Palm TX unable to sync

Question

All of a sudden my Palm Desktop lost all it's data except Media (photos).  There are no error messages.  Additionally, it will not properly Sync.  Again, there no error messages.  I have tried to Sync several times using my Palm TX as the updater.  I have set the HotSync Manager to "Handheld Overwrites Desktop"; when the Sync window comes up I can see the communication occurring between the handheld and the desktop (they are talking to each other); the Sync concludes in normal fashion, but the desktop "Date", "Address", "To Do", and "Memo" fail to populate.  Only the "Media" has any data, and I'm not sure the desktop is getting that information from the handheld.  I have used DbFixIt2 to cleanup the handheld, but to no avail.  I have uninstalled the desktop software, downloaded the newest desktop software from HP, reloaded it and tried to Sync, again to no avail.  I am at my wits end.
(Particulars are:  Windows 7 Home Premium Service Pack 1; 32 bit Operating System; 8 GB memory)
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Answer 1

It is absolutely unbelievable, but it worked!  I cleaned the contacts on the handheld with a pencil eraser and then with an alcohol soaked Q-Tip.  Also, I cleaned the HotSync Cable contacts in the same manner.  I then perform a HotSync.  The result was terrible, but the desktop software did populate.  It was a mess.  The desktop information was all over the place, it was scrambled and appointment dates were in the wrong years and months, etc.  And because I performed a “Synchronize” instead of a “Handheld overwrites Desktop” the handheld was also corrupted.  Fortunately, I had a good backup of the handheld, which I accomplished using NVBackup.  I restored the handheld from the backup, and it corrected.  Then, I reconfigured the HotSync to “Handheld overwrites Desktop”, performed another HotSync and magic occurred; the desktop corrected.  Thank you, Jesus!  And thank you, WyreNut.
This ordeal is very baffling to me and very scary for me.  Baffling because I used the desktop software as usual the previous day and it worked as normal.  I opened it the next day, and there was nothing; it was totally devoid of any data, except for “Media”; that was very, very scary because I so heavily depend on the calendar and address book.
Unfortunately, the Palm platform and products, especially my Palm TX, are very much dated, if not obsolete.  I have been hesitant to change devices and platforms, because I like not having all my eggs in one basket i.e. in my cell phone.  Further, I don’t know how I would easily migrate all my data to a new platform; however, I fear that in the very near future I must do just that.  Are there any suggestions on devices, platforms and/or easy migration?