x51v sometimes connects, sometimes doesn't

[tommyhunter]

I have an x51v (Windows Mobile 5) and a Dell Latitude laptop (XP Pro). I had this same problem with my previous Dell Latitude and with my previous Axim, which was an x51.

After a clean boot of the laptop, plugging the x51v into the cradle USUALLY results in a successful connection and sync (ActiveSync 4.2).

But after removing and later re-cradling the x51v, there's about a 50-50 chance that the connection/sync will not succeed. Here's what I've learned thus far by trial and error.

If I hear the Windows "Device Connect" sound, but ActiveSync doesn't start, I navigate to Windows Device Manager and look at the Windows Mobile-based Device under Network adapters. If there is an exclamation mark highlighted in yellow on that device, I can disable and then immediately re-enable it. This will cause ActiveSync to proceed normally. However, if I don't hear the Windows "Device Connect" sound, or if the yellow highlighted exclamation mark isn't there in Device Manager, then the x51v will not sync again until the laptop is restarted.

Has anyone else encountered this flaky behavior?

[miterb]

Well, I hate to tell you but it will not get much better when you move up to Vista and Windows Mobile Device Center. I now have my Dell X50v (2003se) and a new HTC X7501 (WM 6.0) and have many of the same problems and a couple of new ones. I think it is 'just the nature of the beast'. When using ActiveSync at least you could look forward to updates - with WM Dev Ctr, I can't even find a way to see what the full version number is that I am running....
Brad Miter