Syncing an iPAQ h1910 after performing a "Full or Hard" Reset

[Rudy]

Dear Forum Users,

I’m relatively new to the Pocket PC world. I got a hp iPAQ (that’s running Pocket PC 2002) in spring 2004. Since April, I’ve been gradually familiarizing myself with the device, its software, & its features.

I’ve got a scenario that developed this morning & I’m hoping for some assistance. The device froze up on me overnight (OS freeze ups have been happening occasionally – maybe 1-2 per month. I typically just perform a normal reset – which usually solves the problem). Well, overnight several reminders opened up on the screen & apparently the device froze with the backlight on. I saw it, but didn’t pay much attention to it because I’ve got the device set to automatically power off after 3 minutes of inactivity. This time the device did not shut off. So the battery power drained all the way down to zero. When I ultimately sat the device back into it’s cradle, it automatically went into a “Full” Reset. (Erasing all files & programs in memory).

I’m running ActiveSync 3.7 on my partnered PC. So, I have most of my data backed up or on the storage card. So, I don’t think I’ve permanently lost any data. But here comes my question/dilemma.

I placed a full battery in the iPAQ & performed the “Full” Reset. I re-entered my personal settings (input preferences, menu pref., owner information, etc.), & system settings (Device ID Name, audio preferences, backlight pref., power pref., etc.). When I docked the device into its cradle, I thought the PC (ActiveSync 3.7) would recognize the device & just snyc the device. Instead the “New Partnership Wizard” is opening. O.K. that’s fine. But when I enter the same Device ID Name I’ve been using all along, the wizard is telling me to “choose another name because that name is already in use.” What is going on? :?: It’s seems like the logical thing would be: if you’ve entered the same Device ID name on the exact same device, then synching should proceed with your established synchronization settings. Every time you perform a “Full” Reset (for whatever reason) do you ultimately have to give your device a new Device ID Name for it to partner with your computer & perform a successful sync? :?:

I’d appreciate any advice, suggestions, or tips. :idea:

[Sven Johannsen]

Actually the partnership is based on a Unique ID which gets re-generated at a hard reset. So it's a new device as far as ActiveSync is concerned...but...you can't have two unique devices with the same name.

The solution for you this time is to delete the old partnership from AS. With the device not on the cradle, File menu, select it, and dlete partnership will be available. Don't delete the sync'd files folder, if you use one. That will be one of two dialog boxes. Once the old partnership is deleted, you can sync the device as you did the very first time.

For future, use AS to backup your device, or use a third party backup. Then when you get an unintentional hard reset, you put it on the cradle, connect as a guest and run restore. Some third party ones that backup to a flash card, you wouldn't even need to cradle it. Then it is seen as the same Unique ID and name as it was before. Only issue might be that some of the indicators on what was sync'd when might be different on the PC and PPC, depending on how old the backup is, so you may get a duplicate or two.