Synchronization Troubleshooter

One of the most common tasks associated with our Windows Mobile device is getting information on and off of it. The most common method to synchronize e-mail, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, etc. and install or remove programs is to use ActiveSync for Windows XP laptops and PCs or Windows Mobile Device Center for Windows Vista (all versions). This article troubleshoots the PC version of these programs, not Exchange ActiveSync. The latter allows you to sync with your Exchange account.

Fig. 2: The Options screen in ActiveSync
and Mobile Device Center.

How ActiveSync and Windows Mobile Device Center work

Microsoft implemented both ActiveSync and Windows Mobile Device Center to use standard APIs and functions to connect to your Windows Mobile device. When your device first connects to your PC, it uses TCP/IP to send and receive data. When you synchronize your device with Outlook, Microsoft uses MAPI to insert and remove data from Outlook. Even though Microsoft uses various standards, users may experience some problems synchronizing data.

Current versions of synchronization software

The current version of ActiveSync for Windows XP is version 4.5. The current version of Windows Mobile Device Center for Windows Vista is 6.1. Microsoft does not install updates for ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device Center via Windows Update, so you may want to check Microsoft's site for updates periodically.

Common problems and possible solutions

Since ActiveSync and Windows Mobile Device Center work in a similar fashion, they also have similar problems. Here are some of the common problems and solutions for connectivity and synchronization:

If you are unable to connect ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device Center, there can be multiple causes of the problem. I have written two step-by-step articles on the connection process: one for ActiveSync (pocketpcfaq.com/faqs/activesync/tshoot-as4x-connection.htm) and the other for Windows Mobile Device Center (pocketpcfaq.com/faqs/wmdc/connectoverview.htm). These articles provide a description of the functions you'll need to check and possible solutions.

Synchronization with your Windows Mobile device requires TCP/IP, so if you are using a third-party software firewall and have problems making a connection, you need to ensure that the exceptions for ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device Center are in place in the firewall program.

If you are unable to sync, and you have a Windows Mobile 5 (AKU3) or later device, try disabling the USB Advanced Network Functionality, which allows your device to use RNDIS to connect. When it is disabled, your device uses PPP to connect, which prior generations of mobile devices have used.

Disabling USB Advanced Network Functionality on touch screen devices

To disable the USB Advanced Functionality on Windows Mobile 5 Professional and Classic devices, tap on Start >Settings >Connections and click on the icon labeled "USB to PC." (Again, this feature is on AKU3 and later devices; you won't find it on earlier Windows Mobile 5 devices.) You will see the following screen (Fig. 1):

Fig. 1: Uncheck the box for "Enable advanced network functionality" and then sync.