My back is against the wall, and I'm hoping someone has a creative idea on how to do this...
I am looking for a way to purge the ActiveSync email from a Windows Mobile 5/6 device through a combination of registry or file system settings, or perhaps some application, ie. something I could do with MortScript. Deleting the PIM data (calendar, contacts, tasks) is trivial...rename the pim.vol file, force a reboot, and have another Mortscript file waiting in \Windows\StartUp to then delete the old file. Email, on the other hand, is really, really hard. You can delete the email bodies and attachments in \Windows\Messaging, but the index remains in cemail.vol. I've read about one technique to outright delete cemail.vol, but this database also houses SMS messages, making this a bad idea.
Then I found the Registry value ClientReset, located in HKCU\Software\Microsoft\ActiveSync\Partners\{GUID}, which does exactly what I want...except that it doesn't have an effect when the program that stored the email was written instead by a third party, and just borrowing the ActiveSync message store. I can set up an ActiveSync connection, wait until it starts to sync, cancel it, then make sure ClientReset=1, and re-sync...but the purpose of the project is to automate the process. It seems ActiveSync is looking in one of the *.vol files for its cue to obey ClientReset, but even if I could find the value, folder, whatever, I know of no way to change the databases through scripting.
Has anybody been able to do this, or does anyone have ideas?
Many thanks for your suggestions!
Todd
Related
Is there a way to copy the actual pocket outlook "Contacts database" file, which is found in the Database folder on the root of the device (seen through file browsing from pc)
To save a lot of time, i would like to copy this database file from one device, to several hundred. Scripted would be the best way to do this i would have thought.
Anybody know how?
Cheers.
thought i would give this a bump just incase anybody has any thoughts?
Still not sure how to get to the database, its in a protected area.
Thanks
Hi
Just got this thing the other day (O2 XDA Mini S) and am pulling my hair out with ActiveSync. A google and a look round these forums convinces me I'm not alone.
I'm now at the point where notes will sync, but Contacts and Calendar will not. This appears to be most likely because I'm not using an Exchange Server.
I give in. Can anyone advise whether this some alternative to ActiveSync that I can use to back up my contacts list? I'd hate to have to do it all over again.
I have a memory card, so adding software from that is no problem if necessary.
Thanks
You can try the backup tool Sunnysoft
in advanced mode is an option Backup PIM databases
lansalot said:
I'm now at the point where notes will sync, but Contacts and Calendar will not. This appears to be most likely because I'm not using an Exchange Server.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you just trying to sync with your pc over the usb link? You don't need Exchange Server for that - it sync's with Outlook directly. Have you set up what information you want to sync in ActiveSync's Tools->options?
Another possibility for not syncing is any firewall you are running - although, if it was that, you wouldn't even get Notes to sync.
John
yup
Thanks for that John, yep I've done all I can see that I need to do. Missing Exchange was about the only thing left I could think of. I think I might uninstall Outlook and reinstall it to see if that helps. Though I *hate* having to install that POS just so I can backup some settings !
Perhaps there's somewhere within the phone that will export the various settings somewhere. Or perhaps I should dig out VS2005 and attempt to write one myself. Backing up to storage card would be the best option I think, and from a look around the .net mobile CF, it would appear to be pretty well supported.
And I had to disable Zonealarm despite having all the appropriate configurations set up to allow it. I even put 169.254.x.x in the trusted zone, to no avail.
ActiveSync is a shocking piece of software - and I know from owning other phones that there's things like MobiExplorer and MobiManager that tends to work much better than the usual manufacturer-supplied stuff.
Chak, thanks for the lead with SunnySoft.
Copy the pim.vol file from the root directory of the device. This contains all your pim info (contacts, call history, tasks, calendar). You can't really make anything out of it if you try to view it, but when you hard reset, you can just overwrite the new one and soft reset to restore everything. I copy mine to my storage card every time i add something new that has to do with pim stuff.
guttrhead said:
Copy the pim.vol file from the root directory of the device. This contains all your pim info (contacts, call history, tasks, calendar). You can't really make anything out of it if you try to view it, but when you hard reset, you can just overwrite the new one and soft reset to restore everything. I copy mine to my storage card every time i add something new that has to do with pim stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
in my case, pim.vol file is protected, so copying & replacing it after hard reset does not work. i have other workaround for backuping contacts (as my activesync with outlook simply does not work) - each contact via irda to computer. it saves contact as .vcf file that you can send to wizard back again after hard reset.
Try using total commander to get to the file.
I yust transfered the file via email inside my home WLan to the PC.....
Hey, is this a common problem for HTC devices or Windows mobile in general?
I just started searching because my calendar won't sync. (3 palm devices and 3 pda's later, I have 1,400+ contacts.)
Are there any workarounds that anyone knows?
I tried setting up the sync settings whilst the device was disconnected, but the calendar entry just disappears when I re-connect.
-Worried of Sheffield.
thanks
Thanks eva_d, I had already hit on the idea of bluetoothing all my contacts over (thankfully, there's not that many) from my nokia 6600. Luckily, the XDA didn't require my SIM to be in it during the transfer. It even took over the mini pictures I had for some of the contacts, quite smart.
But it would be some chore with more than the couple dozen I had.
