Problems With ActiveSync, Windows Mobile 6.1 and Syncing with Two PCs?

[Ed Hansberry]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://msmvps.com/blogs/spiderwebwoman/archive/2008/09/22/1648573.aspx' target='_blank'>http://msmvps.com/blogs/spiderwebwo...22/1648573.aspx</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Since I got my HTC Mogul from Sprint last spring, I had been syncing with two PCs, one at home and one at work. Life was good - I was where I was supposed to be on time, and remembering everyone's birthday and anniversary. "</em><br /><br />Then the problem began. She upgraded her Mogul to Windows Mobile 6.1 and was no longer able to sync with two PCs. Instead, ActiveSync throws back error 86000107. It works fine with the first PC, but not the second. Microsoft Connect has a <a href="https://connect.microsoft.com/feedback/Workaround.aspx?FeedbackID=354634&amp;SiteID=502" target="_blank">more detailed thread about this issue.</a> I don't use ActiveSync (I'm on Vista now with WMDC) and I don't sync with two PCs, so I've not seen this issue. In the Connect thread, the resolution is given as it being an OEM issue that needs to be fixed.<br /><br />If you use ActiveSync and sync with two PCs, have you seen this issue after upgrading to WM6.1? I am wondering if this affects all 6.1 devices or just a few.</p>

[hotphil]

Yep, had the same thing. Had to give up syncing to two PC's.

[hotdram]

I use AS 4.5 and USED to sync with 2 PC's on my Blackjack II with WM 6.0
After the ROM to WM 6.1, I have the same issue as noted above. On the second PC, I get an error. Just finally gave up syncing at work (and occasionally, I STILL get the error, or one like it on the one PC that I do sync with). Way to go MS. I am due for an upgrade and am considering the Blackberry Bold as a replacement.

To me this is just another in the long list of dings against WM that I am not sure I can overlook. Last night, I installed a "patch" that was supposed to cure the SMTP issue with email and the WM 6.1 upgrade. The "patch" blew away all my POP3 accounts. Went to add them again but was told that they already exist. Problem was, I just couldn't do anything with them. They didn't show up in the messaging list, they only showed up on the home screen, but you couldn't send/receive/compose. Uninstalled the patch, and all was well.

~Rob

[emuelle1]

I had the BlackJack II for a few weeks, then before my 30 days was up I took it back for the Epix the day it came out. I upgraded the BJII to WM 6.1 the day I got it, so I can't vouch for WM 6.0. I was not able to sync the BJII with my laptop at work, but on the Epix I discovered a USB setting for "Enable advanced network functionality" that has to be turned off to sync at work. I can sync at home with it enabled.

I'm able to sync with two computers, but the problems I've had all along (going back to my iPaq 3765 with WM 2002) still persist: anytime I try to sync with two computers, ActiveSuck (WMDC in my case on Vista) wants to duplicate tons and tons of records, which means I have to spend hours on two computers deleting all the duplicate tasks, appointments, and journals. I also get random duplication of contacts. Sometimes records that I was sure I deleted on both computers and the device magically reappear from nowhere.

I too installed the supposed patch to the smtp fix on WM 6.1, but it didn't fix anything. I still hit smtp errors. I can get around this with Flexmail 2007. For some reason, I've never been able to get Flexmail 4 to perform correctly for me, so I'm saving the upgrade fee.

I wish MS would create better comparative logic. This record duplication has been driving me nuts for years, and when I have to hard reset a device on average every 6 weeks to 2 months, that's a lot of time I spend deleting duplicate records.

If the iPhone supported Outlook tasks I would have jumped ship by now. I coined a phrase on my blog that Real Dan Lyons (formerly Fake Steve Jobs) actually picked up: "Windows Mobile- the perfect blend of power, capability, and instability."

[possmann]

You know, reading about this just gets me worried. The rants and the comments about jumping ship in several other posts and threads beg the question:

What does Windows Mobile really have that sets it apart from the competition?
(iPhone, Blackberry/RIM, Android - I'm not including Palm - that's too easy)

[Pony99CA]

You know, reading about this just gets me worried. The rants and the comments about jumping ship in several other posts and threads beg the question:

What does Windows Mobile really have that sets it apart from the competition?
(iPhone, Blackberry/RIM, Android - I'm not including Palm - that's too easy)
May I suggest we not derail this thread, which just deals with sync errors, with that huge topic? There have been lists of iPhone deficiencies published before, too.

Steve

[speed2008]

I have a HTC Touch Diamond, I synced to a second PC about a week ago and now I have the problem where ActiveSync throws back error 86000107 when I try to sync to the original PC. I'm not sure what it is, I tried syncing only one source at a time and found tasks and contacts sync but calendar and email don't. I had to delete all partnerships and start again. Ah well its MS again, Activesync has not been updated for a while. Maybe they need to get rid of Activesync and make a WMDC for us people who do not use Vista.

[wfisher]

[/URL]She upgraded her Mogul to Windows Mobile 6.1 and was no longer able to sync with two PCs. Instead, ActiveSync throws back error 86000107.


Ed, the poster you're referring to also posted in our forum [URL="http://www.windowsmobiletraining.com/Connection/forums/t/1708.aspx"]here (http://msmvps.com/blogs/spiderwebwoman/archive/2008/09/22/1648573.aspx), where we've been following the issue very closely. There are a number of very experienced WM professionals who have confirmed the existence of the issue in the thread, and we've received direct feedback from Microsoft that a fix has been delivered to OEMs in AKU 1.2.

