Palmcricket Frequently Asked Questions

Help! I've tried everything, but nothing works!

It's impossible for us to answer this question. We first need to find out exactly where the problem lies, before we can assist with trouble-shooting. Please help us by first stepping through the checklist below before contacting us:

Which Palm model?
Palmcricket works directly only on units manufactured by Palm Incorporated, Palm One, Handspring or Sony, running on PalmOS 3.5 or later. Widows Mobile units such as the HP Compaq are not Palms, although they are sometimes referred to as "palmtops". Palmcricket does not work directly on Windows Mobile or PocketPC, except through the StyleTap emulator, a $50 third party application developed by a Canadian company. Palmcricket is fully certified to run on StyleTap.

What version of Windows is running on the desktop computer?
The Palm Desktop 4.14 software runs quite well on all versions of Windows, but there are some problems with older versions running on Windows Vista and later. If you have problems, you can try Palm Desktop version 6.22 from Access. Download from from here .

Is the Palm Desktop software installed on a Windows computer?
Without the Palm Desktop and Hotsync, one cannot transfer Palmcricket to the handheld or backup score-sheets from the handheld onto the desktop computer. Install Palm Desktop 4.14 from the original CD, or download from here .

Is the Palm Hotsync software working between the Palm handheld and the Windows computer?
Hotsync must be operational on the Windows computer to transfer Palmcricket to the handheld or backup score-sheets from the handheld onto the desktop computer using the Palm Desktop software. One should see an icon with circular blue and red arrows in the tray bottom right of your screen, which shows that the hotsync is operational. If the Palm Desktop is installed and Hotsync is not operational, it needs to be activated. On Windows XP systems, click on Start, then Programs, then Palm DeskTop, then Hotsync Manager. The icon should appear in the system tray bottom right. Then try the Hotsync on your Palm again. Be careful not to right click on the icon and then Exit in future, as this will de-activate the desktop hotsync and remove it from the tray.

Note! The original Palm Hotsync USB drivers FAIL on the latest 64-bit versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7. Neither HP (who now own what used to be Palm Inc) nor Microsoft have come up with a fix. Fortunately, there is a very easy solution, as explained here: Hotsynch doesn't work on Windows 7 or Windows Vista

The Palm Desktop is working and the Hotsync icon is visible, but it still does not work.
There may be something wrong with the USB or COMS port, some kind of USB hub is being used or the desktop computer is part of a network. Retry with other USB ports, or check with an IT specialist who can diagnose if the USB port is faulty, or if there are network or security issues that could interfere with the Hotsync operation. Try right-clicking on the Hotsync icon and ensure that the connection settings are correct. Be careful not to de-activate the Hotsync by clicking on Exit.

Is the Palm User Name correct?
The Palm User name is displayed on the handheld and Palm Desktop when Hotsyncing the Palm to the Desktop computer and also in the user list on the Palm Desktop. Palmcricket's registration works only when the Palm User Name and the registration code are in agreement. Ensure that the correct Palm User Name is displayed. The use name can be changed as explained here: How do I change the Palm User Name on the handheld?

Note: As from Rev 1.5, Palmcricket no longer requires licence registration and the registration button has been removed. It is still a good idea, however, to ensure that all Palm hand-held units have unique Palm User Names, for separate Hotsync and backups on the same desktop computer.

Was Palmcricket transferred correctly to the handheld using Hotsync?
Palmcricket needs to be transferred to the handheld computer. This is explained in detail here: I've downloaded the demo software, what do I do now?

Is Palmcricket working on the handheld in demo mode?
Once transferred to the handheld, one should be able to start up Palmcricket by clicking on the Palmcricket icon on the handheld's main menu. The main menu on the Palm is activated by tapping on the house symbol on the handheld screen. Sometimes the icon is not immediately visible on the main menu, particularly when there are a large number of applications on the Palm. Try scrolling down by tapping on the slider bar on the right of the screen.If no trace can be found, then retry all or part of the steps explained here: I've downloaded the demo software, what do I do now?

