked flawlessly! :)
If your LD is working good right now, I think that there could be some problem with Palm desktop or even with your Windows...
I don't want to sound like tech support from Microsoft, but reinstalling the Windows and Palm software might fix that all. ;)

[James_Screech]

I've just discovered (in another thread) that I should perform a hard reset before installing the update. No mention is made of this in the instructions for Windows but having checked on the Palm website it is for doing the upgrade from a MAC.

Perhaps if I'm feeling brave I'll give this a try.

[hgradeca]

I've just discovered (in another thread) that I should perform a hard reset before installing the update. No mention is made of this in the instructions for Windows but having checked on the Palm website it is for doing the upgrade from a MAC.

Perhaps if I'm feeling brave I'll give this a try.


Well, I have never read anything like that, perhaps it was written after I got my LD.
But that might help, actually.
When I was installing the update on my LD, I had only one or two extra programs installed, so there was no trouble.
I suggest that you try installing the update after performing hard reset. :)
Tell us how it goes. :) I sincerely hope that it will work! :)

[James_Screech]

Well I tried performing a hard reset before doign the upgrade and it worked!

So I finally have my LifeDrive almost working as I want it, software installed without a reset loop problem, 2.0 update installed. Just a CF replacment to do now.