TrueSync Desktop on Vista issues

[Walt179]

The TrueSync installation hung up after I got a "Severe: This installation has detected that a previous installation or un-installation requires you to restart your computer" message. FAQ 807-2246 in this forum got me arround that problem.

Then, I discovered there are issues with Vista not allowing changes to files in the "Program Files" folder. TrueSync, of course, stores its data files by default in the UserData folder, a few levels deep under Program Files. So I uninstalled, reinstalled and changed the default folder to one under Users.

Now, a new problem for which I do not yet have a solution. The initial Sync with my RexPro 5000 successfully transferred the data to the desktop. But now, when I attempt to Sync again, the dialog for TrueSync Setup appears again, even though setup was already done.

 

[james33]

Dear Walt,

I sent my congratulations to you a few minutes ago ref the Faq comment you sent, but it seems that we were both a little premature!

Tru-Sync/Sidekick initially creates new files in the Userdata folder and if they crash, you sometimes find .SKTemp files in there too.

I hope that you saved the Calendar to use it from another location as the files would be changed during synchronising as I believe you pointed out.

The Sidekick.ini and display files are changed when you alter the TruSync/Sidekick Desktop colours or startup options and they are in the program folder, so I wonder what happens if you alter them

The inability of a program to change files in the program folder seems a very good idea from a virus situation, but with a lot of programs it could create issues.
Have you checked with microsoft if it(Vista) has the ability to switch off that feature for an individual program or folder?

Let me know how it goes.



Regards Jim
Check the FAQ area of this Forum for answers (If there are any FAQs!) , it could save you a lot of time and effort!

 

[Walt179]

Dear Jim,

Your reply made me realize that I had to get all of TrueSync out of the Program Files folder. So I re-installed to a Starfish folder off of the root and everything works fine now.

To everyone trying to install to Vista: Do not install to the Program Files folder; TrueSync will not be able to modify its data and init files.

Thanks for your help Jim.

Regards, Walter

 

[letitiashen]

Ok, I have already installed Truesync to my Vista Computer. I worked for a few days, and now it doesn't work. So I think I am running into that Program File thing. I have tried to unistall it, but the uninstall program keeps crashing. Can I just delete the whole starfish directory in the Program Files directory? And then reinstall the truesync?????

 

[james33]

Dear Letitiashen,

Try re-installing the program and not running it and then uninstalling it.

Do that before you try your other method and if that does not work, then go ahead delete the folders but use a Registry cleaner too which should get rid of any entries or you could end up with a worst mess.

Regards
Jim

 

[letitiashen]

Any advice for a registry cleaner?

 

[james33]

Dear Letitiashen,

http://www.pctools.com/registry-mechanic/

Regards
Jim

 

[letitiashen]

Does anyone know where I can download TrueSync Desktop Version 2.0b?
I am getting the feeling that my install program has issues.
I went here, but since I do not actually own a REX, I can't
enter in the needed ISBN.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?ProductID=649&DwnldID=3215&lang=eng

 

[james33]

Dear Letitia,

http://www.tice.i12.com/index.html

Check out the FAQ page here
Rex accessors and Patches etc faq807-3726

Regards
Jim

 

[letitiashen]

Ok, this is what is happening. Sidekick (Truesync Desktop) has to be the first program I open after booting Vista and letting it warm up. I can go into sidekick and change data. Data is in another file outside Program Files.

Now when I uninstall Truesync Desktop, I get this error.

The log file 'C:\PROGRA~1\starfish\Truesy~1\Truesync.isu' is not valid or the data has been corrupted. Uninstallation will not continue.

The date of the Truesync.isu file is 3-26-07 when I installed the Truesync Desktop on this crazy operating system.

So, any ideas as to how to uninstall?

Letitia

 

[james33]

Dear Letitia,

Did you do what I mentioned earlier:
Back up your DATA then:

Try re-installing the program and not running it and then uninstalling it.

Do that before you try any other method and if that does not work, then go ahead delete the folders but use a Registry cleaner too which should get rid of any entries or you could end up with a worst mess.

As the error message says, you cannot uninstall it using the install log file so delete that file.
Then:
Backup ALL your data to another location (the whole of the TruSync folder) and then delete the entire folder and then re-boot and run the registry cleaner I advised.

Re-install from:

http://www.tice.i12.com/windows/TSdesk.exe

Then see.

Regards
Jim

 

[letitiashen]

Thanks Jim, I was trying to get an understanding of the error message. On Saturday I will do as your instructions. Install, do not run, uninstall. Thanks. Letitia

 

[letitiashen]

Ok, I did it. This is what happened.

