Can't sync! What's a COM port?

xtrafancy · 02-27-04, 03:48 PM

Hi there,

My mother just passed on her Dell Axim X3 to me and I love it but I can't get it to sync with my laptop. I downloaded the companion CD active-sync software (a few times actually) but when I finally go to try and sync my laptop says that it's not connected. It says that it wants "the serial cable plugged into the COM port." I don't know what that means. I've got the USB cable plugged in right but it keeps saying that in addition to the USB cable that it wants the serial cable plugged into the COM port...

I don't know what this means. There is no other cable with my Axim. Could this be a problem from my having to reinstall the software? I had to reinstall it because the first time that I did it I didn't have my Outlook set up on my laptop, so I went back and set up Outlook and reinstalled the sync software. I just installed it over the existing one, ...should I completely uninstall the software and reinstall it all over from scratch? Or is my COM sync problem not related to that?

I appreciate anyone's thoughts on this problem, thank you so much for your time.

brobinson · 02-27-04, 04:39 PM

This may seem like a stupid question, but is the Axim in the cradle when you attempt to install Activesync? You start the install with the Axim out of the cradle and then you put it in the cradle when prompted, right before it checks the USB and COM ports.

mattthew · 03-01-04, 10:15 PM

I had a similar prob. the com port is the usb input on the laptop, the serial cable is all those commercials for cereal on cable tv, no, wait, oh yeah!, its the usb cable coming out of the sync cradle have you tried switching usb ports if your laptopo has more than one? my dpc seems to choose to deactivate whichever usb port I plug into first, I always have to switch it before it works.

jeffvanburen · 03-02-04, 08:54 AM

Depending on your laptop quality try this, connect your usb to a powered USB hub adapter then try it, I have heard that some instances this will work and is relatively cheap to try and you can always use the addtional USB ports, they are generally plug and play

xtrafancy · 03-04-04, 05:37 PM

Well, I uninstalled the activesync software and I was just about to reinstall it making sure that I didn't have the Axim in the cradle this time but when I got started to do this the software says to make sure that the cradle is not plugged into the computer while installing the activesync. So now I'm not sure what I should do... Your suggestion was to be sure that I didn't have the Axim in the cradle while installing the software but the sortware says to be sure that the cradle isn't even plugged into the computer while installing the software... What do you think? Should I continue trying out your suggestion or should I try something else?

And I have tried using the other USB port but I still get the same problem but thank you for suggesting it...

It's all very strange...this just worked on my mothers PC a month ago, no problems whatsoever.

Thanks again for all your help and I am open to any suggestions anyone might have. Thank you.

matthewsmith · 03-07-04, 03:17 AM

You need to NOT connect the cradle to your PC when installing ActiveSync. After the install, you will be able to connect the cradle to a USB port. When you are asked to designate a port (Com1, Com2), if you look below that, you will see the box you need to check for the USB connection. Click that, and you should be fine.

Of course, I have found myself just letting my PDA charge in the car, and then before I drive away in the morning, I sync it wirelessly with my desktop.