palm desktop problem...

[firemedic 13]

just got my 650 in yesterday and it is amazing! glad i chose it!

but i can't get the desktop app to work at all!
it installs up to a point and then prompts me telling me the following:

Error 1401. could not create key HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1960408961-1580818891-1343024091-1007\Software\Classes. Verify that you have access to that key, or contact your support personnel.

it shows me that when it's status shows as : Registering Class Servers.

then it proceeds to uninstall itself, then shut down the installer.

it does that whether i try from the cd i got with the 650 or the version i dled from palm! i can't figure this out, i searched the forum but didn't find anything dealing with this. help a guy out please?!

[birddog]

At work, I had issues like that too. The way I got around it was to first install a really old version of the desktop, then reinstall the newer version. But there are probably easier ways.

What is happening, is the install script is picking up environmental variables that are telling it to install the desktop somewhere that you do not have permission to install it.

If you run a "CMD" window, and enter the "SET" command, you will be able to see some of the variables that it is picking up. At work, on my PC the variable are:
BIN and (I think) BSADMIN.

If you can unset those variables, using "set" it will (I think) try to install the desktop on C:\Palm
You may need to start the install from the CMD window where you have unset the variables. (I forget exactly how to do this)

The old version just installed to C:\Palm without checking the environment. If there is an old version installed, the new install script will install it in the same directory rather than checking the environment..

[firemedic 13]

to tell you the truth i don't mind the hassle as long as it works. know what i mean?

where can i get an old version? is there still an active link floating around?

my mom has an older palm handheld (not treo) that she syncs with the computer, would that orgram work for me?

tia

[birddog]

I am not sure if this will work, but it is worth a try.

Go to: http://www.palm.com/us/support/index.html
Choose "Palm 500" from the Palm More choice
Then select "Download Palm Desktop" under Windows Hotsync
choose M500 again
and choose Windows 95

I don't know if this will work, I used the disk that came with my M500.
But I think it might.

If that works, don't sync you palm with that version. Just bring up the desktop, exit it, then try to install the new version before you sync.

[plunker]

Birddog did you try and install to a different folder?

[birddog]

Yes, but there was still something that it was trying to put in a location that it picked up from the environment.