At this point, that's as far as we've been able to get with the issue. It appears we're waiting on the manufacturers...

[NorCalGuy]

I have encountered the same problem with my Sprint Mogul ever since I upgraded to 6.1.

[marcmain19]

I fought this problem for a long time. See if I can explain the fix as simple as possible.
(Using Outlook 2003)

1) I backed up both of my PST files. PC#1 and PC#2.

2) I deleted all partnerships on PC#1 and all partnerships on my device.

3) I deleted all contacts and calendar entries in PC#1.
a) dont panic, we backed up the pst in step 1.
b) i only sync contacts and calendar, so you'll want to delete all sync'd items.
c) to delete all calendar items, switch View -> Arrange By -> Current view -> By Catagory
then highlight the top entry and hit CTRL+A to select all, now hit delete.
4) Now I reconnected my device and re-established partnership. PC#1 done.

5) Delete all partnerships on PC#2.

6) Repeat step #3 on PC#2.

7) Repeat step #4 on PC#2.


I understand the frustration this error is causing everyone and I hope these steps are as successful for you as they were for me.

[whydidnt]

I have the same problem with the HP iPaq 910. I'm syncing with ActiveSync on 1 PC and Vista's Mobile device center on the other. The only work around I've found is to delete the 2nd partnership, then rebuild the partnership... the first time to sync though you have to let it sync without actually syncing anything. After that you can sync contacts, etc. The issue is you have to be real careful about making changes on the device as your sure to lose something by deleting the partnership between syncs.

I'm still disappointed that after 10 years we still don't seem to have a realiable desktop sync situation. MS has done a great job with Exchange sync over the air, but still seem confused by the whole desktop thing.

[geekzilla]

It's kinda funny I am seeing this now. I've had the HTC StarTrek (Cingular 3125) for 1 year and 9 months. All this time, with the default WM5 it has synched fine between my work laptop (Toshiba tablet PC w/ XP Pro Tablet Edition) and my home desktop (homebuilt AMD64 x2 Dual Core w/ XP Pro 32-bit). Never a problem!

Last weekend I upgraded my StarTrek to WM6.1 from a cooked ROM image from XDA-Developers.com. I AM EXTREMELY HAPPY. It has worked phenomenally and THE ONLY problem I've noticed is I can't get it to synch to 2 computers anymore. It synchs fine to my work PC but I get the error when I try to synch to my home PC. Honestly, having it synch to my home PC is nice, but not critical, so I gave up after about a dozen tries. Now that I see it is a common problem I won't kill myself trying to get it to work.

Knowing now that this is a common problem I'll just sit back and wait for MS to release the patch <insert sarcastic laugh here>.

Frank

[Pony99CA]

1) I backed up both of my PST files. PC#1 and PC#2.

2) I deleted all partnerships on PC#1 and all partnerships on my device.

3) I deleted all contacts and calendar entries in PC#1.
a) dont panic, we backed up the pst in step 1.
b) i only sync contacts and calendar, so you'll want to delete all sync'd items.
c) to delete all calendar items, switch View -> Arrange By -> Current view -> By Catagory
then highlight the top entry and hit CTRL+A to select all, now hit delete.
4) Now I reconnected my device and re-established partnership. PC#1 done.

5) Delete all partnerships on PC#2.

6) Repeat step #3 on PC#2.

7) Repeat step #4 on PC#2.
Are there some steps missing (like restoring the PST files) or are you basically using your device as the master sync source?

Steve

[V-iPAQ]

AS4.5 has never worked with 2 PCs. It always says the current PC is new - delete an existing partner and make a new one!
The only solutions online involve hard resets - fun. No thanks.

[marcmain19]

Are there some steps missing (like restoring the PST files) or are you basically using your device as the master sync source?

Ya know, you might be right. I thought that when I re-paired my device that AS repopulated my calendar and contacts in Outlook. But it might be that I had to sync, then restore my backed up PST file, then sync again.

Sorry for my cloudy memory. Kids, listen to your parents when they tell you not to smoke that stuff.

[marcmain19]

AS4.5 has never worked with 2 PCs. It always says the current PC is new - delete an existing partner and make a new one!
The only solutions online involve hard resets - fun. No thanks.

I've been syncing two PC's, home and work, using Activesync 4.5. In two years I haven't had a single problem until the 6.1 update. At which point I started getting error 86000107. Then I performed the steps mentioned earlier, the basic premise was to "start from scratch", and my problem has gone away.

I'm not trying to defend M$. Outlook and activesync have their flaws, but syncing two PC's isn't one of them.

[kkrich]

I had the same problem with my Samsung SCH-I760 after upgrading to WM 6.1. I went through some of the MS fixes ( https://connect.microsoft.com/feedback/Workaround.aspx?FeedbackID=354634&SiteID=502 and other places on the net) and found that if I went to Options> and unchecked Tasks and then Notes, then disconnect from my # 1 PC. The reconnected and synked again I still had the same problem. I then went through this and unchecked the ones I had enabled (Contacts, Calendar, Email, Tasks and Notes). Then I enabled each one, one at a time between disconnect and re-sinking. After that it is working again between my desktop and lapton. It appears that in my case it was Task's that caused the problem.

It really shouldn't be this hard.

[HiQ]

A workaround for this problem is to de-activate the syncing of calendar and contacts, then re-enabling them one at a time. Bad thing is you have to do this every time that you have synced with another computer...