Comments on: When Will Palm Fix the m505's USB Problem?

I think Palm should immediately release a new device and offer an extensive rebate to current owners of the defective Palms -- and I mean something like get a new high-res. Palm with a screen you can actually see for $100. The cost to Palm of return and repair would be prohibitive if the Palm units themselves are defective.

FYI, I bought my m505 about June 1 this year, and I use it extensively. I have two USB cradles -- one in the office and one at home. It hasn't died yet, but in light of Sony's release of the T415, I wish it would.

Just my 2 cents. JBH

Ed, Thanks for posting this and bringing it forward. I had this very same issue occur with my m505 about a month ago. Since I had just been on a business trip with air travel involved, I thought some of the internals might have been damaged by the x-ray machines (you are now forced to send laptops, handhelds, cell phones, etc through the x-ray scanners - no exceptions). Trouble was, the USB sync was the only issue I was having. In the end, I essentially had to go through a whole mess of hoops (soft & hard resets, buying a new cradle, even *gulp* reformatting my hard drive) before Palm put me in line for a replacement unit. That was after I'd used email, chat, and phone support. Offtopic: Palm really needs to work on their tech support / customer service (and stop chewing out people for using third-party apps they include with the install CD!)

For those wondering about the USB Hotsync timeout this is a very different issue. Quite simply, when you press the HotSync button on your Palm, the handheld starts in to the Hotsync operation, but no information is sent to the computer (and therefore the computer does not start synchronization). Adding to the initial confusion is that the handheld will still work with peripherals that use the Universal Connector (like the Palm Portable Keyboard). They don't use the USB chip for data transmission, and therefore still work (which is also why serial sync works, but USB does not). It's a horribly frustrating issue that I wish on no one (especially since it ultimately means dealing with Palm's shoddy tech support).

I hope that the unit that was sent back to me (a refurbished version) has the fix put in place. If it hasn't, then I sure hope that the recall effort actually happens.

Thanks again, Ed.

This is IMPOSSIBLE, it is not gonna happen in Palm Inc. No more words needed to support my opinion.

(quote)
One reader wrote in that he was told by a Customer Service supervisor at Palm that the company will announce in a matter of days that they are recalling all m505's with their HotSync cradles and replacing them with a brand new re-designed m505 that addresses the defective internal USB components of the m500 series that has caused so many of the units to fail.
(end quote)

I had a similiar issue with my 505 a bit ago. I would push sync and it would start and then immediately end. After trying to repeat the issue and going thru a number of steps on a number of test machines, I would that is was NOT an issue with my 505 or the cradle but an issue with the conduits. Specifically, it was an issue with the MIK install, Docs2Go and/or other third party conduits. Are any of you that are having this trouble using only the desktop and conduit software supplied with the 505 and no third party conduits and still having the issue?

I'm wondering if the problem is spread equally across the many Windows versions and MacOS? Microsoft has never fully embraced & implemented USB support in their products so is it possible that could be a contributing factor?
What are the numbers regarding Win98, WinME, Win2000, and MacOS 8.6 & 9.x? I'm leaving WinXP & MacOS 10.x out of this.

I've had my Palm m505 for almost 3 weeks now. On a few occaions the hot-sync times out. Usually pressing hotsync a second time will solve the problem and the hot sync works just fine. I'd say this has happened at least once every 2-3 days. Other than the days I haven't noticed any other pattern.

Scott

A couple replies mentioned that the problem is with the 505's USB chip (anyone have any info on this chip?). Are there any other handhelds that use this chip?

Can anyone tell me, if this is a different problem from the one described here:

http://www.palm.com/support/downloads/40update.html

because I'm using a german palm-os and a german palm-desktop-version I'm already waiting for a long time that that hot-sync update will become available in other languages.

I do have the same problem and the serial-cradle is no solution, if you like to use avant-go for huge data.

I always thought the problem will be resolved by an software upgrade.

Palm-Europe (Ireland) told me 4 weeks ago, that this update should be available very soon.

Greetings from Switzerland
Christian Stocker

I had the problem about a month ago. The M505 just suddenly stopped Synching. They sent me a replacement, but only after about 3 hours on the phone with tech support - trying one pointless suggestion after another.

