Unquie Sync Problem...Advice Needed, Please!

sparty5 · 02-16-04, 11:11 AM

I can no longer sync with my PC at home or work. Here's the story:

I noticed a few weeks ago that I could no longer sync with my Axim 5 (300) at home. I've always been able to sync at work but when I tried it there I started getting the same error as at home.

The famous "Unspecified USB Device" error. A buddy who bought this Axim same exact time and kind as me brought his over and my PC found it and I could sync with his without a problem.

So my Axim is screwed up somehow - someway. I've tried everything I could think of (with ideas from this forum and others). Different PC's, USB 1.0, 2.0, hubs, PCI cards, etc. without any luck. It seems mine is damaged somehow and my pathetic 1 year warranty is over (missed it by 30 days). On a side note I called Dell and they wanted $100 to activate my warranty since it's under 30 days and another $100 for 2 additional years. I laughted at the lady and said I could buy a new one and hung up on her (but told her I'd think about it, hehe).

Anyhow. I had a wireless card and could have synced with my PC using that but in all my wisdom I thought a Hard-reset would fix this issue. My thinking was maybe some software I put on it was causing the problem and going back to the original system setting would fix everything. It didn't.

So now I have no hardware working to sync and no Wifi. What do you all think my options are?

1. Use it for parts and buy another one off of eBay?
2. Can I copy (somehow) wifi install files to a CF or SD memory card and set back up my DLink 660 Wifi card and start using active sync that way?
3. Sell mine on eBay to some other fool (j/k)
4. Buy a X3 ?
5. Buy a different brand all together?
6. Try a serial cable instead of USB? (I don't know if they are even made.)

Any other ideas on getting my Axim working again would be greatly appreciated.

PS- I did open up and take apart my Axim to look for problems. Everything works fine on mine. I just can't get it to sync with a USB cable. I've also never updated anything on his. No ROM updates or upgrades to PPC2003, etc. It's all original.

RobertCF · 02-17-04, 10:06 AM

You've not said how you were trying to sync. Were you just using the cradle? Were you using a separate sync cable? Were you using different methods in both locations? What I'm getting at is, what is the possibility that your cradle or cable is simply bad? You can get a sync cable pretty cheap, and if it fixes your problem then you can either just continue using the new cable or order a new cradle and have a perfectly good second sync method.

Also, don't forget PocketPC Techs. They charge $45 for diagnostic and they might even be able to repair the unit for that diagnostic fee if it's simple enough.

sparty5 · 02-17-04, 10:31 AM

I've tried sync'ing with my pc 3 different ways.

1. With the craddle
2. With the Dell OEM cable (with and without power cable)
3. Another cable I bought off of ebay for my work office.

4. Stupid me forgot to try wifi sync when that was working. hehe

Don't forget, I had my buddy's X5-300 (same as mine) hooked up and it sync'ed perfectly. But mine doesn't. So I know the cables are just fine.

I never heard of "PocketPC Techs", can you give me more information on them? I'll do some searching on the web for them but this is the kind of info I'm looking for.

There might be hope yet.

Thanks,
Chris

PS - I found their site and I'm going to give them a call. Thanks for mentioning them.

Diquito · 02-17-04, 10:56 AM

Hi
The really irritating part of all of this is that Dell knows about this problem and does nothing about it.
I have a similar problem with my Axim X5. I have a Axim X5 with PPC2003 and it's connected to a Inspiron 8500 thorugh the docking station that comes with the Axim and trough a portreplicatior that the Inspiron is connected to.
I called Dell on serveral ocations and I have even got the Axim switched out for a new one but i still have the same problem
Is the Unknown USD device problem. I have to uninstall the mouse driver and do a hardware scan to get everything to work as it should.
One of the answers I got from Dell is that they are working on the problem but this was 6 month ago almost...
Dunno what to do anymore I guess I have to live with this ;)

02-17-04, 02:05 PM

I've had some troubles with ym active sync on occasion, but it has always been linked to either antivirus software or my firewall protection software.

Try disabling any of that software and see if it helps.

Stickman · 02-17-04, 02:25 PM

What solved my no-synch problems was a self-powered USB HUB, a 2.0 hub capable of backward adapting to earlier versions of USB ports. Was the 2.0 USB you tried a powered HUB? The hub I now use plugs into the wall directly.
I haven't had problems since I got the new hub.......

sparty5 · 02-17-04, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by qbzonk
I've had some troubles with ym active sync on occasion, but it has always been linked to either antivirus software or my firewall protection software.

Try disabling any of that software and see if it helps.

Hi think your post is ment for Diquito?

As my original post mentioned my buddy's sync's fine but mine doesn't.

Quote:

Originally posted by Stickman
What solved my no-synch problems was a self-powered USB HUB, a 2.0 hub capable of backward adapting to earlier versions of USB ports. Was the 2.0 USB you tried a powered HUB? The hub I now use plugs into the wall directly.
I haven't had problems since I got the new hub.......

If this is a reply to me, yes I've tried and it doesn't make a difference with my issue.

jcrayford · 02-17-04, 02:59 PM

Newbie here, but maybe backup all data to your buddies X5 via infared then do a hard reset?

Don't know, just thowing something out there...

Silverstorm · 02-20-04, 01:50 PM

Hi guys

I got my Axim for about 5 months now and Synchronizing worked proberly at the beginning. Now a week ago I realized that the Axim synchronizes when I plug it into the cradle, but after a short while it disconnects automatically again and won't synchronize anymore until I take it out of the cradle and put it in again!!!

Now I tried to FIX this problem by downloading a new Active Sync: 3.7.1 (Build 3244). Since I've done that, the Axim doesn't sync at all anymore !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I tried to uninstall the software and install the original one of the dell cd, but nothing works anymore.

Can anybody help me? Probably it's the same problem then you guys are discussing.

Facts: I use a cradle on a USB 1 port.

Thanks in advance,

Silverstorm

jcrayford · 02-20-04, 01:59 PM

Silverstorm, I've got the same problem when I run a certain program. The program I try to run disables my Activesync USB connection. When I get out of the program, I have to go into the TOOLS under activesync on my X5, then OPTIONS, then OPTIONS again, then make sure that "Enable PC sync using this connection - USB default" is checked.

This might solve your problem....

Silverstorm · 02-20-04, 02:06 PM

Hey jcrayford

Unfortunately I can't even click on the Options in the Tools menu. Maybee it's because there's no "Partnership" set up, but I can't do that without a connection. The strange thing is that when I check the Device Manager in WinXP, it tells me that USB and the Axim are working proparly! Would be glad when it would be like that ;)

jcrayford · 02-20-04, 02:14 PM

Silver,

I can get to that without my X5 in the cradle (held in my hand).

Don't know what's going on - good luck...

Silverstorm · 02-20-04, 02:49 PM

Somehow I got it to work with Reinstalling Active Sync completely about a thousand times :p

Problem solved

Whytefyre · 02-21-04, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Silverstorm
Somehow I got it to work with Reinstalling Active Sync completely about a thousand times :p

Problem solved

A thousand?

:(

*sigh*

oky, 996 to go.....

Silverstorm · 02-22-04, 08:37 AM

Hey Dude

When you got the same problem, try this:

Go to Add or Remove Programs in your Control Panel and remove Active Sync like that. After you've done that, go to the dir you've installed Active Sync and delete the WHOLE folder. (It only worked for me when I did that). Then check out that in the Device Manager, no driverz are installed for the Axim if you use USB.

When you got through that, start over with the install procedure. UNPLUG the cradle first, then install the software from the cd, and plug the cradle back in with your Axim on it.

That's what I did and it worked out :D