Forcing sync with Activesync 3.7

[dchung]

Is there a way to force a synchronization so as to overwrite files from my desktop to my Ipaq with Activesync 3.7? Right now, it does not, for whatever reason, recognize the existing database entries for Outlook, and thus it attempts to upload everything, creating duplicates of entries.

[Janak Parekh]

When you first establish a partnership, you are given the opportunity to overwrite the Pocket PC with contents from the desktop.

Before we figure out the best solution, what is the current state of your iPAQ and your desktop? Have duplicates already been created? If so, there are duplicate remover tools (http://www.google.com/search?q=outlook+duplicates+remover&sourceid=mozilla-search&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official).

--janak

[dchung]

It started to sync, but I stopped it, so there may be a handful of duplicates present.

[Janak Parekh]

Oh dear. So you're in an intermediate state. 8O

Before you go any further, I strongly recommend you do a backup of your desktop's Outlook setup. You can do this either by making a copy of the PST file, or by using File => Export to export the data into a PST file. Depending on what you do in the list below, I'd back up at least the Contacts, but possibly even Notes, Calendar, and Tasks.

As to what to do now... here's a couple of choices:

1. Try to complete the sync and then remove the duplicates.

2. Make a new Contacts folder ("Good Contacts") on your desktop Outlook. Move all the contacts on your desktop to the new folder and then sync. ActiveSync only touches the Contacts folder named "Contacts", so your actual contacts will be safe. Once the sync is done, delete the contents of the bad "Contacts" folder and let ActiveSync sync those changes. Finally, move the contacts back from the new "Good Contacts" folder and let ActiveSync finally do one last sync.

3. Delete the partnership, (optionally) delete the contacts on the Pocket PC and recreate the partnership. If you don't delete the contacts on the Pocket PC you will be given the opportunity to do so when you recreate the partnership.

Unlike HotSync, there is no "override" option in ActiveSync 3.x. It would be nice if there was, wouldn't it?

--janak

[dchung]

Thanks for your help. I deleted the partnership and reloaded everything from my desktop.