Even our resident Pocket PC gurus, Nitin Gupta and Diane Dumas, couldn't help me with my ActiveSync challenge. So, I turned to our new Pocket PC magazine support forums for advice (www.PocketPCmag.com/forum). I got my answer, along with so much additional useful information, that I decided to publish the dialog (found at
www.PocketPCmag.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=283.)
Hal Goldstein: Posted 04/09/2003, 17:11:31
I am moving to a Toshiba e755 from my Jornada 560. I have a ton of Pocket PC software programs installed on my Jornada 560. I sync'ed my Toshiba e755 and used ActiveSync's Tools>Add/Remove programs option. Unfortunately, none of the programs I had installed on the Jornada via the desktop PC showed up. I even tried renaming my Toshiba in Settings>About with the Jornada name. Ideas? I sure don't want to have to reinstall everything again. Thanks.
(Note: When you join the forum, you can select any user name, which will appear when you post. "Don't Panic" was the first responder to my question.)
Don't Panic: 04/09/2003, 17:29:19
For the programs you want to install, grab the files ending with a .cab extension from the desktop PC folders found at C:\Program Files\Microsoft Activesync\whatever-the-product-name-is. Place these .cab files in your My Documents folder on the e755 then tap them one at a time. There is a program called cabinstl (www.geocities.com/s_k_s_k_s_kru/util.html#ci) that gives you the option to install them on a storage card, and lets you save the files after installation. Without cabinstl everything gets put in the default installation location and the .cab file disappears.
Paragon: 04/09/2003, 19:27:40
Hal, does the software still show when the Jornada is in the cradle? Can you sign on as a guest and have them show up?
David Hettel, Microsoft MVP Mobile Devices: 04/09/2003, 20:28:58
Not the normal way ActiveSync 3.5, and 3.6 behaves, based on what I've seen. All installed programs should be listed, with a checkmark to show they are on the docked device. At least that is how my Dell Axim and HP iPAQ behave.
Hal Goldstein: 04/10/2003, 08:06:21
Unfortunately, I can't get my Jornada to sync any more--that's one of the reasons I'm switching. There is something wrong with the Jornada hardware since it didn't connect to any of the PCs we tried. When I could sync, software showed up with check boxes in ActiveSync Add/remove programs. If all else fails, I will use the .cab file suggestion.
David Hettel: 04/10/2003, 08:43:26
It sounds like when you tried to get your Jornada 560 to work, you reinstalled ActiveSync. That would account for why no programs are showing up now. And during the reinstallation of ActiveSync, you may have deleted the ActiveSync folder altogether. If so, there will be no .cab files.
Hal Goldstein: 04/10/2003, 08:51:29
I did reinstall 3.6 from the MS site when I was troubleshooting the Jornada. However, on my desktop there is a C:\Microsoft ActiveSync directory with all the Pocket PC software folders (containing .cab files, etc).
Bob_Katayama, Moderator: 04/10/2003, 09:33:33
With all the PCs you tried, did they all have the same version of Windows and ActiveSync? Are they stand-alone or networked? If the sync folder is networked shared, having a problem on one machine could mean a problem with all machines. What I have done in the past when connecting was an issue, was to connect the PDA as guest to see if at least I was able to connect.
With Windows 98, ME 2000, and XP, I always placed my Pocket PC in the cradle and then inserted the USB cable into the PC. This approach is tricky on desktops with the USB on the back. However, ActiveSync seems happier with this than with having the cradle permanently connected.
Another possibility might be to back up the Jornada onto a CF card, and then restore it onto the Toshiba.
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