Thanks for the suggested links. Unfortunately none were of assistance.
Just before listing my axim on ebay, i decided to search again and found this post which sorted my problem of trying to sync with 2 pc's and having to continually create a new partnerships:
http://www.futurehardware.in/538039.htm
on both pcs....
> uninstall Activesync
> remove the entries from registry
> remove files that the uninstall misses
> disable Windows firewall & antivirus software
> reinstall Activesync
> HARD RESET of PPC :realmad:
Problem solved but my partnership with Microsoft (ActiveSync) is hanging by a thread.