Can't sync/can't load Palm conduit. Why?

Question

Well I'm in a bind.
My Palm desktop and User Data were corrupted and/or deleted. All of the data survive on the 500-series handheld only, and I need to back them up.
Unfortunately the latest Palm Desktop software download is faulty when loaded on OS 10.3.9 The Hotsync function is kaput -- something about a shared library error.(Discussions of this abound on this and other sites).
I thought I'd try iSynch for the first time, just to back up the data SOMEwhere. I'd use MissingSynch, but I fear overwriting all of my handheld data.
When I try to load the iSync Palm Conduit the installer says that it is unable to load it onto my Mac-- despite the fact that I have the appropriate iCal, iSynch, etc.
Suggestions? What gives?

Answer 1

This is actually the most commonly encountered configuration problem with the Palm Desktop and Mac OS X. It's a Palm permissions folder problem, not an issue with the HotSync Manager per se, and is usually the result of a decision by a user to install Mac OS X 10.4.x using the archive and install option.
In your case, before proceed to correct the issue, you should upgrade the current installation of the Palm Desktop to 4.2.1 revision D, available here:
http://www.palm.com/us/support/macintosh/macdesk421revd.html
That package will support your m500 handheld organizer. Once you've reinstalled the Palm Desktop, pick one of these two approaches to correct the problem with your configuration:
Take a look at the permissions of the folders listed below by selecting each folder, one at a time, and—either using the I key sequence or the Get Info option in the File menu of the Finder—opening the information box for the folder. Your permissions for the folders listed below should appear as described below the pathname to that folder:
For the Macintosh HD:Applications:Palm folder:
Ownership & Permissions
You can: Read & Write
Details
Owner: <shortusername>
Access: Read & Write
Group: admin
Access: Read & Write
Others: Read only
For the Macintosh HD:Library:Application Support:Palm Desktop folder:
Ownership & Permissions
You can: Read & Write
Details
Owner: <shortusername>
Access: Read & Write
Group: admin
Access: Read & Write
Others: Read only
For the Macintosh HD:Library:Application Support:Palm HotSync folder:
Ownership & Permissions
You can: Read & Write
Details
Owner: <shortusername>
Access: Read & Write
Group: admin
Access: Read & Write
Others: Read only
You can either reset those values manually, [then restart and recheck them to be sure that they are set correctly] or use the Terminal application by typing these strings listed below this example—substituting your short user name—as shown below:
sample: "sudo chown -R <shortusername>:admin /Applications/Palm"
actual: "sudo chown -R michaellafferty:admin /Applications/Palm"
…where michaellafferty is the <shortusername> in my case. Be sure to pay attention to the spaces in each string, and the direction of the / or \ [forward and back slash] characters.
Here are the appropriate Terminal entries. Each is is shown bulleted below, but actually begins with the term sudo:
• sudo chown -R <shortusername>:admin /Applications/Palm
[NOTE: at this point, you'll be asked to enter your login password]
• sudo chmod -R 775 /Applications/Palm
• sudo chown -R <shortusername>:admin /Library/Application\ Support/Palm\ HotSync/
• sudo chmod -R 775 /Library/Application\ Support/Palm\ HotSync/
• sudo chown -R <shortusername>:admin /Library/Application\ Support/Palm\ Desktop/
• sudo chmod -R 775 /Library/Application\ Support/Palm\ Desktop/
Again, pay particular attention to the spaces and to the \ characters, as both are critical to the syntax of these commands. Remember to place your actual shortusername in the string where the <shortusername> placeholder is shown, as in the sample above. [Do not include the < and > characters around your actual shortusername.]
As a Palm user, don't elect to archive and install Mac OS X unless there is no other method to do so which insures that your applications and data are preserved.