Problem Hot Syncing my Palm 105 under OS X 10.4.4

Thank you for your suggestions. In case I had downloaded the wrong version of Palm Desktop 4.2.1, I uninstalled it and went to this web site:
http://www.palm.com/us/support/macintosh/macdesk421.html

and downloaded Version A for the Mac, installed it, and tried the hot sync again. Unfortunately, I got the same response from the M105: "The connection between your handheld computer and the desktop could not be established. ..." when I pressed the hot sync button on the M105.

I am not using either a Keyspan cable or a PalmConnect USB kit -- I am just using a Radio Shack cable. But, on my old Dell notebook (Inspiron 7500) and Windows 98, I can hot sync from the M105 when connected either to a USB port or serial port. I'm wondering some if the fact that I have used the handheld connected to Windows prior to connecting it to MAC OS X 10.4.4 is contributing to the problem.

I will follow up on your other suggestions: checking Palm support or buying a Keyspan cable and using their support.

Also, I might buy a new Palm device, but before I do that, I'll be sure to check this forum for information about hot syncing and other features.

Thanks again.

Your assumption is correct -- that's what I'm trying to do. The Radio Shack cable goes from serial to USB and I hook the M105 to that cable and then into the USB port on the Mac. It does work on the USB port on the Dell machine. On the Dell, I do the same thing I'm trying to do on the MAC. I connect the M105 to the Radio Shack serial to USB cable and hook it into the USB port. On the Dell laptop, I can also connect the M105 without the Serial/USB cable to the serial port on the Dell. Either way it works.

So, if I understand correctly, you're saying I need to buy the kit from Palm, or if I buy the Keyspan cable, does it also come with a matching OS X driver?

Doesn't the Palm 4.2.1 Version A Desktop that I download for OS X come with the matching OS X driver? When I do the download, it asks me for the device and for the MAC OS.

Thanks again

I had presumed that you were indicating that you
intended to synchronize an m105, using its serial
interface, to a Macintosh. A serial to USB converter
is required in that case, similar to those suggested
above, because your m105 is a serial device and your
Macintosh has no serial port.

The serial to USB converter is a kit, containing both
a hardware adapter and a matching OS X driver.
Without both, your m105 cannot communicate with a
Macintosh through its USB port.

Sorry for the confusion -- here's the hookup I'm trying:

The M105 in it's hot sync cradle with its serial connection into the Radio Shack Serial to USB cable into the USB port on the Imac. Hopefully, this is clear -- I may not be using the right words.

For the Dell connection that works, I do the same thing.

I just called and talked to a Palm technical support person who told me that with the Mac, I do need a converter that comes with a driver that works with OS X 10.4.4. He said that it is different on the Windows machine where I can simply connect the cradle with its serial connection into the serial/USB cable into the USB port.

He asked me to check the connection settings under Hot Sync Manager and said that I should see the converter (in my case the Radio Shack converter) in the list, along with PalmConnect, USB, etc, and it wasn't there. I asked if he knew of converters that came with the correct driver for OS X 10.4.4 and he mentioned Keyspan (recommended by Michael Lafferty in this thread) or IO Gear. Interestingly enough, he didn't push for the Palm kit because it would take longer for me to get.

So, I'll go buy a converter with driver and try it -- when I get it to work (I'm optimistic now!), I'll mark this solved.

Your assumption is correct -- that's what I'm trying
to do. The Radio Shack cable goes from serial to USB
and I hook the M105 to that cable and then into the
USB port on the Mac. It does work on the USB port on
the Dell machine. On the Dell, I do the same thing
I'm trying to do on the MAC. I connect the M105 to
the Radio Shack serial to USB cable and hook it into
the USB port. On the Dell laptop, I can also connect
the M105 without the Serial/USB cable to the serial
port on the Dell. Either way it works.

So, if I understand correctly, you're saying I need
to buy the kit from Palm, or if I buy the Keyspan
cable, does it also come with a matching OS X
driver?

Doesn't the Palm 4.2.1 Version A Desktop that I
download for OS X come with the matching OS X
driver? When I do the download, it asks me for the
device and for the MAC OS.

Thanks again

I had presumed that you were indicating that you
intended to synchronize an m105, using its serial
interface, to a Macintosh. A serial to USB

converter

is required in that case, similar to those

suggested

above, because your m105 is a serial device and

your

Macintosh has no serial port.

The serial to USB converter is a kit, containing

both

a hardware adapter and a matching OS X driver.
Without both, your m105 cannot communicate with a
Macintosh through its USB port.

I have now successfully hot synced the Palm 105 under OS X 10.4.4. I purchased a Keyspan 19HS USB Serial Adapter. I tried the installation over the weekend, and it didn't work. I entered E-Mail on their web site to give details but didn't hear back from them. Today (Thurs. 2/9/06), I called their support telephone no. I nice tech support person guided me through downloading a beta version of their software, necessary for OS X10.4.4, and lo and behold, it all worked.

I'm giving these details in case someone else has this problem -- may save you some time.

Thank you to Michael Lafferty for his good advice.