Heads Up: 700w, ActiveSync stops working

cognetic · 01/09/2006, 10:28 PM

Not sure how many others are experiencing this, but I thought I would post here as several other forums are starting to register similar issues with ActiveSync starting to fail with connecting to the 700w.

The symptoms are about 2 days of working set-up then a sudden issue whereby ActiveSync no longer connects via USB for sync despite Windows recognizing the 700w as evidenced by Device Manager and Network connections. Interestingly, IR sync does work but USB will not.

Multiple soft and hard device resets of 700w do not remedy. Uninstall of ActiveSync, reboot, reinstall, reboot does not work to recover. Fiddling with Firewall settings, WINS, and NetBios do not work either.

Verizon Customer support 866 788 9387 confirmed that they are starting to get calls and are now routing to Palm Treo 700 support at 866 697 7256. Palm customer support confirmed that they are getting many calls today and anticipate many more tomorrow. They are escalating calls to next tier support and offering callbacks. There is indication that there may be a software release - I'm assuming ActiveSync. Palm support said there are many issues popping up - did not elaborate on anything other than the issue I'm having by confirming it is in a user experience crescendo at present.

I checked with a couple of colleagues that got their 700ws this past Saturday... One already had the same issue starting last night, the other developed the issue this evening (blaming me for jinxing him by relating my tale of woe starting this morning).
All running XP Pro with SP2.

mhoepfin · 01/09/2006, 10:52 PM

Ouch.. have you tried bluetooth sync?

Mad Max · 01/09/2006, 11:07 PM

I couldn't get mine to sync either all weekend! Sunday night I did all the PC-Cillin firewall enabling, and now it syncs great! I downloaded a program today no problems.

Beryl · 01/09/2006, 11:10 PM

Glad to hear that the problem is known. I had to reboot my desktop a couple of times to get things going again. I really hate activesync.

demichae · 01/09/2006, 11:49 PM

This forum is awesome. I ran into the same problem yesterday. Luckily an uninstall and reinstall seemed to have worked, but I haven't tried doing it today.

HobbesIsReal · 01/10/2006, 03:48 AM

Up until the release of the 700w, I really never heard of many issues with ActiveSync at all. And if I did, it usually ended up being some user error or easily fixed. I linked to an ActiveSync Troubleshooting guide in the Synching Forum. Don't know if it will help, but it is worth a try.

ActiveSync 4.x Troubleshooting Guide

cognetic · 01/10/2006, 06:56 AM

I've been a developer on Palm OS and Pocket PC platforms for many years... although doing much less developing and more enterprise consulting now, I consider my technical skills to be fairly high... I tried many ways to overcome this including <gasp> knowledge base searches and the guide you mentioned.... then went to tech support <wince>. This behavior, I believe, has nothing to do with the firewall. I've not tested BT sync but suspect it would work. Oddly, I do get a network connection with send/recieve packets noted and the device is recognized and status is "working properly".

I seemed to get a partial recovery, once, but the ActiveSync went into an endless connect loop without completing the task.

Arrrggghhh!!!

Matt-Helm · 01/10/2006, 07:25 AM

I've been using AS with BT since thursday and no problems yet. Haven't even tried USB.

callinectes · 01/10/2006, 07:27 AM

I have had the same problem with the USB beginning on sunday (purchased thursday). tried all the rebooting etc and hobbes links on activesync. IR works only. VERY FRUSTERATING.

Also - no matter what setting i stipulate for automatically shutting down either in cradle or out, the treo always shuts down after one minute. AN ABSOLUTE NUISSANCE

jcoffey · 01/10/2006, 07:44 AM

Mine refuse to synch on two PCs even though they both recognize the device. MS' troubleshooter is next to useless. VZW / palm will have their hands full if they don't fix this soon - corporate accounts can't be happy; and and with their 15 day return policy they may wind up with a bunch of used devices.

Fafafoooey · 01/10/2006, 07:54 AM

If you lookup issue with connecting with ActiveSync on MS' website, they mention that you need to either change firewall settings, or disable the firewall to connect.

Since connecting the Treo to a PC via USB essentially adds a network device, this made sense, and sure enough, that is the problem I ran into initially.

Hope this helps.

cognetic · 01/10/2006, 08:06 AM

At least in my case, the firewall settings have nothing to do with this... Have tried several angles regarding firewall including complete removal and disabling of all firewalls through to port permissions, etc. Also, doesn't fit with the history of a working configuration for 2 days then sudden stop. Actually, it is interesting that a network connection is maintained between device, desktop, and the LAN however the ActiveSync application refuses to sync or detect the device via USB.

psywzrd · 01/10/2006, 09:33 AM

I found that I wasn't able to sync when I used the ActiveSync that came with the Treo. Once I downloaded ActiveSync (version 4.1 I think) from Microsoft's site, I was able to sync without a problem. I don't know if there's something different about it or if it's just a fluke, but those of you having problems might want to download it from Microsoft's site.

callinectes · 01/10/2006, 09:58 AM

Try a hard reset on the treo. that worked for me with this issue.

jcoffey · 01/10/2006, 10:27 AM

My 700w would never sync - on both of my machines.

I spoke with Palm and here's how we fixed it:

Go to Control Panel - open network Settings

Right click on the Mobile Device Network Setting - right click on properties.

Under This connection uses the following properties - click on on of teh check boxes so all are checked.

Click OK

Right Click on the network Icon and select Repair if your device is not connected.

When I did that Active Synch fired right up and recognized my device.

fkjr2 · 01/10/2006, 11:24 AM

Same crap here - AS plain sucks - hope they fix this, otherwise whats the point in having the Treo without info on it?

O well.

ArgentPantere · 01/10/2006, 11:24 AM

I too am having sync problems. Never did get it to work. Everything seems to be working properly... when I put the phone into the cradle (actually the clip) ActiveSync starts on both the computer and on the 700 but no connection between the two is ever made. I have gone through all the ActiveSync troubleshooting guides, reinstalled, etc, etc, etc. No joy. I am now trying to get BT sync working but I had to add SP2 to the desktop first.

psywzrd · 01/10/2006, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArgentPantere

I too am having sync problems. Never did get it to work. Everything seems to be working properly... when I put the phone into the cradle (actually the clip) ActiveSync starts on both the computer and on the 700 but no connection between the two is ever made. I have gone through all the ActiveSync troubleshooting guides, reinstalled, etc, etc, etc. No joy. I am now trying to get BT sync working but I had to add SP2 to the desktop first.

That's the same exact problem I had. Did you try uninstalling the AS that came with the Treo and installing the one from Microsoft's site? That did the trick for me.

cognetic · 01/10/2006, 01:19 PM

For my situation...Tried the network repair... tried both the Treo & MS version of AS 4.1.. tried fiddling with the mobile device settings... still not working. Hard reset x 3 did not work either.

Interestingly, I have it working on an old Windows 2000 Professional machine... but a try on another XP Pro machine yields same issue. Funny how cavalier I can be about those hard resets when there is nothing to lose!!

HobbesIsReal · 01/10/2006, 01:31 PM

Boy....again, I have never heard of any real issues with AS in the 14 months that I have had my PPC-6600 prior to the 700w release.....and I have been active on several boards.

I am wondering if this has something to with Palm's modifications of WM for the Treo, a special mod with AS version that they included on the CD, etc...............

Again, for those of you having this frustration, this is unusual and seems to more of a 700w issue than a AS issue, historically speaking at least.

If the latest release from MS website seems to fix it, that is what I say would be the first step for anyone who gets this phone to do.