Thanks for the replies. Concerning deleting Notes on the Axim, I wonder which way this would go. Either ActiveSync restores the Notes from the desktop, or AS "syncs" the desktop to match the Axim, deleting all notes, then syncs the Treo to match, deleting all Notes. Since the time/date of the deletion would be later than the time/dates of the individual Notes, I'm afraid that mass deletion would occur. I'll probably have to go this route though, armed with a fresh backup on each device.
Deleting the partnerships is probably what I must do, but again, fear of never being back where I am today is holding me back. AS is very quirky, reminding me of several years ago when I first tried to get on the Internet. How you held your wand and said the magic incantation determined your success at accessing the Internet. Working with AS should be as simple as tweaking a spreadsheet, but it sure isn't!