Has anyone had any problem with the 505 not charging the way it should in the cradle? A full charge only lasts a couple of days for me.

It's a good thing this issue was brought up. This is disturbing to m505 owners who have functioning units as of now. What do we do? Should we dump USB altogether for serial or USB-synch less frequently in the hope that the USB chip on the 505 won't be "fried" (while waiting indefinitely for a patch that could solve the problem and spare our 505's)? Or should we simply continue synching and wait for the damage to occur(after all, it's bound to happen if the unit really is defective)?
Also, since this appears to be a hardware problem, just wondering if this happens to units with related serial/lot no's or if it's made in US or Hungary? If that's the case, at least we'd know if our 505's were prone to the problem.

HELP!!!!! I bought my m505 on 5-2-01. I have been very happy with it until today. All of a sudden, the damn thing will not hold a charge!!! I can watch the battery level dwindle down in a matter of minutes from a full charge! I have no additional third-party software on it that I did not have on it many weeks ago when I didn't have thisbatter problem so I don't think it's any software. Also, I find that the unit seems a lot hotter today. I called Palm Tech Suppt. and they said do soft/hard reset - which I did and still have same problem! Do we all have m505 time bombs that this will all eventually happen too?? Whats up with the poor quality control?? Were these LiPolymer batteries read for prime time???? I'm pissed because I have to catch a plane in a few hours for a biz trip and I need a functioning Palm!! DAMN!!!!!! Anybody - can you give me some insight???? Anybody ever have this problem?? I find it strange that it worked great for months and now all of a sudden it does this. THANKS!

My USB died. IR and serial connections to the same computer worked while USB elicited no response.

Took 2 min to talk to a representative and obtain an SRO.

However, chat and email were useless.

Cheers.

I have a m505. It has been tolerable at best. I have never been to planet crackpipe or anywhere else. I can't wait for the new ipaq for my transition away from Palm OS. Whatever anyone says...Palm badly dropped the baby with the m505...

this is total bs!! after reading the horror stories that peoples palm m500/505's just not syncing... after months and months or working; really scared me. but mine was working perfectly... then yesterday it stopped!

well, thanks to pdainfocenter i knew exactly what the problem was. reading all the post of others going through the same thing (detail by detail) my problems fit theirs to a t. so i called tech support... which i spent 2hours on the phone placed on hold and then being sent to this and that number only be be put on hold again.

i don't know if about others peoples time... but my time is very limited. and well, after waiting almost over 2hours i get to this tech support rep who wants to charge me a $25 fee for going through the same steps that everyone else has written about on the post. which to me was a waste of time... as i already told him i went through a uninstall and reinstall. reconfig my settings etc. yet he still insisted that we do it again (like it would make a difference).

well, i then went on to inform him that i've read on pdainfocenter.com that others were having the same problems and getting replacements. i was told he heard nothing about this, that i would have to pay $25 to go through all the stuff i already had gone through (while waiting on the phone) and only to come to the same reslove as everyone else... that i'd need a replacment.

seems to me palm is really having a problem. their customer service information is botched and is not well circulated for others with this problem. some knowing and some not knowing (in my case not knowing). well i emailed my request for help (because its free over the internet) and i was told 24 hours. well its noon here... i wrote 11am yesterday; nothing!

this is a breach of the limon law. they are aware of this problem (stated by others post), they know they produced units with a time bomb (otherwise why replace free of charge?). now they want more money to either help you go through this unworking process (unworking as ever since i got it i've hot synced fine) and recommend a serial port which you have to search and buy.

i intend to report this to the better business burro. and i intend to not support palm in any further of my buiness equipment (all my co-workers and associates just bought palm m500/505's) i am sending them back and going with another pda manufacture that can offer better customer service and a unit that will not self distruct.

i encouage all of you to report this to the better business burro and/it not return your palms and buy from another manufacture.

happy hunting
blackburn

My m505 stopped hotsyncing after 4 1/2 months. Palm had the nerve to tell me I had to pay to talk to tech support, so I tried e-mail support, got a canned response, and Palm has ignored repeated replies for almost a month now. What a great way to keep your customers happy!

