Help! WM5 ActiveSync 4.2 suddenly stopped working (brand new install)

[steve_glass]

I just moved from a Palm Tungsten E2 to a Dell Axin X51v. I installed the software from the included CD and upgraded the next day to ActiveSync 4.2. Over the weekend our IT folks "pushed" Entrust ver. 7 over the network to all of our machines. Monday morning, ActiveSync refused to work although it could "see" my PDA (e.g. connected)! Every time I clicked on "OPEN MICROSOFT ACTIVESYNC" OR "SYNCRONIZE," the program would crash and provide the following information:

"ActiveSync Application has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."

A program "Stop" screen also comes up and declares:

"WCESMgr.exe - Application Error"
"The instruction at "0x00000001" referenced memory at "0x00000001." The memory could not be "read."

My PDA properly sync's to my home computer (both are Windows XP Pro). Our IT techs were unable to correct the problem.

Has anyone experienced a similar problem or has some sort of solution?

Any and all help will be greatly appreciated.

Steve Glass, Pocket PC Newbie

[dlangton]

I was just checking out the description of Entrust. What components do you have installed? for instance, Entrust Mobile Security involves, among other things,

access to the device is controlled by a mandatory, but easy to remember picture-based sequence or alphanumeric password


Lots of other really wonderful features are mentioned. I'd be really suspicious that this software is causing ALL your difficulties. Can it be uninstalled for testing purposes?

[steve_glass]

The only Entrust options that our IT shop installs (e.g. their "Standard Load") are as follows:

- Entrust Express for QUALCOMM Eudora
(NOTE: We currently use Eudora ver. 6.2.5.6 as our email client. However, we will be transitioning to Outlook and Microsoft Exchange Server in March 2007.)
- Entrust Password Protect
- Entrust Address Book
- Entrust ICE

I don't have Entrust Mobile Security installed or even available to me.

Thank you for taking an interest in my situation.

Cordially,

Steve Glass, Pocket PC Newbie[/quote]

[martin_ayton]

I have encountered situations in the past (rarely) where installing new software can interfere with ActiveSync (it's not the nicest, most stable piece of software in the world). Usually, uninstalling and reinstalling ActiveSync has fixed the problem. Could you try that?

The Entrust ICE thing concerns me though: if it is trying to encrypt / decrypt everything that ActiveSync is passing to and from the PDA, it could well cause you a barrel of problems.

Another possibility is the automatic password encryption: Does your Axim have a password? If so, you probably saved that onto ActiveSync when you first set up the partnership between your PC and your PDA. The Entrust password handling could be really screwing that up too. If you have got your PDA password protected, try disabling that and seeing if it helps.

[steve_glass]

I have encountered situations in the past (rarely) where installing new software can interfere with ActiveSync (it's not the nicest, most stable piece of software in the world). Usually, uninstalling and reinstalling ActiveSync has fixed the problem. Could you try that?

I uninstalled ActiveSync sucessfully; however, the reinstall only gets partially completed and then crashes. The program tells me that is was unable to complete the install process and directs my to try it again later. I have tried this process several times and it always stops at the same place.

The Entrust ICE thing concerns me though: if it is trying to encrypt / decrypt everything that ActiveSync is passing to and from the PDA, it could well cause you a barrel of problems.

Although I have Entrust ICE installed, it is not active (e.g. in the tray) until I need it -- which very infrequently.

Another possibility is the automatic password encryption: Does your Axim have a password? If so, you probably saved that onto ActiveSync when you first set up the partnership between your PC and your PDA. The Entrust password handling could be really screwing that up too. If you have got your PDA password protected, try disabling that and seeing if it helps.

I only set-up the password when I leave my office and am out in public. Otherwise, I don't use it. I have also tried disabling Entrust from the msconfig panel and then rebooting the system. Entrust does not load but this does not seem to make any difference. I also made another user account and tried to install ActiveSync there but I get the same frustrating results.

Thank you, though, for taking an interest in my curious situation. It definitely is frustrating!

Cordially,

Steve Glass, Pocket PC Newbie

[martin_ayton]

Steve, I'm sorry but I'm out of ideas - the refusal of ActiveSync to re-install is just, plain odd. Hopefully some of the more competent members of this community (i.e. more competent than me) will jump in with some fresh insight...

[steve_glass]

Well, if the problem can't be resolved by next week, I may be forced to blow an earlier "cloned" backup from my external HD onto my primary HD and start all over again. This backup is three (3) weeks old and was done before my Entrust was updated and I installed ActiveSync. Of course, this also means that I will have to move any files I made and/or updated within that period of time to a CD before I blow over the cloned copy. The good thing is that I was off work on Annual Leave for 1 1/2 weeks during that period so (hopefully) there won't be too much to move to a CD. Thank God for backups!

Thank you, again, for your interest and support regarding this problem.

Cordially,

Steve Glass, Pocket PC Newbie