Active Sync restore problem

My Mobilon 4600 suffered from dead battery, I reconditioned the battery pack, but when I tried to restore the data I had becked up, it says the devices are not compatible. I connected in guest mode, so I don't know what may be wrong. Any help?

You cannot restore in Guest mode. You must partner the palmtop with ActiveSync, creating a "real" profile, before ActiveSync will allow the restore function.

Make sure your palmtop does not have the same name as it did before the hard reset. Sync and partner the palmtop. When asked turn off all syncronization options - do not allow the main computer to sync/download information to the palmtop as it will be completely restored anyway.

Once done go into your profiles folder on the main computer and copy the old BACKUP.STG from the previous profile's directory to the new profile's directory. In WinXP the profiles are held in:

%systemdrive%\Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\Microsoft\ActiveSync\profiles

Application Data is a hidden directory and if you do not have the 'show hidden files' option turned on in Windows Explorer it will not be visible.

In the \profiles subdirectory you will find subdirectories named Guest, [your original profile name] and [your new profile name]. Copy BACKUP.STG from the original profile subdirectory to the new one.

Make sure all programs are shut down on the palmtop except ActiveSync - shut down any background or Taskbar tasks and icons. On the palmtop minimize the ActiveSync window, then activate the Restore function from the main computer.

Warm restart the palmtop after the restore is complete.

Then delete the [new profile] subdirectory from the main computer's hard drive. Start Regedit and surf to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\Partners

and open that key. You will find subkeys. Click on each subkey in order while looking at the right side pane of the Regedit window. You will be looking (on the right side) for a key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\Partners\%profileID%\DataFolder

That key will have the full hard drive path where ActiveSync stores all information for the profile. Click on each key on the left while looking at the right for the path in that DataFolder key that matched the subdirectory you deleted for the new profile you temporarily used to partner the palmtop with the main computer.

Got that?

When you find which key on the left contains the proper path in the key on the right, delete the key on the left. That will delete the temporary profile you created and ActiveSync will be back to the way it was before this entire Restore process started.

This raises the question, "Oh, yeah?"
I've restored in Guest mode lots of times. What am I doing wrong?

if you're an international user, make sure you set your country in the regional settings just like before the hard reset. AS won't allow the restore otherwise

Hey people, thanks for all the help, I see I can count on the hpc comunity out there.

The problem was with the regional settings, as the last user said. You know, I'm so cetic about the "Help" buttons in MS software that I mada you waste your time when the answer was right there, in Acxtive Sync help topics.

So, as cmnonex said, all international users should first re-configure theyr palmtops before trying the restore, which can be executed in Guest mode or by setting the new partnership.


P.S: I'm planing on doing and in-depth article on refurbishing Mobilon's battery pack. Would it have spaced in HPC Factor articles section?

see ya.

cool, i'd like to see how to refurb mobilon batteries, i may get a hc 4600 myself.. (ok ok not now.. only later.. )

Ah. I just tried this 2 nights ago and no, I had to partner.

So I just did a (new) Google - I had Googled this previously last year and it also confirmed you could not restore as Guest.

The difference is that my preferred connection to restore is network. You can't restore via network - ActiveSync disables the feature. You must partner first (but it's so worth it when the upload takes a bit less than 4 minutes...)

you CAN prove something exists (in this case that you can restore in guest mode) but you CANNOT prove that something doesn't exist (in this case that you cannot restore in guest mode).

Edited by cmonex 2006-02-15 6:16 PM

Sorry about that Ever since I've installed the SP1, the NPC and the 802.11b network card - this past Friday - I have had to restore at least every single day. I arrived at work this morning and I brought the 660LX with me. It took me 3 hours to get to work because 2 roads were completely closed. I arrived...the 660LX was dead. Frozen solid.

The only way to get it back was cold reset.

Again.

So, exactly while I write this to you...I'm restoring.

I believe this is...ummmm?...the 8th time I have restored in a bit over 4 days. And the....thinking...4th cold reset (?)

Ever since the upgrades the unit just doesn't seem to want to stay in one piece (even physically! but we won't go there...) I've become so old hand at restoring this thing via network (thank goodness for 11mb wireless!!!!!) that I think I've forgotten how to go do it anyway else!