The demo works on the Palm, but the register button is missing.
As from Rev 1.50, Palmcricket no longer requires licence registration and the registration button has been removed. Palmcricket 1.50 is fully featured and will not revert to demo mode. Download and install the latest version from here.

If you're using a previous versions of Palmcricket: The register button is only visible if the game status is "Not Started". Complete the current score-card by tapping on the Stop and Abandon buttons. Step through the process until the score-card has been reset, then tap op on Utils. The Register button should now be visible.

The demo works on the Palm and the register button is visible, but the Palm User Name displayed on the register screen is different from the one for which a registration code was purchased.
As from Rev 1.50, Palmcricket no longer requires licence registration and the registration button has been removed. Palmcricket 1.50 is fully featured and will not revert to demo mode. Download and install the latest version from here.

If you're using a previous versions of Palmcricket: The Palm User Name needs to be changed to the correct one, as explained here: How do I change the Palm User Name on the handheld?

The demo works, on the Palm, the register button is visible and the Palm User Name displayed on the register screen is correct, but where and how should the registration code be entered?
As from Rev 1.50, Palmcricket no longer requires licence registration and the registration button has been removed. Palmcricket 1.50 is fully featured and will not revert to demo mode. Download and install the latest version from here.

If you're using a previous versions of Palmcricket: Tap on the dotted line under Registration Code to position the cursor inside the field. Enter the registration code using the grafitti tablet or the Palm virtual keyboard and then tap on Register.Once entered, the registration code will be remembered, and one won't need to enter it again, unless one deletes the application completely. Spelling, punctuation and capitalisation of the Palm User Name must be exactly as provided. If registration is successful, no warning message will appear when scoring the first over of a match.

The demo works, on the Palm, the register button is visible, the Palm User Name displayed on the register screen is correct, the registration code was entered correctly, but Palmcricket is still coming up with demo warnings.
As from Rev 1.50, Palmcricket no longer requires licence registration and the registration button has been removed. Palmcricket 1.50 is fully featured and will not revert to demo mode. Download and install the latest version from here.

If you're using a previous versions of Palmcricket: This should not happen, unless there is a spelling or punctuation error in the Palm User Name. Try the previous step again, and if it still does not function, contact us and we will test the Palm User Name and registration code combination to see if it is correct.

Everything works, but the battery does not last long enough.
Only some Palm units have sufficient battery power to last a full day or about 100 to 110 overs. Refer to Palm model for more information. One can also extend the battery life somewhat, as recommended under Battery Life. Also, ensure that the Palm is fully charged before every match. Finally, minimise the number of enquiries during the match, as each display of batting and bowling analysis consumes power.

Everything works, but the touchscreen does not react correctly.
The digitiser on the touch screen may be slightly out of sync. This can be corrected by tapping on Prefs on the Palm's main menu, then Digitizer or Touch Screen (or the drop down selector on older models). Tap in the middle of the bulls-eye symbol, when prompted. If the touch screen is badly out of sync, a soft or hard reset may be necessary. A hard reset will result in loss of all data on the Palm, so first ensure that the all information has been backed up onto a desktop computer via the hotsync before attempting this.

None of the above works, the unit is completely dead. Nothing happens when I plug it into the charger.
A completely flat battery will require at least an hour of charging before the Palm will "wake up". Sometimes the copper pins inside the Palm's charger socket are bent out of position and the charger terminals do not make proper contact. If this is the case, any competent computer technician may be able to re-align the contact points within the socket.

None of the above works, the unit is completely dead after hours of charging and/or the touchscreen is completely frozen.
This may be a hardware malfunction, or the charger could be faulty. Contact the original supplier to arrange for a diagnosis and/or repair. If the unit was supplied by Multi-Media publications, please contact us.

If any of the above fails to rectify the problem, please send us an e-mail at support@palmcricket.com and tell us which step is causing the trouble.