How to HotSync your Palm datalogger to Windows XP using PalmConnect USB kit

[Rice Over Wheat]

Getting new Windows XPs without serial ports to recognize older Palm devices using a USB adapter is a major pain. There are many, many threads on this topic and several dozen posts. Here is the solution:

What you need:

- PalmConnect USB kit (DB9-to-usb cable and software cd). You can order this from Obdlogger.com $12.
- Windows XP PC with internet access and usb port
- Palm pda with serial cable (you should have this anyway for your OBDII)

1. For PCs running Windows XP and no serial ports, when using a PalmConnect USB kit cable only one version of Palm Desktop allows the Device Manager to recognize the usb cable as simulating a COM port. You need Palm Desktop 4.0.1 installed on the PC. This is an older version of the program...you can find it on a google search. If you have any other Palm Desktop version installed, uninstall it and install the one you need.

2. Connect usb-serial cable to PC usb port. The PC should recognize "PalmConnect USB Adapter". If you look in Device Manager, you should see a Palm device under "Other Devices" or similar category. It should have a exclamation sign (!) next to it because it needs a driver. Either right-click it and choose "update driver" or if the Windows installer window pops up, point it to your folder with the latest Palm Windows XP driver: http://www.palm.com/us/support/acces...winxp_USB.html

After install, you should see "PalmConnect USB Adapter (COM#)" appear in your Device Manager, under "Ports (COM & LPT)". That tells you that Windows XP now recognizes your cable as simulating a COM port.

3. Then right-click HotSync icon on taskbar and select "local usb" and "local serial". Then under Setup > Local, select the COM# port that your Device Manager says the USB Adapter is on. Then select 9600 baud, the slowest speed.

4. Now turn on your Palm device. Start Hotsync. Make sure Cradle/Cable is selected and tap the icon to start the sync. Windows XP and the pda should begin communicating.

5. After it finishes sync, go back into HotSync's setup on your PC and change the speed to "As fast as possible".

That's it!

** I don't know if this is the same procedure for 1G dataloggers, but it should be **