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Updated Tuesday, March 14th, 2006 at 8:20pm

How to install Palm Desktop on Windows XP 64

If you use the 64 bit version of Windows, and have a Palm handheld, you probably already know that Palm does not support this setup. Palm has no immediate plans to support the 64 bit version of Windows, and there are no drivers that will work for the devices. The good news is that you can still use your device by hotsyncing with WiFi or Bluetooth. The bad news is that you cannot install the Palm Desktop software. At least not without a simple work-around.

There is another method for this floating around the internet, but I (and several others) have had very limited success.

After trying quite a few different things, I came up with the method below. It works perfect for me every time, unlike the other method out there.

UPDATE #1:

The newer versions of the Palm Desktop software seem to install properly on XP 64 with no issues, so try that first before you follow the steps below.

UPDATE #2:

I no longer use the Palm Desktop software, and while I will keep this article up for reference, I will no longer be updating it.

Instructions

1) Start > Run > msiexec /unregister

2) In regedit, find the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer

3) Change MsiExecCA64
From this: C:\WINDOWS\system32\msiexec.exe
To this: C:\WINDOWS\SysWOW64\msiexec.exe

(This assumes a default Windows directory.
Change to reflect your configuration if needed.)

4) Restart the Windows Installer service
(Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services)

5) Install Palm Desktop!

To go back to the previous settings, just reverse the change made in the registry, and stop/start the service again.

You can also set it back to normal by re-registering the installer:
Start > Run > msiexec /unregister
Start > Run > msiexec /register

Conclusion

I cannot claim any responsibility if you make a mistake and corrupt your system. To play it safe, make sure you have system restore enabled, so you can easily go back if there is a problem.

Let me know how it works for you!

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  1. 36
    Scott Curtis
    10-20-09 8:13AM

    So I really have to wonder how much resource it would have taken Palm to write the XP-64 bit driver so that ALL their customers could continue to use their devices without all this hassle!
    BTW, I went and spent the $25 on a irDA wireless bridge, and my Palm T3 will still not sync through it! I keep getting an error message stating that the com port is in use by another application, yet the irDA device diagnostics say everything is A-OK.

    And Palm wonders why they’ve lost so much market share…

  2. 35
    Nariman
    7-31-09 2:33PM

    What a pain. Finally got everything hotsynced by installing VMWare with USB support. Seems the only way to get anything done is just to (at least figuratively) bite the bullet and install 32 bit OS. To my knowledge, there are no free virtualization programs that have USB support except for Virtual PC for Windows 7. Good luck!

  3. 34
    Admin
    7-15-09 8:32PM

    David: I believe Palm has drivers for Vista 64 – just not XP 64.

    And bluetooth works well, even in XP 64, since it does not have to reply on USB drivers (lack of USB drivers is the main issue with Palms on XP 64)

  4. 33
    David Johnson
    7-11-09 11:43AM

    Have you tried this fix (Install Palm Desktop on Windows XP 64) on a 64 bit Vista machine? I’m a little reluctant to hack the registry on a new machine without news of a successful precedent. I’ve also heard that a bluetooth dongle may work, as well.

    Thanks. I enjoy your site.

  5. 32
    Steve
    3-19-09 8:29AM

    For the record, it is possible on WinXP-64 to sync Palm Desktop v4.1 with a Palm m500 via this infrared (IrDA) USB dongle:

    http://www.cablesunlimited.com/products/Prod_Individual3.aspx?groupcode=I3278

    Not all IrDA devices are equal though, WinXP-64 could not use the driver supplied with the first model I tried. In fact, most do not specifically support WinXP-64 like this one above. Worked for me!

  6. 31
    palm IIIc
    2-24-09 7:28PM

    man, I need the setup software for win xp, if someone can email it to me I will be so happy, so if someone can please help me out,
    I need this to be installed onto my computer…….. thank you
    and god bless, jeff

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