Troubleshooting general iSync issues (including Palm problems)

iSync crashes Like any application that is forced to work with a variety of devices from sundry manufacturers, iSync can be a bit temperamental, unexpectedly quitting during the synchronization process, when launching, or for no apparent reason. Here are some tips for eliminating these crashes.

Delete .plist files Those pesky property list files can play a role in iSync's instability. Try quitting iSync, then deleting the following files from ~/Library/Preferences

• com.apple.isync.plist
• com.apple.isync.registry.plist

Re-launch iSync and check for persistence of the crashes.

Power-cycle your device As odd as it may sound, power-cycling an actively synchronized device (particularly one that connects via Bluetooth) can resolve repeated crashes.

Device will not sync Apple maintains a list of iSync compatible devices, but appearance on that list does not guarantee a successful synchronization. Here are some tips for getting stubborn devices to properly shuffle data back and forth via iSync.

"iSync does not support device" message If there is a red dot next to the device in question in iSync, or you receive the message "iSync does not support the device" appears when attempting to synchronize, try removing the device from iSync, reinstalling the driver for the device (if applicable), and re-adding the device.

Update firmware/driver In the case of some sync problems, you may need to update your devices's firmware/driver. The update should be available from your manufacturer's Web site.

Reset devices Alternatively, try resetting all devices via the following steps from Knowledge Base article #52318

1. "Make sure that all your data is correct, current, and up-to-date in your Mac OS X Address Book, iCal, and Safari.
2. Open iSync, then choose Reset All Devices from the Devices menu.
3. In the window that appears, select This Computer as the reset source.
4. Click Reset All."

Synchronize only contacts Some users have been able to workaround synchronization issues (albeit inconveniently) by synchronizing only contacts, and synchronizing only activities that are less than two weeks old.

Delete .plist file Try deleting the file: ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.HIToolbox.xxxxxxx.plist (the characters represented by xxxxxxx will be different on each machine) may resolve some device synchronization issues.

Installing third-party plug-ins If you are having problems installing a plug-in for a third-party device (from the manufacturer's Web site or from collections like iSync phone plugins 4.0.4 and Sony Ericsson iSync Plugins 1.5.6) make sure that the iSync application is located in the /Applications folder. [For more on keeping applications in their original install location, see this article]

Motorola/Sprint problems Apple Knowledge Base article #305365 notes that certain Motorola phones sold through Sprint have issues with iSync, but offers no resolution to the problem. The same phones sold through other manufacturers do not have the issue.

Address Book data disappear after synchronization

In some cases, Address Book data can disappear after performing a sync. Here are some clues for preventing this type of incident, and salvaging remnants should it occur:

Prevention The first step in preventing this issue from happening is a simple backup of your Address Book data. Manually, or using a backup program, copy the file: AddressBook.data (the database that holds your contacts) located in ~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook to another area of your startup drive, removable media, or another backup destination. In case of apparent data loss, just copy the backed up file back to this location. Alternatively, you can simply use the "Back up Address Book..." option under the "File" menu in Address Book.

Retrieving In some cases of data loss, Address Book will maintain a copy of the intact data in a file called AddressBook.data.previous also in the directory ~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook. If you've lost your data completely and want to try restoring from this file, delete the file AddressBook.data from the same directory, then change the name of AddressBook.data.previous to AddressBook.data, in effect replacing it.

Palm OS-specific issues While various aspects of synchronization for Palm devices are handled through the Palm Desktop software, iSync can handle iCal and Address Book synchronization for Palm devices. However, you may run into various issues when using both Palm Desktop and iSync.

"You have not installed Palm HotSync" message If you receive this message when attempting to click the "Enable Palm OS Syncing" within iSync, it may be a permissions problem. You can try to resolve it via these steps:

1. Quit iSync and the Palm HotSync manager if they are open, then navigate to /Library/Application Support/.
2. Find the folder named Palm HotSync and select it.
3. Choose Get Info from the File menu.
4. Under Ownership & Permissions expand the Details section by clicking the disclosure triangle.
5. Click the lock icon to make changes and enter your administrator password.
6. From the Owner: pull-down menu, select your current username.
7. From the Access: menu select Read & Write.
8. Click the Apply to enclosed items... button.
9. Re-attempt pressing the "Enable Palm OS Syncing" button in iSync

Damaged iSync conduit As of iSync 2.x (included with Mac OS X 10.4.x), the Palm conduit is included with iSync and does not need to be installed as a separate file. For earlier versions of iSync (under Mac OS X 10.3.x), you need the iSync Palm Conduit download.

When you use the "Enable Palm OS Syncing" function in iSync, it plays musical chairs with the Library/Palm HotSync folder, placing a conduit and moving appropriate conduits to the disabled folder. One of the files placed in the active conduits folder is called Apple. This conduit corresponds with the title "iSync Conduit" in the Palm HotSync Manager. Unfortunately, it appears that this file can sometimes become corrupt, causing problems with synchronization.

If this occurs, you may want to try re-installing the most recent Mac OS X combo updater then pressing the "Enable Palm OS Syncing" function again. Failing that, you may need to try reinstalling the system to replace the corrupt file, and again clicking the "Enable Palm OS Syncing" button.

Mutually exclusive conduits Note that more than one conduit cannot be used to synchronize the same data (e.g. the iSync conduit cannot be used to synchronize appointment/schedule information if the Datebook Conduit is also attempting to synchronize the same data. Therefore, you should inspect the Library/Palm HotSync folder and move any of these items (if they were not automatically moved when you clicked the "Enable Palm OS Syncing") to the disabled folder if you plan to use iSync to pull data from iCal and Address Book:

• ToDo Conduit
• Address Conduit
• Tasks Conduit
• Calendar Conduit
• Datebook Conduit
• Contacts Conduit

.Mac issues

Apple Knowledge Base article Article #52318, "How to troubleshoot sync issues related to .Mac" details several problem/solution combinations for iSync .Mac issues, including:

• Problem: You connect to .Mac, but iSync is not behaving as expected when syncing with .Mac
• Fix: Unregister and re-register the computer under a new name

Resources