ActiveSync not seeing Axim

adamslim · 06-18-04, 07:09 AM

I have upgraded my PC dramatically - new mobo, install Win XP instead of 2k, etc etc, and now my Axim doesn't work at all :(

Problem is simple - when I plug in the Axim, either via the cradle or cable, it is not seen by the computer. There is no 'new hardware found', no sound when there is a new USB device, and no ActiveSync going green!

The USB slot works - other peripherals are fine. Any ideas gratefully accepted.

Cheers - Adam

JakeRich · 06-18-04, 08:58 AM

You need to install the Dell drivers for the USB port. The .inf file is on the cdrom that came with the Ax, in the root directory.

adamslim · 06-18-04, 09:56 AM

Cool - I'll check it out at the weekend and repost if there's still a problem. Thx

adamslim · 06-18-04, 01:42 PM

Yeah that works - thanks.

When reinstalling my pc I just put on ActiveSync 3.7.1, without doing the Dell-specific stuff. You live and learn!

JakeRich · 06-18-04, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by adamslim
Yeah that works - thanks.

When reinstalling my pc I just put on ActiveSync 3.7.1, without doing the Dell-specific stuff. You live and learn!

Yep, live and learn. Now, pass it on to the next newbie that has the problem!:D

jfarr · 06-22-04, 09:02 AM

Here's a newbie that has tried all of that, and still nothing.

Let me qualify that a little. I upgraded to an X30 and sold my X5 to a coworker. He's running Win2k Pro and he went and hooked up the cradle before installing the software. Now ActiveSync won't find the device.

We installed the drivers from the CD (right-clicked the INF file and chose "Install") but still nothing. We've had every version of ActiveSync from 3.5 forward on the machine, but still nothing. The Device Manager does not list any unknown devices or anything like that, so we don't have any to uninstall and reinstall per other threads I've seen here. The Windows event viewer isn't logging any unusual events and we've tried about a thousand install-and-reboot cycles on the USB drivers.

We've also tried both a soft and hard reset of the Axim with no success.

So at this point, what are our options? Wiping and reinstalling Win2k is not an option at this point.

Thanks in advance, gang.

JakeRich · 06-22-04, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jfarr
Here's a newbie that has tried all of that, and still nothing.

Let me qualify that a little. I upgraded to an X30 and sold my X5 to a coworker. He's running Win2k Pro and he went and hooked up the cradle before installing the software. Now ActiveSync won't find the device.

We installed the drivers from the CD (right-clicked the INF file and chose "Install") but still nothing. We've had every version of ActiveSync from 3.5 forward on the machine, but still nothing. The Device Manager does not list any unknown devices or anything like that, so we don't have any to uninstall and reinstall per other threads I've seen here. The Windows event viewer isn't logging any unusual events and we've tried about a thousand install-and-reboot cycles on the USB drivers.

We've also tried both a soft and hard reset of the Axim with no success.

So at this point, what are our options? Wiping and reinstalling Win2k is not an option at this point.

Thanks in advance, gang.

Silly suggestion, but...the cradle is not a true USB device, the Axim is. So when you installed the driver, was the Axim in the cradle? The Device Manager won't show the Axim unless the Ax is in the cradle, then the device appears on the list.

If that doesn't fix it, try a soft-reset with the Ax IN the cradle. There are some startup signals that wake up the USB port and may trigger the "new device found" wizard.

jfarr · 06-22-04, 10:49 AM

You are correct...the cradle is invisible to the PC. It's not a device by itself. However, with the Axim turned on and in the cradle, no devices show up in the Device Manager.

I tried the soft-reset while the device was in the cradle. No dice.

JakeRich · 06-22-04, 11:08 AM

Did you do an install of the drivers with the Ax in the cradle? That's about the last suggestion I can think of at this point.

jfarr · 06-22-04, 11:15 AM

Yep, tried that as well. Still no joy. At this point, I'm thinking that either A) the USB ports are bad in this PC, or B) this X5 that worked fine for over a year is having some sort of problem.

I'll report back if I find anything out. I can't be the only sucker that ran into this problem :)

Thanks for your help!

JakeRich · 06-22-04, 11:38 AM

I'd bet on A rather than B. USB is a very sensitive protocol and almost any noise on the line can cause problems. Does the port work with other USB devices? Is there another port to try, or is it the only one on the machine?

jfarr · 06-22-04, 11:40 AM

We tried it in all eight of the built-in ports on this IBM Thinkcentre PC that the guy uses. The only things I haven't tried are A) deleting the USB ports from Device Manager and rebooting, and B) other non-Axim USB devices. Those are my next (and final) attempts, I think :)

Ron Post · 06-22-04, 11:58 AM

If you have a spare WiFi card and AP around... Try setting up the Axim to sync via Ethernet. My USB cradle is at home and almost NEVER gets used. I sync via WiFi AP to my desktop.

A Cable Free Desk is a Happy Desk.

rp

jfarr · 06-22-04, 12:22 PM

Yeah, that's all well and good, but in an office environment like ours, WiFi is a NO-NO. I'm the only one here with any WiFi expertise so the corporate policy is that it won't be used. :(

Ron Post · 06-22-04, 12:33 PM

Well, if you can't use it all the time, it still might be a good thing to try on a temporary basis... especially if you use a USB-WiFi or BlueTooth dongle set up in Peer-to-Peer mode with 128bit encryption.

As far as the rest goes - Though it's probably like talking to a brick wall - mention Accepted-MAC-Only filtering + 128bit + (etc) and compare it to Joe Sneaky hooking up a laptop with a simple patch cord. WiFi can be plenty secure if you do it right.