Active Sync Won't Sync with Outlook

[mochegod]

I began getting an error message when trying to sync my IPAQ 2215 with ActiveSync 3.7. It seems to connect okay and goes all the way through "looking for changes", but at the end tells me it could not sync, to remove the device and try again. I followed the troubleshooting instructions from the help menu, and when it still didn't work, tried to uninstall ActiveSync and reinstall it. But now the program won't reinstall (trying from the original CD that came with the IPAQ). It seems to start installing, and then nothing happens. I even tried downloading version 3.71, and that won't install either.

I'm thinking that this may have something to do with my Outlook 2002. For some reason, it started in safe mode yesterday. I closed it and then it seemed to restart normally. Although I have not seen any other problems with Outlook, I'm thinking that the next step may be to try reinstalling it. If anyone has had a similar experience, and knows a solution, I could sure use some help. I am running Windows XP, if that's important.

[Steven Cedrone]

Try doing a "Detect and Repair" in Outlook.

Steve

[mochegod]

Did the "Detect and Repair", and then tried to install ActiveSync again, but no success. I can't figure out why the program won't install. I double click on MSASYNC.exe, the files appear to copy to my computer, and then nothing happens. Am I missing something?

[Janak Parekh]

Hmm. If the installer doesn't launch, clean out your TEMP folder. On 2K/XP, that's located in "C:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Temp".

--janak

[mochegod]

Hmmm... there seem to be a lot of files in the temp folder, and I have no idea what most of them do. Is it safe to dump all of them?

[Janak Parekh]

In general, yes. Make sure you're not running programs when you do so -- and don't delete the temp folder itself!

(If you're really nervous about it, move them to a folder elsewhere on your machine first. ;))

--janak

[mochegod]

I moved all temp files to an external drive and tried the install again, but with no luck. I found this thread on PDA Street Forums:
http://www.pdastreet.com/forums/showthread.php?s=f270819fabb01fffada297bb5eee48bc&threadid=6367&perpage=15&pagenumber=1 regarding this issue. It was suggested that there is a problem with the installer and various forum members offered their solutions.

One possiblity that I did not try goes as follows:

I had a heck of a time too, it's actually a defect in the Active Sync file extraction process. It puts everything in the same directory (no subs). I looked through the setup.inf file and figured out where everything went, then moved them all. It installed fine after that.. It happened both on the 3.1 and 3.6 versions (I have Win 95 and XP machines that I put it on).
Looking at it again, I think it might work if you right-click on the "setup.inf" file and pick 'install'. I guess I should have tried that first...

I am not sure how to find the "setup.inf" file, but if anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd like to give this a try.

Failing that, can anyone recommend a third party sync program that may work for me?

[mochegod]

Success!!! The installation problem turned out to be a program called "Replay Radio" that I had installed a few months back. Once the program was uninstalled, ActiveSync 3.71 installed without a hitch.