HELP!!! Reformated Harddrive - how to sync without losing everything!!!

[binstpa]

I had a major computer crash and had to reformat the entire harddrive (using XP right now). I set up active sync and it says that the device is not recognized as the primary device, etc... How can I sync it without losing everything? I have pocket informant - which is usually installed on the desktop. How do you install programs that currently exist on the ppc onto the desktop without causing problems?

The odd thing is that when I installed activesync it worked for 3 syncs and then gave me the error that the device is not set up with this computer.

[Jacob]

If you want to install a program to the desktop that's already installed on the ppc just run the install and when ActiveSync prompts you to install to the PPC - just cancel.

This will register it with ActiveSync and install the files to the desktop system, but won't (re)install it to the PPC.

I'm not sure about the whole primary device problem though:(

[davidspalding]

I suspect you've already discovered this, but ActiveStink 3.6, 3.7 allow you to set the rules to replace items on your desktop when there's contention.

Of course, a full backup of your PPC is in order, under the circumstances. I trust AS about as much as an angry cobra.

I think 3.7 had a fix that allowed you to set all rules settings BEFORE the first sync. I lost data (thank God for backups) one time after a hard reset, reinstalling AS, and ... AS decided to delete items from teh .PST file on teh desktop that it didn't find on the PPC. D'oh!!