ActiveSync 3.x Troubleshooting Guide
Initial Configuration
By Chris De Herrera, Copyright 2001-2005
 Version 1.38  Revised 10/23/2005

[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Sections:

1. Installation

2. Initial Configuration

3. USB Issues

4. Guest Issues

5. Firewall and Proxy Issues

6. Outlook Errors

7. Synchronization Errors

8. Mobile Information Server / Outlook Mobile Access

9. Exchange ActiveSync Error Codes and Solutions

10. Missing Calendar, Contacts or Tasks Items

11. Security Advisories

12. ActiveSync 4.x Troubleshooting Guide - General

13. ActiveSync 4.x Troubleshooting Guide - Limitations

14. ActiveSync 4.x Troubleshooting Guide - 85010014

15. ActiveSync 4.x Troubleshooting Guide - Firewall, VPN, Proxy

16. ActiveSync 4.x Troubleshooting Guide - Logs & Services

17. ActiveSync 4.x Troubleshooting Guide - Connection Flow

18. USB Advanced Network Functionality

19. Microsoft ActiveSync 4.2 Troubleshooting

20. Using ActiveSync 4.x and Visual Studio 2005 and the Emulator

21. Understanding ActiveSync or WMDC Partnerships

Initial Configuration:

1. If you are unable to connect then try soft resetting your Pocket PC, Handheld PC or Palm-size PC.  Also, try rebooting your PC with your Pocket PC, Handheld PC or Palm-size PC plugged in.

2. If you are unable to connect your Pocket PC, Handheld PC, or Palm-size PC  to your desktop, you may need to reinstall ActiveSync.

3. If you are using Windows NT or Windows 2000 using the Serial port and cannot connect. try this patch from HP which forces ActiveSync to use Com1 and allows you to change the port setting without connecting first.  This patch works with all versions of ActiveSync 3.x.

4. If you can't connect via a network connection (Ethernet, RAS or 802.11b (Wi-Fi)) then try Pocket Hosts to enter your desktop's IP address into the Pocket PC, or Handheld PC 2000.

5. If you are trying to connect using Bluetooth with your Pocket PC, make sure you have configured the Bluetooth driver on your PC to support the Bluetooth serial profile.  The serial port listed in the Bluetooth driver must be selected in ActiveSync to synchronize with your Pocket PC.  Also, if you are using the iPAQ 3870/3875/3970/3975 then you need to limit the speed of the Bluetooth connection on your PC to 115.2k baud.  ActiveSync only supports virtual com ports 0 through 9 so if your driver installs a com port that is higher, you need to re-assign it to a lower port number to select it.  Note:  The Windows XP Bluetooth drivers do not support the Bluetooth Serial profile.  You must install the Bluetooth drivers from your Bluetooth Manufacturer in order to sync.

6. If you are trying to sync via Bluetooth with the FujitsuSiemens Loox, it does not support the serial profile.  You must use the PAN (Personal Area Network) profile on the Pocket PC and select the Network option under ActiveSync.  Further your Bluetooth adapter on the desktop must support PAN for this to work.  In addition you must bond the Pocket PC and PC before trying to sync.

7. If you are unable to connect after a new installation using Windows NT, 2000 or XP, did you install ActiveSync using the Administrator account?  If you did not then, uninstall ActiveSync and login as the Administrator and install it again.

8. If you see "Microsoft exchange--There are no profiles. Choose the Mail and Fax icon in the Control Panel to create a new profile." you need to install Outlook or setup a profile to sync.  This will occur if you have freshly installed Outlook and not opened it as well.  If you do not have Outlook,  and want to use Outlook Express consider SyncData.

9. If you are attempting to use a USB to serial adapter, you may not be able to sync.  Some USB to serial adapters are not supported with ActiveSync.  An example of a USB adapter that does not work is the Targus Mobile Port Replicator - PA070U.  See Microsoft KB article 245687.
10. If you see an error when you reboot from ActiveSync and it says that the Infrared or COM port you have selected is unavailable and you can select and use that port after you boot. Modifying the registry is not supported by Microsoft so do this at your own risk!  Open REGEDIT on the PC and confirm that there is a value for the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\SerialPort which refers to the port you want to use.  Then rename the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\SerialPort to another name.  Reboot and confirm that ActiveSync works correctly.
11. If you want to choose another folder to sync on the PC other than Pocket_PC My Documents, modify the registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\Partners\73491db6\Services\Synchronization where the partner id 73491db6 is always different for each partnership.  Microsoft does not support modifying the registry so do this at your own risk!
12. If you have installed IMSecure from ZoneLabs, then you may not be able to synchronize.  Other users have reported removing IMSecure to use ActiveSync.

If your problem is not resolved here, try the Microsoft's Knowledge Base search on ActiveSync or Microsoft's Knowledge Base search on Mobile Information Server.

Other Articles on ActiveSync:

ActiveSync Versions FAQ
ActiveSync 3.8 Review
ActiveSync 3.7 Review
ActiveSync 3.6 Review
ActiveSync 3.5 Review
ActiveSync 3.1 Review
ActiveSync 3.0 Review
ActiveSync - Identifying Unresolved Items
ActiveSync - Multiple Partnerships
ActiveSync - Using Categories to Sync
ActiveSync Configurations
ActiveSync Future Directions
Configuring Norton Internet Security and ActiveSync
Removing ActiveSync 3.X

[an error occurred while processing this directive]