Upgrading from 650 to 700p

kdallen · 09-30-2006, 02:30 PM

This has been asked and answered in various contexts many times. I figured I'd throw my $.02 in and make it a sticky. Making it readily available to new users should make their lives a little easier.

Everyone else, feel free to comment/improve with your experiences.

1. Perform a last sync with the 650, to ensure the info backed up by Palm Desktop is as current as can be.

2. Rename your backup folder (something like "oldbackup") and move it to your desktop. This will prevent any accidental syncing of the entire backup folder before you're ready. Overkill? Maybe. Some people who have simply renamed have found that it got synched anyway.

3. Remove the 650 software from your PC, then install the 700p version of Palm Desktop (not specifically required according to latest instructions, but this tip was posted on Palm's website early on and people who have done it this way, myself included, seem to have avoided some people's issues).

3. Perform a sync with the 700p, using your existing username. This will create a backup folder for the 700p, with only the Palm content you know is compatible. Copy the basic PIM data (contacts, calendar, etc.) to the newly-created backup folder. Some people have tried keeping their existing backup folders intact and just setting the Palm Desktop conduits for all but the PIM data to "do nothing", but that hasn't proven 100% reliable. The choice is yours.

4. Check with the developers of all your 3rd-party apps for upgrades specific to the 700p (by now, nearly all apps have been upgraded) and upgrade to the stable 700p-friendly versions.

5. Copy apps and related databases from your old backup folder to the 700p backup folder and sync (I recommend one at a time, to check for stability/conflicts).

Many of us have typed something similar to this numerous times the last few months. I'm somewhat tired and out of it, so I apologize if I missed anything. I'll check and edit this post later. Feel free to point out any mistakes to me, too.

davidra · 11-24-2006, 06:08 PM

This is getting a bit frustrating....both the Palm website and Treonauts suggest that uninstalling the old software isn't necessary. I have a Samsung i500; I have no hacks, nothing particularly problematic on the phone. Have no problem moving the old backup file, since I understand that the prefs and third party apps can cause lots of problems, so I intend to load them one at a time. But I don't understand what other problems can occur if I just do what the Palm directions say: install the new software over the old, and sync the new device when it says to. When the possible problems of third party apps are removed, what other problems are possible? I'm not sure I understand how to transfer the PIM stuff, since some websites say you have to beam all appointments, and that would not be good at all. In order to select all on my device, I have to be in the one day view, so I would have to go to every appointment and beam it?

benjie · 11-24-2006, 07:22 PM

There is some misreading there. Palm recommends you uninstall the old desktop and install the new desktop. Palm is not telling you about is the problems out there with old/outdated software that WILL cause problems that can easily be avoided by the "look for new updates dance" and the "one-by-one installation" method. Palm has no problems with you installing the OLD PIM data because the new desktop converts the data as needed.

The recommendation is to rename the old backup folder, which might be named something like: /yourname/backup and keep the rest like it is. When the old Palm desktop is uninstalled, the PIM files are left in tact. When you install the new desktop and do your initial sync, the PIM files from the desktop are copied to the device and life begins again. My recommendation is to set the conduit up to "desktop overwrites device" for the initial action. As I rarely use the desktop to do updates, my default setting after the initial sync is "device overwrites desktop."

Hang the beaming though. Ben

davidra · 11-24-2006, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by benjie

There is some misreading there. Palm recommends you uninstall the old desktop and install the new desktop. Palm is not telling you about is the problems out there with old/outdated software that WILL cause problems that can easily be avoided by the "look for new updates dance" and the "one-by-one installation" method. Palm has no problems with you installing the OLD PIM data because the new desktop converts the data as needed.

The recommendation is to rename the old backup folder, which might be named something like: /yourname/backup and keep the rest like it is. When the old Palm desktop is uninstalled, the PIM files are left in tact. When you install the new desktop and do your initial sync, the PIM files from the desktop are copied to the device and life begins again. My recommendation is to set the conduit up to "desktop overwrites device" for the initial action. As I rarely use the desktop to do updates, my default setting after the initial sync is "device overwrites desktop."

Hang the beaming though. Ben

From the Treo manual, the section about upgrading:
3.

Synchronize your old device with your old desktop software to back up your
information one last time.

4.

Connect your new smart device to your computer (see “Connecting Your
Treo Device to Your Computer” on page 32).

5.

Install the new desktop synchronization software from the Palm Software
Installation CD (see “Installing the Desktop Synchronization Software” on
page 30).

6.

During the installation process, synchronize your new Treo device with your

new

desktop synchronization software as instructed. When prompted, do
the following:

Connect your new device to your computer (see “Connecting Your Treo
Device to Your Computer” on page 32).

Indicate whether you want to sync all applications or only PIM (personal
information management) applications.

Select a device name for your new device; be sure to select the same
name that you used for your old device. (This is the name that appears
in the User list in Palm Desktop software.)

7.

(Mac users only) If you have pictures on your old device, copy them from your

old

device to an expansion card or beam them to your new Treo device.

I just don't see where it says to uninstall anything. They do say that all apps that are incompatible will automatically be quarantined, which sounds scary to me, because the old prefs may come with it. Are you saying that uninstalling the software does NOT remove the datebook or contacts from the computer? And that when you install the new software that data is then entered into the new desktop software? Without moving it anywhere?

benjie · 11-24-2006, 08:09 PM

The uninstall is a recommendation from Palm itself that I read in a troubleshooting area on their site. Anyway, you are better off uninstalling the old desktop and installing the new desktop. There have been times (happened to me) when a conflict arose that required the uninstalling of a new desktop and editing the registry to resolve the conflicts. Time consuming it was. Avoid the hassle of possible conflicts - it might not affect you, but it has affected many people. As for incompatible applications automatically quarantined - that is not quite good because new applications come out all the time and with thousands of Palm applications in this world, nothing is going to catch them all. An enmass installation is what I did when I went from the 650 to the 700p and even with my level of experience, I lost an entire day getting it up to running almost reliably. And yes, uninstalling the previous desktop does not remove the PIM files. The new desktop installs in the same folder as the new one (if using Sprint to Sprint or Palm to Palm - the install in the same folders as the previous Sprint or previous Palm installation. If there is a problem, you only have to COPY the PIM files from the old folder to the new folder - NEVER MOVE, always copy.

Palm nor Sprint will ever tell you to do an installation of applications one-at-a-time - that philosophy comes only through experience.

Learn from others may possibly save you some problems down the road. Ben

davidra · 11-24-2006, 08:40 PM

I'll give it a try. And I assume I can just keep the old username since I'm doing a fresh install?

benjie · 11-24-2006, 08:44 PM

Sure can - just rename the backup folder itself, that is the one that keeps the "old" data that was on your older device. Ben

davidra · 11-27-2006, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by benjie

Sure can - just rename the backup folder itself, that is the one that keeps the "old" data that was on your older device. Ben

By the way, just to make sure I understand....I rename the backup folder, uninstall, reinstall, sync with the new device, and what do I do with the old renamed backup folder? Go through and maually install the apps, correct? I don't ever rename it back, I assume, and the software will make a new backup folder?

benjie · 11-27-2006, 12:08 PM

It will make a new backup folder and yes, you are much better off doing the installation of applications to a new device manually. This gives you the opportunity to insure you have the latest releases and can check the performance as you go. Ben

davidra · 11-27-2006, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by benjie

It will make a new backup folder and yes, you are much better off doing the installation of applications to a new device manually. This gives you the opportunity to insure you have the latest releases and can check the performance as you go. Ben

Last question, I promise:

Do you uninstall using Windows software control panel?