New 3 Mobile – LG U890 – Be wary
I have been window-shopping for a new mobile for a while now. Today I decided to buy the new LG U890 from Three. The phone itself is a nice design. I had unfortunately forgotten the LG UI is a bit clunky, but the speed of the calendar loading etc was good so I was happy to go with it. I got the lady at the Three shop to confirm with their tech support that this phone would sync with Outlook before I bought it.
It’s taken me about three hours to get the thing to sync. The desktop software is dodgy to say the least. There are a whole lot of forum messages all over the show about getting the LG software to work. The error message you see when it doesn’t work says "Failed to connect to the mobile handset. Please check the Com port and connect in idle screen"
"Please check the COM port and connect in idle screen" was not exactly helpful information. Anyway, after uninstalling and reinstalling the phone software and drivers more times than I could stomach, I found that the key piece of missing info on the forums is this:
Right-click on sync Manager, then click on "Configurations" then click on the tab labelled "Commnunications Setting" (sic). If your selected port is working then it should come up as USB, NOT COM. See screenshot:
To get the port to come up as USB, I went into computer management, into the device manager (right-click "my computer", choose "Manage" and then click on device manager. then go into modems and go into the properties of the LG Mobile USB Modem:
I went into the advanced tab, clicked the advanced port settings button and changed the port number to find one that would work. The system will warn you that other software is using the port assignment, I just said “OK” to the warning. My initial install was on port 10, I tried port 2 unsuccessfully and then port 14 worked. As soon as I changed the port and went back to LG Sync’s settings the USB port was in the list and everything worked.
IMHO the phone is one of the nicest 3G phones on the market in terms of it’s physical form factor so I am still happy with my buy, but next time I will stick with Nokia or get a Microsoft Smartphone. The UI on the LG is clunky and the sync software is junk.
April 23rd, 2006 at 1:36 am
I think that is one for the Daily W.T.F.
September 29th, 2006 at 12:36 am
i’ve been going through the exact same thing as you did and it’s been horrid. i took your advcic however it didn’t work when i right click on sync manager Configurations is not there, it is not an option… i can’t seem to get this thing to work… any advice?
September 29th, 2006 at 1:13 am
Hi Liv, Welcome
I managed to get the phone to work on two PCs – both worked okay after a ton of fiddling, neither had the Configuration option missing. Thing is, I’ve abandoned the phone as anything other than a mobile and so I haven’t even tried to sync it lately. Sorry to be of no use to you. Just to confirm: when you say there is no configuration option, are you right-clicking on the icon in the system tray next to your clock on the start bar (Not the icon on the desktop)?
Cheers
Mark
December 20th, 2006 at 8:05 pm
Hi
I´ve bought an u890 and I am searching for the right sync software! The software from the CD says “…unsopported device”, as if I was using a the software for u880!?
Can you give me advice how to get the right software?
Thank you in advance.
January 21st, 2007 at 7:26 pm
I can not find anyplace where I can down load the Device Drivers or the Programs from the instalation CD which I can not find any more. Can you please point me to the right web site or can you please send me a copy of the cd via any way you can,
Thankyou for your time
March 22nd, 2007 at 5:57 pm
here is a link http://uk.lgmobile.com/webwar/jsp/phones/mnswList.jsp?this_package=mnsw&mid=000100030000&_ln=EN
June 23rd, 2007 at 6:31 pm
oohhhh…thank U so much….
port 14 …huh ?
pfffffff
IT’S WORKINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!
wow…
I thought my phone it is broken
Thanks
July 15th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Im so over this. iv been trying for a couple of hours to get this to work. my window looks exactly like the one above it says USB and everything but it still comes up with that message. iv done it before with no trouble but this time i just cant get it to connect. i think im ready to scream or just give up hehehe.
thanx for the help anyway Mark
July 15th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
i just realized i have a different phone to you. i have the LG KU 970 ‘shine’ phone does anyone have any advice for me. ill be greatfull for the help.
Anna
July 19th, 2007 at 2:15 am
I never had this problem till I wanted to change phones and wanted to move my contact list. I basically did what Mark said, but rather than randomly chossing a port, I changed the modem port number from 3 to 4 which is what device manager stated was the port number for the LG com port and it worked fine!
November 27th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Thanks very much mate great help would have taken ages to do by myself.
Especially helpful was the computer management bit.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Thanks for the walkthrough,,,,, I am now wondering if anyone can help me to find the USB driver for the u8xxx (I use a U890) …. the LG sites do not seem to carry it any longer and most driver archive sites are just linking to LG…very frustrating no tbeing able to link to my pc. Thanks CROM
February 11th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Have you found ?
http://www.nodevice.com/driver/U890/get41523.html
Scroll down to almost bottom and fill in the verification code (CAPTCHA)
Hope this help !
April 14th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Hi Mark where do you find the configure synchronisation?
August 17th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
i have just got a new lg phone frome telstra it too is causing problems connecting to computer i am going to try all this even though it is confusing to someone as old as me but what good is camera in phone if you cant get the pics to computer mine is model KF 390 anyone else having trouble with that model i have taken programme of and re installed 5 times getting me down a bit now oh well one more go then give up on using it as a camera