Smartphone Thoughts: Windows Mobile Device Center and Vista: The Sad Reality of a Failed Combination

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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Windows Mobile Device Center and Vista: The Sad Reality of a Failed Combination

Posted by Mike Temporale in "Smartphone Talk" @ 07:00 AM

The problem is that Sync Center just won't see my phone. When I connect the phone via USB it plays the connection sound and then the disconnect sound, but nothing ever happens. And the error message, well there isn't one. Sync Center doesn't even show that an attempt was made to connect. The whole time, I'm just stuck starring at the WMDC screen you see above. There's no flicker of hope. The only software that has been installed on my laptop in a long time is Visual Studio 2005. I know that's not the problem since I was having these problems prior to installing VS. It's just gets worse and worse as time goes by.

The only way I have found to sync is to restart both my laptop and my phone. The start Outlook on the laptop (if it's not started before I attempt a connection, WMDC will be upset and future sync's just won't work). Then before anything else happens, I can connect the two and things seem to work. I do feel it's worth pointing out that having to reboot both the phone and laptop prior to a sync is not a feasible solution. I'm glad it does work for me, but it's just not the process I want to do every time I need to quickly sync before running off to a clients site.

And; Yes, I do know that I could go with Exchange Active Sync and that it has been more reliable for those that are using it. However, I can't bring myself to pay more money to Microsoft (or a 3rd party who ultimately pays some cash back to Microsoft) for another sync solution when the included sync is so broken. Plus, it still doesn't solve getting my eWallet or other files onto my phone.

It's my guess that the WMDC team doesn't even use the desktop sync. Perhaps they use it once in a while and for the odd test, but for day to day, they're using Exchange Active Sync and missing out on all the fun we're having. They should really be forced to use WMDC as their only means of sync for the next 6 months. Then, I would like to hear how they like this tool.

I could go on and on, but I have to reboot so I can sync the details from a recently updated contact before I run out of the house for the day. Argh...


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