HOW TO FIX YOUR Q!!!! (Or something less dramatic)

VTDr0p0ut · 08-08-2006, 11:02 AM

Okay, I'm sure there are a bunch of people out there that have had this issue (god knows I've seen them), so I called VZW to complain about my Q acting up, and I finally received a solution that sounds like it might work (this is only for those of us that do NOT use Exchange ActiveSync). I will try to recreate it in a step-by-step process and give the explaination I was given at the end:

(*) DISABLE WirelessSync (both Push/ReadySync) BEFORE starting this process
(my bad for forgetting it until now...
(1) Start -> Active Sync
(2) Menu -> Add Server Source
(3) Type in some random characters (does'nt matter). Push Next.
(4) Radom character for User Name, Pasword, Domain. Push Next.
(5) Uncheck all boxes (not sure if this is necessary). Push Finish.
(6) Menu -> Schedule. Modify everything to "Manually", uncheck both checkboxes. Push Done.
(7) Menu -> Options. Highlight Exchange Server. Menu -> Delete. Push Yes.
(8) Home -> Start -> System Tools -> Task Manager -> Menu -> Kill All (remove any residual processes)

So what did we learn in class today? Microsoft has let it leak that they screwed up the default distribution of the WM 5.0 Smartphone by setting the default times to check the exchange server every 10 min during peak times, every 4 hours during off-peak times. However, if no server is setup, it's not smart enough to not do anything, it just tries to connect to "nothing" (hence the "little PDA" in the upper right hand corner every 10 min.. you will still have some of it due to WirelessSync if you use it, but shouldn't be so regular). And it tries to connect to nothing every 10 minutes. I asked the VZW representative why there hasn't been an announcement or something to that effect informing uses and he said it's a Microsoft problem that even exists on the Dell Axim's and VZW's only telling people as they complain about it.

He said that many technicians are attirbuting this not only to the infrequent (I guess 1 - 3 times a day is considered "infrequent" to them) lockups, but poor battery performance.

q-rocks · 08-08-2006, 02:36 PM

So if I disable Wireless Sync, my phone will still be opening a data link via ActiveSync every 10 mins/4 hours? I thought ActiveSync was via USB or bluetooth, not via the over-the-air data link.....because the PDA symbol doesn't show on my phone when ActiveSync is running and connected.

I did what you said anyway, but it is unclear to me what it accomplishes.

tymewillcome · 08-08-2006, 03:27 PM

hmmm. Does this mean I can still use the data cable to activate the sync? I dso notice that there is a task running(cant remember the name) every so often. I imagine this is the wireless sync going automatically? PEACE

VTDr0p0ut · 08-08-2006, 04:59 PM

Just to clear things up, WirelessSync and ActiveSync are two disparate systems. ActiveSync has the ability to do Exchange server syncing (Which is what most Treo users are used to I believe... this uses the text msgs for push... hence the existance of the 2000 txt msgs plan). WirelessSync performs the same function, but uses your data plan instead. Also, as long as the Windows PC profile (or whatever you called your USB/BT ActiveSync profile) is there, this doesn't disrupt your normal syncing.

Basically, if you are like me and primarily use WirelessSync with a pop mail account (or possibly exchange account, as I believe wireless sync does not use ActiveSync for that), your DEFAULT setup is to poll a non-existant Exchange Server. If you don't sync with ANYTHING, this problem still exists.. the only people that have this under control are those that setup an ActiveSync (NOT WirelessSync) to an exchange server, as they are (1) connecting to a real server, thus not waiting for a timeout every 10 min and (2) probably modified the setting to be less of a battery drain during the day.

What surprises me is that since I did this, my Q has become much faster and I'm much more satisfied with it as a phone. The surprise isn't the result, as removing a cron'd resource intensive app is guaranteed to make a limited resource device run faster, but rather VZW isn't letting the cat out of the bag to seemingly save face.... if it was me, I'd admit the mistake and tell people how to make their products that I sold them work better for them.... just my 2 cents....

tj!2k6 · 08-08-2006, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by VTDr0p0ut

What surprises me is that since I did this, my Q has become much faster and I'm much more satisfied with it as a phone. The surprise isn't the result, as removing a cron'd resource intensive app is guaranteed to make a limited resource device run faster, but rather VZW isn't letting the cat out of the bag to seemingly save face.... if it was me, I'd admit the mistake and tell people how to make their products that I sold them work better for them.... just my 2 cents....

yah, maybe they'd want to issue a patch for that.

But then again it's not a surprise.. look at the whole bad cap/motherboard issue. We have Dell PCs failing at work left and right because of bad caps.. you think Dell would put out an official advisory or even *gasp* recall, right?

Yeah right.. keep dreaming. That's just how these monolithic corporations operate.

Where's Ralph Nader when you need him?

q-rocks · 08-08-2006, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by VTDr0p0ut

just my 2 cents....

What is odd to me is that the ActiveSync scheduling, which is only available to be set with an exchange server profile, also provides the schedule settings for non-echange server ActiveSync profiles. In other words, as VT has pointed out, you can only change these settings by creating a temporary exchange server profile, changing the settings, then deleting the profile.

One comment, one question.

Comment: When I changed the schedule settings to manual, I could no longer ActiveSync with any of my pre-existing non-exchange server PCs. ActiveSync will connect, but no sync happens or can be initiated. I have since changed the schedule to "every 4 hours" for peak and off-peak.

Question: I have changed the schedule to "every 4 hours", so I can at least Activesync with my PCs. Is this a good idea? Won't this minimize the polling while still aloowing me to ActiveSync?

One more thing, is ActiveSync (or some monitor) running all the time, just waiting for a USB connection which then starts the full app? And is this monitor also doing the polling?

Thanks in advance.

VTDr0p0ut · 08-08-2006, 10:59 PM

I'm really not sure... I believe the local USB sync occurs base on an event from a USB connection.... but I'm just guessing... Being required to set your phone to manual seems rather stupid/buggy. I only wirelessSync, so I can't test your issue... maybe that deserves a *611 call...

hnsimpson · 08-09-2006, 02:17 PM

Have you, or anyone else who has applied this fix noticed any battery life improvement?

BTW Thanks, VTDrOpOut!

-Simpson

bmwbig6 · 08-09-2006, 02:27 PM

So I am confused. I use Wireless Sync on my home PC, and do not use ActiveSync other than to connect via USB to move files around or install apps. Will this prevent my PC from recognizing my phone, as it did for the other user above (who had to re-enable it and poll every 4 hours)?

q-rocks · 08-09-2006, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by bmwbig6

So I am confused. I use Wireless Sync on my home PC, and do not use ActiveSync other than to connect via USB to move files around or install apps. Will this prevent my PC from recognizing my phone, as it did for the other user above (who had to re-enable it and poll every 4 hours)?

Your PC will recognize your Q and ActiveSync will connect, you will be able to explore, but it will NOT be able to perform a sync. If you don't use ActiveSync to sync, you will be none the worse off.