Saturday, January 10, 2009

ActiveSync Encountered an Error on the Desktop

OK, after reviewing two inspirational books, it’s time to get back to talking technology. I like to use my Windows Mobile phone to help me keep track of what I’m doing, but lately that’s not been possible. For some reason, no matter which computer I try to sync my Epix with, I keep getting “ActiveSuck encountered an error on the desktop”. Yes, I meant to say ActiveSuck instead of ActiveSync. Tasks that I have marked as complete keep popping back up as incomplete, and entries keep duplicating themselves. I’m about getting sick of the whole thing.

I’ve tried everything I can find, which in Windows land honestly isn’t much. When I go searching for fixes to the problem, this is what I get:

  • Hard reset the Windows Mobile phone.
  • Uninstall Windows Mobile Device Center
  • Uninstall Outlook
  • Reinstall Outlook
  • Reinstall WMDC



If that doesn’t work, then do the following:

  • Hard reset the Windows Mobile device
  • Uninstall Windows Mobile Device Center
  • Uninstall Outlook
  • Reinstall Outlook
  • Reinstall WMDC

The only other thing I have found is to use a file in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office 12 directory called scanpst.exe. It worked once. Ever since then, it’s stopped working. I’ve tried to sync with 3 different computers recently, and neither is able to sync without this problem popping up.

I have the option to go strictly Google Calendar, which has sync clients for Outlook, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry. The drawbacks are that I can’t assign appointments to categories, but I can access my calendar and sync across a variety of platforms. For tasks, I could switch to My Life Organized, as I do have licenses for the 1.9.1 desktop version and the 1.9.2 Windows Mobile version.

I figured I would appeal to my readers. Do you have any advice? Has anything worked for you? Please note, I have already tried and will not accept as answers any of the following:

  • Hard reset the Windows Mobile device
  • Uninstall Windows Mobile Device Center
  • Uninstall Outlook
  • Reinstall Outlook
  • Reinstall WMDC

I have also considered and likewise won’t accept:

  • Ditch Windows Mobile
  • Ditch Windows

OK I will accept those answers only from a person or company willing to send me an alternative platform to use. If you have an alternative AT&T capable GSM phone with productivity platform that you’d like a tester for, please contact me. You can review my credentials on this blog. I have written several book reviews and commented extensively on technology. I’m working as an engineer and have an IT degree from the University of Phoenix. I am more than qualified to evaluate such a platform, and my life and work will definitely put it through it’s paces.

4 comments:

Blue Wardrobe said...

BTW, I have a little utility I wrote for WinMo that (as well as other things) can de-dupe tasks.
It can:
a) de-dupe tasks;
b) set all overdue tasks to have today's due date;
c) semi-intelligently re-schedule tasks based on categories - I'm going to get rid of this feature probably.
d) semi-intelligently 'end a review' of tasks in a certain category. This involves the 'Team Task' flag being used as a 'Defer' flag. Unfortunately, ActiveSync doesn't sync this flag, even though it's present on both desktop and handheld.
e) based on categories of the task, and a (currently in-built) map of what I would like my week to look like, it will apply a "!Now" category to tasks that should be done now.
I also use Oxios To Do list - way the best task manager I've come across.
Also, I'm using a Q9H, so screen size of this app is landscape.
If you're interested in playing with it, let me know.

Eric S. Mueller said...

Thanks. I'm going to experiment with TypePad's capability to reply to the comment notification email, so if anything is off I'll repost.
Your utility would be interesting to play with. What would be the best way
to get it to me? I'm using a Samsung Epix, which is a 320x320 square screen.
I use Pocket Informant, and I have Franklin Covey's Plan Plus on Outlook
with the sync conduits to Pocket Informant. I've used MyLifeOrganized in the
past, and I just tried to use it again a few weeks ago, but having tasks in
Outlook is somewhat important to me for now. That's one of the main reasons
why I didn't get an iPhone. At one point where I was close to getting an
iPhone, I tried a few solutions on my iPod Touch but nothing was close
enough to how I want it to work. I don't know if I'm just brainwashed by
years of productivity books and blogs that I need Outlook tasks to function,
or if I really do better that way.

Blue Wardrobe said...

Presumably you can see my email address offline from the blog? If so, email me, and I can get it to you that way.
I have tried PlanPlus, Pocket Informant, MLO but in the end settled on Oxios To Do which is just a WinMo replacement for the standard task list BUT USES THE SAME DATABASE, so it all syncs with Outlook.
But it's a Smartphone WinMo app - and the Epix is a WinMo Pro machine I believe. Which is a shame, because I think you'd like it.

Blue Wardrobe said...

OK - so to clarify - my app runs on both WinMo Smartphone and WinMo Pro.
Oxios installs only on WinMo Smartphone, but if installed to a storage card, can then be run from a WinMo pro device. Just tested it.