ActiveSync 3.8 Through USB/Serial Converter from XP to CE 2.11 on MIPS

Hi everyone,

I've been trying to upgrade my Fujitsu PenCentra 130 from CE 2.11 to 2.12(/3.0/Pro?), but, first, I need to get ActiveSync working. I've got a USB 1.1-to-serial converter connected to a DB-9 female-to-female null-modem cable between my XP laptop and the PenCentra, and ActiveSync automagically detects the hardware connection, but, it can't complete the connection, for some reason. It pops up the dialog listing the interfaces installed/available, but, when I click on the Next button, it again fails to establish a connection. The only thing I can think of is that I might need a straight-through serial cable, as the USB/serial interface may already be doing the DTE/DCE pin/wire-swapping conversion. It's defaulting to 19,200 bps, and I don't see any way to change the settings until a connection has been satisfactorily established.

When I try to run the other CE Communication apps (Terminal, Remote Networking, or PC Link), they seem to want to only communicate via modem/dial-up, although I think I can get Remote Networking set up with a lot of fiddling with the network settings on the PenCentra and the XP laptop. I'd rather not fool with that until I can get the 2.12 update done, and the drivers loaded for wireless or wired Ethernet, though (yes, I am an Official Lazy Bum

The USB port is also listed as an option in ActiveSync on the PenCentra - does that mean a USB cable with A-style (the larger, flat connector usually on most computers) connectors on both ends would work, or do you need to use the kind of USB cable with the microprocessor blob in the middle, that's designed for transferring files between older and newer computers (well, now that I think about it, I guess that's exactly what I'm doing, but, in the opposite direction, isn't it?

This brings up the question of whether it's possible to get around the need to use ActiveSync at all when doing an installation - I'd rather just copy files with a CF card, but, of course, the installers are x86 code that have to run on a PC. I'm not real fond of installers mucking with my stuff, anyway, as they tend to have complex file hierarchies, screw around in the registry, etc., (which eventually get munged, or are no longer properly supported, etc.).

Thanks for any help, and All the Best,
Joe

The null modem cable is the correct one to use. (That's what I use to connect my PenCentra 200. I haven't tried a USB connection thus far, so I can't verify that it would work.) However, in my experience, you have to install the driver files for the serial-to-USB adapter even in Windows XP.

You can change the connection settings in the Control Panel under "Communications." Tap on the last tab in the Communications dialog box, and you can reset the speed to 115,200 Kbps. You can also try initiating the connection on the device end - normally that's done with Start -> Programs -> Communication -> PC Link; however, that shortcut may be missing on your PenCentra (it was on mine - though mine was a military surplus unit and boots to a special desktop when hard reset). If so, look for an icon for "PC Link" in \Program Files.

I only use ActiveSync for synching PIM data these days. You can run the installer on the PC without the PenCentra connected, after which you can almost always find the CAB files in \Program Files (usually in the subfolder \Microsoft ActiveSync). (Occasionally, they are placed in a temporary folder in \Documents and Settings\[your Windows username]\Local Settings\temp, so you should look in that location before closing the "Pending Application Install" dialog box.) In some cases, you can even bypass ActiveSync entirely by right-clicking on the installer file and selecting "Extract File(s)."

I'm not clear what you hope to accomplish by "upgrading." CE 2.12 is a non-platform version that is missing many components present in CE 2.11. (It exists only as an embedded system in a few proprietary peripheral devices.) In the case of CE 3, a hardware change is required, since (unless I'm mistaken) the OS is in a non-flashable ROM chip.

While we're on the subject of OS versions, why is this thread regarding a CE 2.11 device posted in the CE 2.0 forum?

Edited by CE Geek 2007-12-09 1:22 AM

As usual, thanks for the great info, CE.

I did install the driver that came with the USB/serial adapter, so, that's probably not the problem. The options for finding the CAB files, or extracting the files using the right mouse button are very much appreciated - I might have stumbled across them, eventually, but, probably only after a journey in the desert for 40 years!

I think I'm actually upgrading to 3.0(/Pro?) - the numbo-jumbo of the various versions is driving me nuts. I keep getting the forums confused because they're "numbered" 1.0x, 2.0, Pro ... it may seem logical to some, but, I'm guessing that I'm not the only one who keeps forgetting. It would be nice for a thread author to be able to move it, but, I don't see where that might be possible.

OK, now off to try out the new info!

Thanks again, and All the Best,
Joe

On the H/PC, CE 2.11 is known as Handheld PC Profesional Edition, version 3.0. Plenty confusing, to be sure. But the 3.0 represents the third generation of the H/PC - thus Handheld PC version 3.0, not CE version 3.0. C:Amie's "History of Windows CE" clears a lot of this up - and is rather interesting reading if you have some spare time. (See the link on the upper left-hand corner of the home page.)