ActiveSync problems after moving My Documents on mobile device

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Geresdi Attila - 04 Jul 2009 00:07 GMT

Hi all,
Recently I became short on available space on the built-in storage of
my mobile device, so I decided to put My Documents folder on the SD
Card. I found two distuingished way for doing this:
1) Changing registry settings:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\FileSyncPath = \Storage
Card\My Documents
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\NoSubFolderIn = \Storage
Card\My Documents
So that ActiveSync will sync to this folder instead of the built-in
storage.
2) Changing the mounting folder of the SD Card:
HKLM\System\StorageManager\Profiles\SDMemory\Folder = \My Documents

Both worked out with no problem, but ActiveSync works for neither
case. Symptoms are that ActiveSync doesn't sync files from the device
to the PC anymore, and no matter if there were changes on the files,
it _always_ copies all of the files from the PC to the device (this
can take really long time).
In WCESMGR.log I find these nasty things:

06/27/2009 00:00:24.203 **** Starting synchronization of all out-of-
date items
06/27/2009 00:00:24.203 Scanning desktop SSP for 'File'
06/27/2009 00:00:24.203 Done scanning 'File' [0 creates, 0 modifys, 0
deletes]
06/27/2009 00:00:24.203 Synchronizing 2 items
06/27/2009 00:00:29.359 **** Completed synchronization

Which is supposed to be (if e.g. I put My Documents back to its
original place):

06/27/2009 00:00:03.890 **** Starting synchronization of all out-of-
date items
06/27/2009 00:00:03.890 Scanning desktop SSP for 'File'
06/27/2009 00:00:03.890 Done scanning 'File' [0 creates, 0 modifys, 0
deletes]
06/27/2009 00:00:03.890 Synchronizing 0 items
06/27/2009 00:00:03.890 **** Completed synchronization

I suspect that this can be related to some timestamp problem on the
external storage, but I don't see why this modification doesn't work.
I already have tried reinstalling ActiveSync, deleting and recreating
binding. I also tested it with a very recent Win Mobile 6.1 build on
the mobile device, still no success though. I have a Win XP SP3 with
ActiveSync 4.5, the device is a HTC Touch Cruise with Win Mobile 6.1.
Any help is appreciated!

Reply to this Message

Todd Allcock - 04 Jul 2009 07:38 GMT

> Hi all,
> Recently I became short on available space on the built-in storage of
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> Both worked out with no problem, but ActiveSync works for neither
> case.

Correct- despite the existence of those registry entries, Activesync only
syncs files with the device's My Documents hierarchy.
Sadly, what you want to do simply can't be done with Activesync.

An alternative, if available in your region, is Microsoft's Live Mesh beta,
which cloud syncs folders between any number of PCs and mobile devices.
Install Live Mesh on your PC and mobile device, select the desired folder
on the mobile's storage card to sync with the Mesh, then, from your PC,
select that Mesh folder to sync with the PC.

After you get it working, deselect "Files" from Activesync and just use
Mesh.

Reply to this Message

Geresdi Attila - 05 Jul 2009 15:58 GMT

> Correct- despite the existence of those registry entries, Activesync only
> syncs files with the device's My Documents hierarchy.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> After you get it working, deselect "Files" from Activesync and just use
> Mesh.

Thank you for your answer! I took a brief look on this tool but it is
not suitable for me since it needs continuous internet connection to
sync devices. Another problem is that I sometimes have to sync rather
large amount of data, which would make it really slow (although
Activesync can be really slow as well). I hope I understood it well.
So the conclusion is to wait for this to be fixed and/or to use third
party tools.

Reply to this Message

Todd Allcock - 06 Jul 2009 06:00 GMT

> > Correct- despite the existence of those registry entries, Activesync only
> > syncs files with the device's My Documents hierarchy.
> > Sadly, what you want to do simply can't be done with Activesync.
> >
> > An alternative, if available in your region, is Microsoft's Live Mesh beta,
> > which cloud syncs folders between any number of PCs and mobile devices.

> > Install Live Mesh on your PC and mobile device, select the desired folder
> > on the mobile's storage card to sync with the Mesh, then, from your PC,

> > select that Mesh folder to sync with the PC.
> >
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> not suitable for me since it needs continuous internet connection to
> sync devices.

Not necessarily. A continuous connectionisonly needdd for continuous
syncing. Activesync can't do that- you can only sync when cradled.

Assuming you have a broadband connection and a WiFi router at home, you
could just manually sync with the Mesh at home, like you Activesync now.

> Another problem is that I sometimes have to sync rather
> large amount of data, which would make it really slow (although
> Activesync can be really slow as well). I hope I understood it well.

Yes, Mesh would require a "double sync" sync both the PC and device would
need to sync with the cloud-based Mesh server.

> So the conclusion is to wait for this to be fixed and/or to use third
> party tools.

Don't hold your breath on it being fixed. This has been Windows Mobile's
behavior since day one.

Reply to this Message