PDAs: I lost my Visor! If I buy a new Palm-based PDA, can I Hotsyn
I lost my Visor! If I buy a new Palm-based PDA, can I Hotsyn
by ppearce - 6/15/04 3:37 PMWell, as the subject says, I lost it and don't think I'll get it back.
If I bought a new Palm, say a Zire, can I Hotsync it using my existing Palm Desktop software, and thus recover all (hundreds and hundreds) of my customer contacts, memos, etc.
Exactly how would I do that? Do I first have to install the new software? Any help would really be appreciated.
Phil
Re: I lost my Visor! If I buy a new Palm-based PDA, can I Ho
by R. Proffitt
- 6/16/04 5:18 AM
In reply to: I lost my Visor! If I buy a new Palm-based PDA, can I Hotsyn by ppearce
There are many Visors for sale on ebay, so that's one option. BUT about your data. If you have been keeping up on the version of Hotsync and the Palm Desktop (free downloads), then a new PalmOS based unit should keep your old data if you select the same username when prompted.
Also, your data is in a directory such as C:\Palm and you can make a backup copy prior to the install to save your stuff. Your choice.
In closing, all that I needed to do was configure Hotsync on the PC to use USB or whatever connection.
Bob
Re: I lost my Visor! If I buy a new Palm-based PDA, can I Ho
by ppearce - 6/16/04 7:45 AM In reply to: Re: I lost my Visor! If I buy a new Palm-based PDA, can I Ho by R. Proffitt
Thank you, R. Proffitt. I'm feeling a little better now.
May I ask you: I have Hotsynced regularly. And it is the data I am concerned about. Don't I have to install a new version of the Palm Desktop Manager in order to assign a username to the new PDA? And by installing the new version, won't it overwrite the old, thereby erasing all of the data?
Or can I merely take the new PDA out of the box, connect it to my PC, and Hotsync without assigning a username to the PDA.
Thanks so much for the reply, I have now gone to *semi* panic mode, based on your assurances.
Phil
Re: I lost my Visor! If I buy a new Palm-based PDA, can I Ho
by R. Proffitt - 6/16/04 7:59 AM
In reply to: Re: I lost my Visor! If I buy a new Palm-based PDA, can I Ho by ppearce
Remember I revealed WHAT TO BACKUP or copy so loss of data is only a problem if you didn't. Why not make a copy?
"Don't I have to install a new version of the Palm Desktop Manager in order to assign a username to the new PDA?"
No. Hotsync is what does the data sync, not Palm Desktop.
"And by installing the new version, won't it overwrite the old, thereby erasing all of the data?"
Given that we made a backup of C:\PALM, we don't care. We can always copy it back.
"Or can I merely take the new PDA out of the box, connect it to my PC, and Hotsync without assigning a username to the PDA."
Not exactly. I've done this, but when I do the first hotsync, I use the SAME NAME I used before. Then the data is put back into the Palm.
"Thanks so much for the reply, I have now gone to *semi* panic mode, based on your"
Just FYI, Palm (now PalmSource and PalmOne) have not changed the Hotsync "protocol" so if your Hotsync speaks to the new device, then it will just work. For some USB Palms, you need to install their USB driver, but that won't wipe C:\PALM since we have a backup copy to put back.
Bob
Re: I lost my Visor! If I buy a new Palm-based PDA, can I Ho
by ppearce - 6/16/04 9:29 AM In reply to: Re: I lost my Visor! If I buy a new Palm-based PDA, can I Ho by R. Proffitt
That's a great idea, making a copy of the Palm file.
I have 53 files with the word Palm in them. None named Palm on the root directory. (No "C:\Palm") Do you know what the extension of this file is, so that I can id it and do a backup?
Phil
Find datebook.dat
by R. Proffitt - 6/16/04 11:03 AM
In reply to: Re: I lost my Visor! If I buy a new Palm-based PDA, can I Ho by ppearce
It should be in a subdirectory under where the Palm hotsync keeps the data. Again, with people being able to move this, I won't know your machine. But do look for this file and explore a little up from that spot.
Bob
Re: Find datebook.dat
by ppearce - 6/16/04 2:34 PM In reply to: Find datebook.dat by R. Proffitt
Bob,
OK. Sorry for being suck a klutz, but...
OK, I found a directory called "Handspring".
Inside that, I found lots of folders and sub-folders.
I found one folder called "Phil" (that's me).
Inside that, I found about 10-12 folders, some of which are "Address", "Archive", "Backup", "CardInst", "Datebook", "Docs to Go", "Expense", "Install", "Mail", "MemoPad", "ToDo", a text file called "HotSync" which looks like a log of my last Hotsync on 6/7/04, and a DAT file called "xtrauser".
Inside the "Datebook" folder, there are seven files, 5 of which are DAT files, whatever that means.
They are "datebook.dat", "PMcats.dat", "PMrecs.dat", "PMRels.dat", "PMSettings.dat". There is a "datebook.bak" file, and an "unfiled.dba" file also.
I looked in the other folders like "Address", "ToDo", etc. and they have similar files that are .dat and .bak.
I copied the entire "Handspring" directory (32 megabytes) to a CD. I never saw anything that said "Palm" in that directory.
What should I do now, if I buy a new Palm based PDA? Uninstall my desktop software, then install new software? If I do that, how can I transfer all my data from the CD to the new software?
Apologize again for my lack of knowledge, you are being a real lifesaver.
That's the one.
by R. Proffitt - 6/16/04 2:47 PM
In reply to: Re: Find datebook.dat by ppearce
My development of Palm software never found a Handspring so I wouldn't know that. And one can place it elsewhere than Palm or Handspring.
In short, they can rename it...
I would not uninstall anything. Just move forward. Give the new unit and software a chance to pick up that there are files to be used.
Bob
It's easy!
by taomander - 1/26/05 7:57 AM In reply to: I lost my Visor! If I buy a new Palm-based PDA, can I Hotsyn by ppearceCheck the Knowledge Base of PAlmone.com Support. I just upgraded from my Visor to a Zire 31 and it was easy!
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