I'm debating on purchasing the m505. After reading the comments here (Thanks everyone!), I'm delaying my purchase until I find information that Palm has resolved the problem and units now being shipped are free of this problem. Does anyone have any updates on this?

Sincerely,
Waiting :)

Palm Online has a software fix for the USB Hotsync problems. (Palm Software Downloads-More Downloads)
Hope this takes care of the problems.

I'm living in Belgium (Europe). Does anyone know where I can buy in Belgium a GPS module. Does such a module works good?

I just exchanged my Palm m505 with a new "enhanced" version directly from Palm customer support. You will receive a replacement Palm m505 and USB HotSync cradle and will be required to ship your back via pre-paid return shipping label and packaging. At minimum, it's nice for once not to have to pay return shipping for a defective product.

I bought my 505 in May - it stopped syncing in June. I initially didn't investigate as I had switched syncing with a win2K machine to my mac. In september, I finally began calling support. After three emails, I was told that the cradle was bad, and they would send me a new one. Instead, I got a refurbished US-made 505, with no request to return my defective Hungary-built unit. Since it still syncs via IR or serial, I am a happy camper!!

Also, I have read that some of the units that will not sync via a usb cradle will sync with one of the USB sync/charger cables now on the market. Has anyone had this experience?

my palm 505m has stopped syncing, I have been in touch with palm tech support for a while and they have tried to sort out this problem by way of deleting folders in the register, then restarting the machine then reinstalling the palm desktop, then drag a downloaded win2x file to the c:drive, then plugging in the usb cradle, then windows should ask to install new hardware, I must have tried this a 100 times so i'm well p/o, I will be seeking a replacement asap

Well I just picked up my 3rd palm, after taking the last one in for hotsync usb problems. No this one, which is brand new the screen is very dim. I contacted Palm and inquired about the light bars which they said "both should be fully lit" well this one is not. I have full lighting on the left hand side and less then half on the right hand side of this unit. Palm wanted to have ME pay for shipping on this defective product, in order to send me a REFURBISHED unit. It is bad enough I have lost all of my data, from the last unit, and now I have to pay for a Tech call and shipping on CRAP that i spent well over $700 for. This will be my final palm, I had the handspring in my hand, I should have went with my instincts.

Just a "me too" post with brief quote from the tech support rep. I got an m500 in early Summer. After 2 weeks, it stopped HotSync'ing. I figured it was a fluke. I returned it and traded up for an m505. The m505 worked fine until the end of November when it developed the same problem.

I tried installing the software and cradle on two other machines to no avail. It would HotSync via IR but, not via the USB cradle. I bought a second USB cradle, thinking it might be that. I downloaded all of the updates from the Palm website (including the HotSync update.) No joy.

Having found their chat support unusable (the support person disconnected me instantly after I got to the front of the queue on both tries) and not wanting to pay for a phone support call, I emailed Palm tech support. The sent a 5-page document on how to re-install the software, which I dutifully did. When that didn't resolve the problem, I emailed them back (as requested in their email.) After waiting a week (somewhat more than the promised 48 hours,) I emailed them again with a very direct request for an RMA. Again no response.

I called the tech support number. The rep wanted to charge me $25 to discuss the problem. I told her that wouldn't be necessary and that I just needed an RMA. At that point, she became willing to listen. The support rep said that they are having problems with one large batch of m500 series Palms. Those devices "lose the USB drivers" and the entire unit must be replaced. I had to pay them $25 for advance replacement service (in order to not be without my handheld for an indeterminate period.)

I have to say that I am unimpressed with Palm's support service and attitude. I bought their newest, most expensive, top-of-the-line handheld device. I deserve better treatment. The Palm IIIs were fantastic. If they don't make the m50x situation right, my next "Palm" ... will be a Handspring.

