Mike C

I recently converted some CD tracks to WMA to load onto my Axim, but the resulting files were all messed up and wouldn't play.
Using "Copy from CD", you don't get the choice of sending directly to a CF card, so I send the tracks to my sync folder, and then cut/paste to the desired location once they're on the Axim.
Trouble is, while the files were fine in the sync folder, some of the transfers to the Axim were smaller size-wise, and I ended up with 8 unresolved items.
These corrupted files were in my main memory after syncing, and after verifying that they couldn't be played, went to delete them ... upon which I was informed that access was denied.

I think the problem was that I had sync set to continuous, and as the files were being slowly written by media player, AS was already trying to copy them, and getting it wrong.

Next time I will change sync option to manual, and only transfer after all the files are completed. Or undock until they're done.

So, I'm wondering how to delete these 15mb of fragments from my main storage memory, but all it took was a soft reset to clear the system and allow normal access to the junk files.

__________________
Persistence can pass for brilliance
FFR Roadster on order for 04/3/04.
Mike

DellTech

FYI, Windows Media Player can play mp3s just fine. ASync also has problems synchronizing huge files, I forgot the spec limit before problems can go wrong If your WMA files are greater than 12MB (I think) or so there may be problems when ASync tries to bring them over to your Axim. Have you tried transferring files one at a time?

Mike C

Most of the time, files I put in the sync folder are intact from the start, and I've never had any size limitation problems or file corruption ... not that I've stress-tested it.
I don't know what goes wrong in this process of copying several tracks in a session and placing the files in the sync folder. They ARE seperate files at that point, but are being generated over several minutes instead of the usual instantaneous copy from one location to another. AS doesn't seem to know it has to wait before starting the sync/transfer ... perhaps because it tries to write file info before it has the big picture.
If I put seven complete files in the sync folder and then sync, they transfer fine ... which is the solution to this problem.
I convert to WMA because I don't have an mp3 generator.

__________________
Persistence can pass for brilliance
FFR Roadster on order for 04/3/04.
Mike

DellTech

Interesting...I am assuming that you are doing a direct copy/paste from a cd to the synchronized folder? I'll have to try that if that's what you are talking about. Maybe its ActiveSync "working as design". Hehe...

Mike C

It's not exactly a normal copy/paste, since the source has to be encoded from audio CD to wma in real time. WMP doesn't buffer the output file before sending it to the destination ... it builds up slowly as the processing continues, and it seems like AS just can't wait to get started.

__________________
Persistence can pass for brilliance
FFR Roadster on order for 04/3/04.
Mike

DellTech

Just got the numbers from a guy that stress tested and ActiveSync will tend to bomb out at around 30 mbs per a single transfer (doesn't always happen but will usually do so). This is not a definite answer either, just when we tested it just seems to do it more with transfers that +30MB. *shrug*

Selmak

I have the MS Plus Pack Digital Media Edition and when it syncs my music I've noticed that the songs (supports wma only) will develop skips when they play. Though if I manually copy over MP3s, they seem to play ok.

Mike C

DellTech,
I'd like to mention how glad I am to see your input here. We need somebody on the inside, hopefully to get the answers when we're all flopping around guessing about issues.
Not looking for trade secrets or restricted info, just the facts when possible. Thanks!

There have been some clues about file transfers, such that there has to be twice the file size of main memory available for the process to succeed. Kind of makes sense if a temp file is created first. Purely anecdotal though.

__________________
Persistence can pass for brilliance
FFR Roadster on order for 04/3/04.
Mike

ikehiker

Mike,

If you convert tracks frequently to wma, you might consider getting a card reader. File transfer is much quicker and the size limitations aren't there. In fact, a CF card in the reader appears on your PC as a drive, so you could convert them directly from the CD onto the card.

Card readers are pretty cheap, too.

Mike C

Right you are. I have an internal USB-2 reader in my PC, and it's my prefered method ... but this problem using AS set to continuous is something others might run into also.

__________________
Persistence can pass for brilliance
FFR Roadster on order for 04/3/04.
Mike

ikehiker

Right. I remember someone posting a link to an M$ page that suggested there is a 16mb limit to AS.
Of course someone else immediately posted a reply saying they regularly transfer much larger files. I think that's also when someone else mentioned the need for free RAM in order to hold temporary files during the transfer. This would explain why some people have problems (especially people with the 300 and/or with a lot of programs stored in main memory).
In any case, I generally point people to a card reader like I did here whenever there's a problem transfering files to memory cards.

tylynn

I just purchased a card reader and found it very simple to use...being new to this. Must say, I had no experience with this at all and had no problems. This method has worked for me.