ActiveSync 3.8 released

In a somewhat unexpected move, Microsoft have once again, very quietly updated ActiveSync.
The new release, posted onto the Microsoft download centre late yesterday.

The release is billed as a "fixes [release] making synchronisation more trouble free than ever before".
ActiveSync 3.8 continues on from ActiveSync 3.7.1 with support for Windows CE 2.00 and above devices, running on Windows 98, 98SE, Millennium, NT4 SP6a, 2000, XP and 2003.

It is currently not clear what the scope of the bug fixes in this maintenance release are.

The release build is 3.8.0.5004.
There are no new UI modifications in the updated release.
Secondly the USB drivers have not been updated and the three readme files have been stripped out.
With the CE Readme being empty and the main ActiveSync readme still being the 2003 ActiveSync 3.7.0 readme file.

For anyone in a quandry as to whether to take the plunge.

I've been using it this afternoon and have not had a single problem with it.

CE2.00 works like a star over serial - you may well hear otherwise that CE2 isn't spported. I assure you it is.

HPC Pro over serial struggled first attempt but got in on Retry 4.

HPC2000 with USB worked, no problems.
It did reinstall the driver which I thought was a little unusual. It does seem to be using less driver resources with it mind (which is a good thing, less complications).

It is a common problem for people to experience a driver pergatory on USB driver install. Now while I have only ever experienced this once in my CE life, I had no trouble with the reinstall here.
I will note though that it doesn't clean up the driver catalogue - which forseably could pose a problem in the future.

Important Note: ActiveSync 3.8 (upgraded from 3.7.1) had Ethernet / RAS disabled in communications settings. Keep an eye on that if you LAN sync.

Once enabled again. On the LAN connection agent, I'm seeing a significant speed increase when initiating the LAN sync process - under HPC2000 at least.

How about everyone else. Successes, failures?

As I reported above 3.8 has the Ethernet / RAS diabled by default. This is part of a revised security initiative.
The update also includes modifications to Windows XP SP2 to prevent the initial firewall alerts that you get. Whether it is a good thing that an application installer can disable the firewall on its own unchallenged - even if it is from Microsoft. The author is saying nothing.

Synchronisation and cradle services also appear more responsive including ActiveSync passthrough (PPC only), file transfer, the syncronisation itself and connection agent configuration times (The time it takes to connect to the H/PC, establish what it is, who's it is and what services are availableon it.

I have updated the ActiveSync history here on the site.

All sounds nice.
But I'm the kinda guy that doesn't fix it if it ain't broke
So I'll see how the guinea pigs do.

Thanks for the heads-up on the new version. I'm a LAN syncer, and a performance boost will be nice, so I might install it some time. Still, after all the resets, I no longer have big plans for the device. Haven't even installed anything since the last reset. I'm just happen to be able to copy back and forth and I'm using it to write in Pocket Word. It's been pretty useful for that, and it's one reason I bought it, as commuting is my writing time, and the Izzi Pro's screen is better for writing than the Psion 5mx's -- except in sunlight.

I'm sorry that things ren't working out for you.
I wish I could help you more with your IrDA problem. I just cannot replicate it using the hardware I have.
You should be able to install her up and then make an ActiveSync side backup over the LAN. That way the next time it happens you just need a partnership and to dump it all back again.
Just be sure to keep your data on CF.

Question - I'm considering installing 3.80 on a new 2000 server I have up and wondering. I've got a 360LX I currently sync over ethernet with my 2K Pro desktop, and an iPAQ 1945 I sync over USB with the same machine.

When I switch the 360LX to the server, do I need to sync it over serial firdt, so the palmtop's ActiveSync has the server's name?

"You just need a partnership" is the problem here. This is hard to get with the IrDA. Once this is done, I can work over LAN. I even got a second LAN card, so that I can connection to the internet and the H/PC at the same time. LAN works quite reliably and quickly (although usually takes a few attempts to connect).

I do keep my data on CF. The reason I don't relish reinstalling though is because I also installed programs to CF. The installer seems to have the problem of not allowing to install to existing directories. If I choose one and select 'OK' it just goes into it and requires a names for a subdirectory. If you know how to get over this, it will certainly make my life easier. (I suppose all that's really needed to be done to make the programs on CF usable is to restore shortcuts and registry entries...)

Well, in defence or IrDA, I have never had problems with creating partnerships over it, of synching over it
I also seldom have LAN sync problems, and it always seems to work first time - usually ejecting the card in and out does the trick, and a problem only happens once in a 6 month period.

Well as I said an ActiveSync side backup will preserve all the CF card links for you.
However yes I do know how to resolve the problem.

Go into the directory where you want it and in the text box type:
(Install Here)

- With the Upper case and with the Parenthesis
Then tap OK

The installer will then mount that particular directory.

What I do is keep selected parts of the registry backed up on CF - user info, regional settings, dial-up accounts, tweaks.
You can even save the partnership information this way btw.
Then copy the 'Programs' folder from under \Windows into it too.

Thanks, Chris. You rule!

"(Install Here)"? Man, Microsoft has some explaining to do. Still, it's better than nothing.

Where's the partnership info in the registry?

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows CE Services

Great forum, great moderator, c:Amie! I was surfing for PPC info and found it here in this thread. I'm wondering about painless reset-proof setup -- everything goes onto CF, and some registry info is restored. What *exactly* do I need to save from the registry to have all the programs on CF back? Is there a way to automate it? I just found PHM regedit, so I guess I can get subtrees and dump them onto CF as well...

After a few resets I decided to store everything on CF, and set the Notes default destination there, but the old notes still float around in memory and in the two Outlooks with which I sync. Is there an easy way to move all data from My Documents in memory to CF? Similarly, if I already have programs in memory, is reinstall the only way to have them in CF? Come to think of it, programs are immutable, so perhaps memory will do -- I guess the only useful reason to move them to CF is to free up memory...

Cheers,
Alexy

braver,

I am afraid that as I am not a PPC user, I cannot be sure that registry information applicable to the H/PC - my domain will be fully or even partially relevant to that of the Pocket PC, expecially later versions.

experiences with 3.8? i must say installing 3.8 was worth it. or maybe the XP reinstall did the trick. but my annoying problem is gone - i *always* had to kill activesync from taskmanager if i wanted to reconnect my jornada. but it *always* worked

nope, indepth knowledge as to whether my backup system can be ported to the PPC