Dev

I unfortunately had the same problem everyone else has had. I had my palm for a month without any problem. I happened to read about this problem on this website but did not think it was real until one day my M505 stopped hotsyncing. I spent 3 days trying to fix the problem to no avail.
I finally emailed Palm and told them all I had done. They emailed a canned response telling me to do what I already told them I did.
I phoned the customer support and they were about to go through the same thing but I told them all the steps I took so they mailed me an "enhanced" model with prepaid postage so I could mail my palm back. They also took my credit card # as insurance just in case I didn't send them the palm back.
The "enhanced" palm worked just fine. It Hotsynced! They also sent the syncbase and I tried syncing my old palm on it but it didn't work so I think it must be the palm unit itself that is at fault.
My only gripe is that the "enhanced" unit is obviously a used unit. The screen appears to be not as bright as my previous unit and the screen itself was scratched as if someone wrote on it with a razor blade instead of a stylus (I don't know why anyone would take care of something so poorly when they've paid so much for it...I just happened to be the unlucky one to inherit their mistake).
Palm had no explanation for me as to why the M505 has this problem. I wouldn't have known about it and would have had more problem trying to get it fixed if I hadn't read about it here. (Thanks Palminfocenter!). I think it would be much more helpful if Palm posted this problem on their site but I don't see it. I also see it as dishonest to say a unit is "enhanced" when it's used and beaten up. I will never cease to be amazed by corporate speak. I just hope that this "enhanced" unit I have will continue to work and not stop syncing when my warranty runs out. I am not buying extra warranty from them for a product that should work in the first place (or is that their intention...a conspiracy perhaps? No...I think they have a faulty product but they're not willing to do the right thing).

My m500 failed to sync via USB 8 weeks after purchase. I have spend hours on the support site (useless) and on the phone with idiots at tech support and will be receiving my second "enhanced" unit any day now. I also find that my USB scanner is no longer recognized by my home PC and I suspect that the culprit is the sync cradle, since it worked fine before. The Dell tech support advised me that they were having numerous problems with Palm users and I am concerned that I will have to replace my PC.

I guess I can be officially added to the "my USB no longer works with my m505!. I have had my palm since it was first made public (May 2001) and have never had any problems! But like so many others, I can no longer sync with my PC using the USB cable. As much as I hate to say this, the only solution might be to get the serial cable. I dont really want to send my Palm in and get a "refurbished" one.

And "YES" palm support sucks! I knew I should have bought the Sony.

hey palmers!
i was a victim of the usb problem too. i readup on all the message boards pretaining to the usb problem, then i did a total reset of my palm and uninstall to reinstall to make sure that this was the "usb problem" that everyone was writting about on pdainfocenter.com. so i then called tech support and explaned my problem.

they refused to immediatly send me a replacement and did not recognize this "usb problem". i then mentioned the message boards that i've read, and stated that this is exactly what i am experiencing... i then explaned that uninstalled and reinstalled to make sure. but they said i had to pay a fee for their service and then do this entire process again; while they talk to me. then if that didn't work they would talk to their supervisor to see if they can replace my unit.

bottom line... i had already wasted half a day out of my busy schedule. and to do the exact same thing only to know the outcome; not to mention that i have to pay to do this. not really what i wanted to hear. so i just decided make my last purchase from palm and buy a serial port.

now, i will no long buy from palm... their tech and cusomer service is VERY poor. and to think that palm knows of this problem, but won't reviel it to all unless you are persistant and have them corrnered. well i'd just assume take my business elsewhere. so my next purchase will be anything other then palm. in fact i've already discouraged friends and business associates not to buy palm.

now! 3 months later just by chance i plugged in my usb and it works! my thought is that after time the static that builds up; disappates making it able to use it again. hopefully for good.

hope this helps you guys
does anyone know if ir port works on xp and palm desktop?

thanks
future xpalm user

Possible solution

Check out the latest palminfocenter story below:

http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_Story.asp?ID=2785

Purchased original unit in September. Quit hotsyncing in October. Unit was replaced by Palm in November. Quit hotsyncing in December. I just got word that they are advance shipping me an "M505 Enhanced Unit". I will send my 2nd Palm back when it arrives.
This problem occurs with 2 different computers running 2 different versions of Windows, using either the cradle or the travel cable.
It has to be the unit.