The first time I reinstalled Truesync Desktop, the uninstall gave me the same error message. Apparantly Truesync.isu was not replaced. So, we moved Truesync.isu to another file and reinstalled Truesynd Desktop a second time. A new current Truesync.isu showed up. Then I successfuly uninstalled Trusync Destop. And for the final step, we installed Truesync Desktop in another directory outside of Program Files.

Thanks for all your help. Letitia

 

[JRNeubauer]

Dear Walt,

I should think a little bit before I post this, but I was looking for solutions to the same problem that you have installing the TrueSync Desktop software in a new Vista Home Premium Operating System environment. I’m an XT Pro power user and have used the TruSync Desktop to store names and passwords since the Windows 98 era, so I really wanted to install in Vista Machine. I have an eBay purchased REX 5000 with the Software Version 2.0b Install disk. This is the disk that won’t install properly on the Vista machine. (This a Xircom supplied disk)

Now to the important part. After gently playing with this install problem for a couple for days with NO JOY. I started considering using a brut force method! Vista seems to want to run me instead of allowing me to run the operating system and I really don’t appreciate it’s demeanor. Then, I remembered that I had an old Rex TrueSync Rolodex disk that was distributed by Franklin Electronics. This was copywrited 1984, 1997. Just for fun, I put in the Vista machine and it installed TrueSync PERFECTLY with no questions asked. It even gave me all the options of selecting of names a PROGRAM folder. What more would you want?

I copied over all of my many years of files and they all loaded and worked perfectly and hasn’t skipped a beat after many tests. This Starfish software has no revision show, except for the copyright 1984, 1997 dates. I took a magic marker and softly marked it “Vista Compatible”!

I haven’t tried to Sync anything yet, because Vista doesn’t show me any know drivers. I recall having the same problem with XP and ended up installing some Windows 2000 drivers that worked fine with the NTFS files that I use. I have all these drivers stored on an XP backup storage hard drive that I use all the time. If you want, I could make you and ISO of this disk, because its solved a major problem for me. I will eventually work toward upgrading to the 2.0b version, but there has to be a compelling reason, that I don’t have yet.

email - jrneubauer@hotmail.com

Best wishes,
JohnnieBush

 

[Walt179]

Dear Johnnie,

Thanks, but I'm not having any problems now. I'm running Vista Business, by the way, but I don't think this matters.

I installed 2.0b from a download from Intel's site (I think). Syncing with my Rex & with 2.0b on my XP laptop has not been a problem.

Regards,
Walt

 

[james33]

Dear JohnnieBush,

If you want to email me a copy, I can host the file along with the others at my web site

http://siderealb0x.250free.com/

and you can direct people to it.
I will of course credit you with the discovery and we can call it Vista ready!
There may be a problem with synchronising the Rex, but maybe even that will be ok.

One thing I will point out though is that you should not put your email address on Tek-Tips as it encourages spammers and you will probably get an email from the management here smacking you on the wrist for it!

It is great however that you discovered that that version of TruSync works so well on Vista and I am sure some users may wish to download it.

Regards
Jim

 

[Iraellman]

Dear Walt,

Am I correct to assume that you are syncing your Rex 5000 on your Vista laptop by inserting it directly in a PMCIA slot, and not through a legacy serial port docking station? Using the old Windows 2000 driver for this?

I have been terrified of moving from XP to Vista because of the assumption that TrueSync (Sidekick 98) would no longer work at all, or at least would no longer sync my Rex. If you have been able to get it working, that is great news indeed.

Like many others, I have never found a PIM nearly as convenient or useful as Sidekick 98, which I use on three machines, coordinating them by syncing them all to my Rex. I really appreciate the fact that there are other devotees on this forum from whom help is available. Thanks to you all.

Ira

 

[Walt179]

Hi Ira,

No, I'm connecting (on my desktop & laptap) with a serial port docking station.

Walt

 

[MichaelDL]

Help!

Attempted to install Truesync Plus on a Vista laptop with USB ports and docking station.

Truesync does not recognize the USB port where the docking station is connected.

Any thoughts? much appreciated!

 

[Iraellman]

You may already have tried the following, if so, sorry I don't have any other suggestion. I have not tried to work with Vista, just from fear of problems like this.

Anyway, I sync the Rex 5000 with TS Desktop on an XP laptop by inserting it in the PMCIA slot. To make this work, I installed the driver that Xircon released for Windows 2000. It worked for XP. Perhaps it would work also for a Vista desktop. If you have not tried, it's worth a shot. Its available as either RexWin2k.zip
232.327 bytes
RexW2k_100.exe
272.896 bytes

from the TICE web page...

http://www.tice.i12.com/

If you try this, or have tried, I would like to know what happened myself (I don't have Vista so I can't check it out.)

I'm keeping fingers crossed.

Ira