iPAQ 5455 Problems :(

[jeffrey]

Hi folks, new here, hoping maybe some of you well-versed Pocket PC afficianados can help me out. :)

Let me get to the brunt of it...

I'd wanted to get a Pocket PC for a while for a number of things: organize all my crap (phone numbers, addresses, etc) take advantage of the terminal services at my office, WLAN at home, etc. Basicly, I'd finally found one that had all the features that I wanted.

Small bit of backround on me: I'm an IT manager for a large land-title insurance underwriter, hold numerous certs (CCNP, CCDA, MCSE, MCP, etc, not that they mean anything :)), and am very versed in most all things computer-related seeing as it's my job.

In otherwords, I'm not a newbie. :lol:

So anyway, yesterday I bought it and...

Today I'm returning it. :(

Here's what's happening:

When I first got the unit I powered it up as recommended and did the setup bit, yadda yadda, then the "Low backupbattery" warning came on. So I figured "ok, low battery, no biggie". I put the adapter in the unit and plugged it into the wall and continued to mess around with it for a good half an hour or so.

Then I setup the cradle. I figured I'd just let it sit there and charge while I finished my work so I could mess around with it later that night at home. Then I hear a noise "BING" I look at it, it's soft re-set itself. "Hrm" I think. I just shrug it off and go back to work. Then it does it again "BING", so I watch it this time. As soon as it gets to the "desktop" again "BING" re-sets again. Now it's re-setting every 5-10 seconds. Then one final time, it re-sets and will not even boot to the desktop. It stops at the "hp iPAQ pocket pc" splash screen.

So dubiously believe HP tech support will be of any assisstance, I call them. They have me do a hard re-set. No worries, I don't have any data in it anyway. Bingo. It boots. How long does it last before it starts soft re-setting again? About 5 minutes. Same routine: re-set, "BING", re-set, "BING" until it locks on the splash screen.

So I do a hard re-set and try to upgrade the ROM from the new one HP's offereing on their website (new as of 4-17-03). Guess what though? It takes half a dozen hard re-sets just to get it to stay on long enough for the ActiveSync software to be installed correctly. Then I never could get it to stay running long enough to upgrade the ROM.

Soooo, I'm going back to Best Buy today to swap it out for another one HOPING that I just got a lemon. :?: :roll: 8O

Sure has been a pain in my arse though.

So what do you guys think? Lemon? Or are they all this bad?

I read some pretty disturbing posts (http://bizforums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0xd7255bd3782dd711abdc0090277a778c,00.html) on this HP forum. Many of the same problems I had, but I think mine was worse. :(

Bottom line is: I want the unit and I want it to work. Hopefully #2 won't be a lemon.

[Janak Parekh]

That's definitely a lemon. The 545x units have had a few sporadic software problems, but repeated resets sounds like a defective battery or defective battery connection.

--janak

[dh]

When you get the new one, I would charge it for a few hours before attempting to do anything. You might have done this anyway, but from your post it looks as though you powered it up right away.

I know a few people with the 5455 and they have no problems with them, other than the usual little niggles we all get from time to time.

[Chris Spera]

When you get the new one, I would charge it for a few hours before attempting to do anything.

No. I wouldn't charge it for a few hours. I would let it charge until it has a complete and full charge. THEN I would go ahead and play. Julie from The Gadgeteer does this. I do this. I have 4 PDA's and I've done exactly this with all of them (not all were purchased new, BTW...).

I haven't had any problems with batteries yet in any of them.

Get a full charge on both the main and backup battery and then play. In the long run, it may take longer to get to the playing; but you'll be happier.


Kind Regards,


Christopher Spera

[jimski]

Go and exchange that lemon. I have had my 5450 since December and aside from the occasional soft reset (that I intiate) due to lockups (either the device or one of 35+ third-party applications -don't know which) the device has served me well.

Do make sure to install the updated ROM though before doing any tinkering (like removing it) with the removable battery, otherwise you may have to deal with an unplanned hard reset.

[umichboy]

Just have to say that my 5450 has treated me extremely well. I've not had any problems that are unresolved. So for those of you out there considering purchasing one, not every 5450 dies =)

[delfuhd]

I agree, you hear a lot if problems about pocket pc's that fail, or don't work, or lock up etc... but that's what, 10 out of the hundreds or maybe thousands of people who get them? I had an h1910 for a couple of months and it did me just good, no problems, no lock-ups, and my current iPAQs are doing just fine. So yes, don't be afraid of buying a new/exchanging your ipaq.

[jeffrey]

Thought I'd post a follow up...

I returned the original one and got another one, so far....

It's been great! :)

Terminal services work fantastic, I can connect to all of my terminal/citrix servers at my office from anywhere in the building (very handy). I haven't had any "slowness" either that some complain of.

I've only had to do one soft re-set, which wasn't a big deal, other then that, it's been flawless. :)

Now I need some accessories (going to start a new thread). :)

Thanks for all the advice/input guys!!

[andrei]

I purchased a 5450 a month ago, after I sold my trusted 3970. Well, that turned up to be a big mistake.

The battery is good only for 2-3 hours (reading stuff, no games or music), I have to reset it every day at least twice, it's slow and the WiFi/BT are not working unless I reset it.

I'm going to return it today and buy a new 3970.

[Mona13]

My 5455 is awesome! I installed the new ROM upgrade. Well, actually I installed it twice. The first time I installed an old 3rd party program and replaced one of the Windows files that shouldn't have been replaced and I couldn't tell much difference in the unit.

When I reinstalled the ROM the next time, I was very careful about not replacing Windows files when reinstalling older programs and now it works great! I don't even have a problem with the Reader. The unit is much faster, smoother, etc.

My Wlan worked great before and I was afraid of doing the upgrade, but I did it and it still works great, along with the other improvements.

[Janak Parekh]

My 5455 is awesome! I installed the new ROM upgrade. Well, actually I installed it twice. The first time I installed an old 3rd party program and replaced one of the Windows files that shouldn't have been replaced and I couldn't tell much difference in the unit.
You shouldn't have had to reinstall the ROM, btw. A hard-reset would have done the trick.

--janak

[Mona13]

That's right. Oh well.

Also, the on-screen instructions said not to do a hard reset after installing the ROM, but the text instructions said to do a hard reset after installing the ROM. The first time I didn't do a hard reset and the second install I did.

Don't know if this helped make a difference or not.

Very confusing instructions.

[Janak Parekh]

Don't know if this helped make a difference or not.
It's generally a good thing to do, in any case.

--janak