Am now on my 4th exchange--problem now is that the on/off switch on latest model does not work so hearding for my fifth

My m500 purchased on November 7, 2001 ceased to hotsync on December 27th. After frustrating myself with the lack of any information on the Palm support web site, I invested (wasted)several hours over the past 10 days with toll calls to palm tech support. Just as related by many other postings here, this is an exercise in futility since they dont know what is going on. I agreed to give my Visa number to secure an "enhanced" unit. It arrived three days later with no instruction and in an obviously used state. Of course, just like my original m500, this "enhanced" unit did not hot sync. Two or three more hours on the phone resulted in the offer of a second "enhanced" unit. I put the first one back in the mail and six days later I am still waiting for the next bad palm. I decided to call again today and found out that they are so backed up with requests that mine will not ship until the 11th. Calling "Customer Care" is equally futile since they all spill the same corporate policy garbage about not refunding after 30 days. I am now on hold with my last toll call with the "Escalation Team" and I suspect this will be the last time I bother with this thing. I would be embarassed if any of my team did this to one of my customers. I will have to take solace in the fact that I have made it a point to discourage everyone that I see looking at a Palm product to think twice since their service is so pitiful. On a brighter note, Dell did replace my motherboard under warranty even though it was their conclusion that it was the Palm USB disorder that ruined my PC. Dell is an excellent example of customer service at its best. I know they have had their problems, but they do stand behind their products. I have also contacted Pinnacle Law Group to get myself listed on their class action against Palm. They deserve whatever happens to them.

Palm Developer Support confirmed that under USB, the device will lose the connection if there is a delay between Sync Manager calls to the device. Below is the link for the patch that is needed for the device.

http://www.palm.com/support/downloads/40update.html

I've personally used this and it's fixed all of the USB connection and time-out problems I had.

My palm m505 originally worked for several months until it stopped hotsyncing. I sent it back to palm for a replacement and it worked again for a few weeks + then stopped hotsyncing. After the new cradles were available (antistatic) I sent away for one + it didn't help. I tried technical support several times + they were of no help. I thought that after a year, when my extended warrenty went into effect through Circuit City I could have my unit replaced. I tried calling today and they want me to send in my unit for repair!! I know what's going to happen when I finally get it back (don't you?) Is it just me, or are more of you 505 users having a similar problem. If so, we should really band together + make a big stink. I suggest pushing for a product recall or a class action lawsuit if enough people are affected.

After listening to Palm's tech NO support folks and getting nowhere, I decided to give this a try.

My problems started when I inadvertently pulled the power cord on the cradle while the PC was running and the Palm was in the cradle. I told this to tech NO support -- twice -- and they kept telling me I had bad USB drivers installed.

The shortcut key didn't work for me -- guess I'm sloppy at a cursive L -- so I went with unplugging the battery. Directions (and illustrations) were EXCELLENT. The biggest trouble was getting my hands on the right size Torx bit. Everything is restored and working.

Thanks!!!

Ed, Many Thanks for posting this and bringing it forward.I did it and worked fine..super..I had the same issue occur with my m505 about a month ago. Since I had just been on a business trip with air travel involved, I thought some of the internals might have been damaged by the x-ray machines .Unfortunately Palm put me in line for a repair .They even did not tell that this is common failure.They propose to replace the hotsync unit and called 505 for repair !!! Palm really needs to work on their tech support / customer service (and stop blaming people for using third-party apps they include with the install CD!) In conclusion;I belive and strongly suggest Palm should immediately offer a new 515 device within an extensive rebate program to the current owners of the defective 505 Palms..This is what we can expect from Palm..

Here's the solution to the m505 and XP problem.
1. Put the m505 installation disk in the drive. "Exit" when the install screen pops up.
2. Go to desk top, open control panel and then open device manager.
3. Push hotsync on the cradle.
4. When the Palm device pops up in the device mangager, right click on it then left click on the properties.
5. If the re-install button is there, click it.
6. On the installation screen that will come up, choose "automatic."
7. When the finish screen comes up, choose "finish."
8. Hotsync again.
9. If the message comes up "Hardware not connected," unplug the Palm USB from the computer and then plug it back in.
10. Push hotsync again and BANG, IT WORKS!