Here's what I did to get the leapster2 to sync (exactly once - don't know yet whether future syncs will have issues or not).
1) uninstall the leapfrog connect application (control panel -> add/remove programs -> lepfrog connect -> uninstall). Select the "remove leapster profile information" option.
2) uninstall all USB host controllers (My Computer -> right click -> Manage -> Device Manager -> Universal Serial Bus Controllers. Now right click on each "USB Universal Host Controller" and select "uninstall". My computer had four of these).
3) Reboot
4) Remove SD card from device
5) force deletion of all current leapster profiles on the device (while disconnected, power up to profile selection screen. Add new profiles if necessary to get to 3 profiles. Now hold down simultaneously HOME + A + LEFT ARROW. Select the X that appears, then select the profile that you wish to delete. Add a new profile with a dummy name. Do this for all three profiles, then go back and delete those to replace with the names that you want. I only need 1 name so I've got the other two set at "." and "..").
This get the computer and device back to a state where no Leapster 2 drivers are installed on the computer, and the device profiles are clean.
5) Replace SD card with a new 1GB card. Previously I was using a 2GB card and was having all sorts of sync issues. On several occasions the file system on the 2GB card became corrupted (i.e. couldn't be read through a separate SD card reader). Reformatting didn't help. I tried to find an even smaller card (e.g. 256MB) but they not even sold at major retailers any more, the smallest card I could buy was a 1GB card. I put the card in the leapster2 right out of the box, not formatted.
6) re-install leapfrog connect application. Application starts. Click the "Leapster 2 icon", then "start using leapfrog connect". I saw the profile selection pane on the left, with no profiles listed yet, or "parents, what do you want to do" on the right.
7) power down device. Connect device to laptop with USB cable. power on device.
The status bar says "checking leapster", then "connected". For some reason the profile pane did NOT update (potential leapfrog connect software issue).
8) select "parents" (upper right nav bar) to refresh away from the home screen, then "home" or "start using leapfrog connect" to return to the profile selection screen. Now it had refreshed and was displaying the profiles set up on the device.
9) Select desired profile. Left Nav Bar appears. (in prior installations, I had to install flash player to see the content in the main window).
10) Select "games from left nav bar".
11) select "download number raiders". let the download complete. The status bar says "downloading", then "syncing". Let the sync complete. A popup appears saying that the sync is complete and the device can be ejected.
12) select "download letterpillar". let the download complete. The status bar says "downloading", then "syncing". Let the sync complete. A popup appears saying that the sync is complete and the device can be ejected.
In previous attempts, I started both downloads in parallel. This didn't work out so well. The sync process would begin as soon as the first download was complete, while the second download was still in progress. I don't know if prior problems came about because sync was running while content was still downloading, or because of an issue with the 2GB SD card.
13) select "Eject Device". Status bar says device is ejected and can be disconnected. WAIT for windows to recognize the disconnect (you will hear the windows descending tones, and the device will power off).
14) Disconnect the device from the USB cable.
15) Power up the device, select the profile for which you downloaded additional games, select "SD card". Now I saw the two games that I downloaded.
Whew! Now my daughter can play the games after repeatedly asking me to "connect her leapster to her computer" (well, that's what the voice on the device _told_ her to ask!).
I found the process of getting this to work to be far from seamless. The Leapfrog connect software is not quite ready for prime time, so please share your experiences. I think this community is going to need to share lots of information so that leapfrog support can try to get to visibility and provide resolution for open issues.
Good Luck!
- Mick
