NZ & NR90: usb port confusion

[jerryprism]

NZ won't hot sync. I have a an NR-70 that hot syncs fine. Had both of them hot syncing to both my computers (home & work) fine, for a while. Now the NZ will only hot sync on one of my office USB ports but not on any of the homer's. Called Sony & the tech guy said it's a problem w/my home OS, which is Windows ME. Office OS is Windows 2000 Prof. Apparently the USB ports will only "recognize" the NR-70. To fix that I need to either install another USB port or re-install the OS. Re-instaling the OS means I lose everything & must re-install everything from a back up. There has got to be a better way. (I've already been up here regarding this problem, but this is the latest twist) Anyone know how to "clean" up the USB ports so they will recognize the NZ and the NR without re-instaling anything? Need more info, please ask me. Thanks

[n2ifp]

Did you add or remove anything off the NZ90 lately?? Keyboard driver or Over-Clocking? I would lean towards something has affected the Clie. There are five Clies here that will sync on the one Windows ME laptop. 2 NR70, 2 NX70, and one NX80 and I didn't have to install anything. Reinstalling the OS at this point seems a little drastic to me. I don't know if you have rebooted the PC's, soft or hard reset the NZ90. First back it up good!!! It's a bit odd both PC's quit working at the same time for the NZ90.

Before digging into the PC's OS, let me or anyone else know, how far you have progressed. Everything seems to point to the NZ90, if it is the OS, I may have additional solution short of an OS reinstall.

[greg elmassian]

as a quick and safe suggestion: backup (to a ms) your nz...
hard reset...
try to sync...

if it does not work, it's your pc... restore your nz and look on the pc...

if it does work, it's your nz... return it...

greg

[jerryprism]

Have done a hard re-set. The PC does not hot sync the NZ90, it does not show up in Windows Explorer under "my computer" as "Removable disc" and it does not show on the MS Export, even tho I've reinstalled the driver with the NZ plugged in its own cradle to a working USB port.however, balance my NR70 on the NZ cradle and we're hot syncing but the MS Export and Windows Explorer show nothing. But then I put the NR on the cablle to another USB port and it's all working. Is there any help other thanreinstalling the PC's OS or returning the NZ? BTW how do you return an NZ purchased thru Ubid?

[n2ifp]

One thing you can try after uninstalling any and all drivers for the Clie you can find, is to remove the USB hub in device manager and let Windows rebuild it on restart.

Use the NR70 and have it connected and remove that first from the device manager. Make sure you have drivers available for any other USB devices that you may have. I have 4 or 5 hubs on my system, not to mention firewire. I am using XP, BTW. I once had to remove the whole ACPI on a Dell laptop per Dell's instruction. I let the OS(Windows ME) rebuild itself. One item of mention, 6 in 1 readers, Iomega Zip drive, and some HP printers have wreaked havoc with the USB interface.

[jerryprism]

I am hesistant in doing what you last posted, so I am having my computer guy come to the ofice today to do it for me. I rather pay than play and mess things up. Seems like on other threads there have been hot sync problems. Has anyone narrowed down the problem to corrupted USB Ports (absolute power!) or has anyone found fault in the CLie? Will update you after we liberate the USB ports from their dictatorsthis afternoon

[cjones]

You have actually been able to sync up your NZ with Windows ME??? I couldn't (did with my NR70) and used it as an excuse to upgrade to XP.

That'd be my suggestion... :) I know, it's not the simplest one.

-chris

[n2ifp]

The five most common issues for loss of HotSync are:

Over-clocking

Corrupted desktop PC USB driver.

Damaged USB port on the Clie or cradle.

Clash with an app on the Clie.

Recently added hardware such as an external drive or printer with card reading capability.

[jerryprism]

Still no hot sync. I removed the four USB root hubs, removed all osurce of Clie and Palm from my PC (altho my previous User names came up after reinstalling) then restarted the computer, as opposed to a full shut-down. The PC re-started, reinstalled the USB root hubs, BTW I'm using Windows ME. THen I put my NZ on its cradle, plugged it into the USB port, reinstalled the Palm stuff, and still no hot sync. Any ideas short of reinstalling Windows ME? Upgrading to XP? Returning the unit? How do you return a Unit. Sad thing is, I really like the NZ, but if it won't hot sync, I won't say it's useless bu tit becomes really incomvemiemt. Help?

[n2ifp]

Upgrading to XP may not be the answer either. Sony support says XP upgrades do not work with the HotSync, although I know it does, maybe not it all cases.

Just to be clear, does the NZ90 sync at all with any PC at this moment??

[jerryprism]

Yes, my office pc, Windows 2000, but only on one usb port, not the other which is the main port for the NR70. what about an upgrade to Windows 2000?

[n2ifp]

If it works on one port, it should work on all of them! To me, it appears that something obviously is marginal. It's sounding more like the NZ90 itself. Different operating systems shouldn't matter, at least I never found it to be for HotSyncing.

You could temporarily borrow or purchase another one to test it out, make sure first that you can return it and do NOT open the software.

[jerryprism]

Just got off the SOny.com help site. They have a Windows XP site which does not list the NZ as compatible with XP. So I call support and they say there is no compatibility problem with XP. WHat I didnt do was uninstall the USB "Universal host controller" and the support guy also told me to go thru the PC's programs after I unistall the Palm desktop & Sony stuff and rename any left behind programs. I will do that, and if that dont work, upgrade to Windows 2000

[n2ifp]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, I hope it fixes it. We need to come up with a sure fire way to fix these issues, providing there is no hardware issues.

Good luck and please report back!

Thanks!

[jerryprism]

Hooray!! Got my pc guy to upgrade me to Win 2000 Prof. In the process he reinstalled all my drivers. He noticed that I had a USB driver issue, that I didn't have USB 2 installed, I think. (Must download those Microserf updates1) And I had the Sobig virus, which didnt help. Finally I have THREE users, and the NZ90 was listed as the "wrong" user. So we had a couple of little problems. So he spent 3 hours fixing it, and now I have a better PC for it and a working NZ90. Thanks for all youse guys help. Jerry:D

[n2ifp]

Well that is good news!:) When I added USB2, the drivers came from Adaptec. I suspect the vrus may have been the real culprit, but interesting how one Clie will work and another doesn't, even though they are basically the same. It might have something to do with it being a different profile, but I am only guessing.

[jerryprism]

Next to check the profile on the office computer

[jerryprism]

More deep thought: if you're using Intellisynce, your user names are stored in the the Intellisynce program, a/k/a/ ISCLIE. Once I blew out the wrong user names the reset worked fine.