Dell X500(?) help wanted please.

Hi, have a Dell X5 PDA, not used it in a while, switched it on today after charging and it`s come up with a message that says `align screen`, and under that `tap the target firmly and accurately at each locations on the screen. The target will continue to move until the screen is aligned`.

When tapping the screen a cursor moves in various directions but nothing else happens and I cannot access any other function.
Could someone please let me know how to get back to the home pages/sat nav section?
There`s various buttons on the front of the PDA but these don`t seem to do anything now.
Many thanks in advance, this is doing my head in!

[getsurfers]

Firstly, your device's main & backup battery were left to go dead. The unit has HARD reset so any data on it is lost. You should restore this from a backup (hope you have one) from Activesync (again hope you set AS to make a backup when connected to your PC).

To align the screen you must touch the screen dead centre of the cross with the stylus. Repeat as the + moves (approx twice more). You'll then get the system running again and ready for either a backup restore or reloading all your apps/data.


I'd get yourself an new backup battery (CR2032) and try to make sure you don't let the main & backup go flat together. If the backup battery dies, you loose everything - as has happened here.

Many thanks, have performed a hard reboot (or whatever it`s called!) and now it`s up and running. Oh dear though, I`ve lost the sat nav (Tom Tom navigator) and can`t find the download cable anywhere as I do still have the Tom Tom disc to go in my pc.

Is there somewhere I can see a picture of the download cable so I can route through the lord knows how many I have to see if I can find it? I`m assuming the cable plugs into the main port at the bottom of the X5 and the other end into the usb port on my computer?

There is a memory card in the X5 but being computer illiterate (no suprise there, hey?!!) I don`t know if Tom Tom is backed up on there or not.

Any help very gratefully received, thanks in advance.

[getsurfers]

Your TT files are there (on the SD card), but not the application. Because the batteries died the system did a HARD reset. Did not mean that you had to do one. This is because your device does not have persistant memory. Newer devices which run WM5 do - so are not affected by battery drain. Stuff on the SD card is safe, only data which was on the device itself is lost.

Sorry don't have a pic of the sync cable as my x5 had the docking cradle. But you are right. USB one end, and the connector that's on the bottom of the device the other. A google might help you find a pic of a lead.

Have you a card reader? If so you can get going again.

Add a new Folder in your 'My Documents' and name it New Folder. (You can actually name it anything you wish).

Look on your TT discs for the following files and copy and paste them into the 'New Folder'.

engf.cab (female voice)
engm.cab(male voice)
gps.cab
ttn.cab
wzd.cab

Once you have them all copied, open the folder and right click on each one, one at a time, and choose Properties and tick the 'read only' box.

Copy the 'New Folder' to your SD Card and insert it into your PDA.

Start your PDA and tap on Start - Programs - File Explorer.

At the top, the next line after where it says File Explorer, tap on the line and look for My Device - Storage Card - New folder.

Tap on New folder to open it and then tap on the GPS icon and wait for it to install.

Do the same with the TTN and WZD.

Next tap on the ENGF (for Jane's voice) or ENGM (for Tim's). You can install both if you wish.

Exit File explorer and switch off PDA for several seconds. TT should now be back.

Keep the 'New Folder', complete with .CAB files as should you ever have a flat battery again, all you have to do is connect either to your car's cig lighter or mains adapter and and you can get back up and running within a minute or so.

Good luck.