I'm reading up on the windowsmobile classes in dotnet, I reckon the answer would lie in there somewhere. Writing an app in VS to back things up to some funky open format would be the ideal, even if it does just drop a directory full of VCF files for example.
Once I'm sure VS2005 is installed and working correctly (http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=41155), I'll throw some serious effort at it.
Re: thanks
lansalot said:
Thanks eva_d, I had already hit on the idea of bluetoothing all my contacts over (thankfully, there's not that many) from my nokia 6600. Luckily, the XDA didn't require my SIM to be in it during the transfer. It even took over the mini pictures I had for some of the contacts, quite smart.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
copying contacts to other handset is bit risky, because various producers are using various interpretation of .vcf file format. for instance, when i copy contact from siemens s65 to wizard, email field is always ripped off the contact and polish national characters are also absent. copying contacts to computer via irda is quite safe, however personal ringtones assigned to contact and voice dials are sacrified. all other data within a contact are still present, including contact picture.
A bit more info on the missing calendar link:-
I have one laptop using activesync V.4.1 this was where i first discovered the problem.
Just tried laptop #2 running a/sync v.3.7.1 which has an older copy of my appointments in outlook. Calendar doesn't sync to this either, so it must be something inside the MDA.
Tried to search microsoft support to find a solution, but no entries found. This seems to indicate that it is a HTC issue. I had a MDA Pro briefly sync-ed up which worked Ok. The problems are with my MDA compact running WM2003.
pim.vol not only saves the contact but also the assigned ringtone and pic. only way to do it is copy to storage card.
then after hard reset it won't let you overwrite the new one but if you rename it to pim.vol.old it lets you do that. then you can overwrite it.
laich71 said:
pim.vol not only saves the contact but also the assigned ringtone and pic. only way to do it is copy to storage card.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
contact pictures are NOT saved in pim.vol. when i restore contacts via irda from .vcf files on my laptop, pictures are already there.
I know this thread has moved on a bit, but I've just got my calendar to sync. again and I'm soooo relieved!
Take a look at this forum to find out how:-
news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.pocketpc.activesync
Look at 'Cannot get calendar to sycnhronise' and the second reply.
Backing up the Contacts with Mail2Web Live Mail Service
I basically use the mail2web live mail service, and use its exchange server as the server source in Activesync. I only choose synching Contacts with this server (but you can choose others).
This way, all my contacts are always up to date in mail2web servers, and even if I need to hard reset, I can reget all of my contacts back very quickly.
Highly recommended...
Fast
please use the search PLEASE! ....search for PPCBckpContacts.exe
damn it!
I ran my spb backup and now have 1 extra email that I can't account for.
My gmail account is no longer listed in the messaging area either.
Anyone know how to get rid of the phantom email?
-- edit--
on further research the phone sees the missing gmail account but it's not displaying in messaging. Is there an area in the registry to remove this entry?
I have the same issue, phone can see the gmail account, but it does not show in messaging
I searched my phone's file & reg system and couldnt find anything.. anyone know?
I found some registry settings for gmail, but if I delete them, they just come back after a re-set. If I find anything I will post it here.
from what i can tell it happens when you restore old messages with the new rom version. the only way i was able to get it to go away was to do a hard reset and not restore the text messages.
I am in the same boat with my gmail account after updating to 6.1
Has anyone figured anything out? I have tried everything with the registry and looking though the My Device/Windows/Messages folder, but I haven't had any luck.
I think it has something to do with the cemail file in the windows folder.
Can someone please please help?
There is a program called FixUnreadCount floating around either here or ppcgeeks. I will link to it if I find it otherwise search for it. This usually fixes that problem.
Try searching for the file that ryanbg mentioned on www.pdaphonehome.com under the 6700 forums. I had that issue with my XV-6700 and that program cleared it up.
tried it.. did not work. The file was floating right here on xda..
I now have two phantom e-mail accounts. I'm on a Diamond and used sprite backup, but the problems seem very similar. I'm almost out of ways to write gmail.. Still noone with any clue?
I eventually had to do a hard reset, it was the only way to fix it.
The error isn't in the registry but in the outlook database. I restored the system databases. What I figured happened is that my newly configured email account didn't have the same UID as it did before I created the ROM. So, Outlook has no way to clear the records in that database for that email account that no longer exists. Windows CE or wm5 used to allow you access to those databases, but I don't see anything under Settings for it now. I'm sure there are other programs out there that would work, but you probably took the easiest route. You can do your restore again, just don't restore the system or "other" databases.
Was wondering how does each one keeps his settings and configuration between changing ROMS. Including keeping the Call history, SMS history etc...
I have tried Sashimi once but was overwhelmed with the settings and learning curve and decided to neglect it. I use my HD2 as a business tool and don't have hours to spend each time on configuring between ROMs.
Well, if you see your HD2 as a "business tool" imo it would be the best solution to decide for one ROM and keep it for a while...
I use a mixture of Sashimi, Outlook, MyPhone and CeRegEditor. With Sashimi I backup my mail-account-setup, with MS MyPhone I backup my SMS and WWW-bookmarks, with Outlook (of course) I "backup" my appointments and contacts, with CeRegEditor I backup my app-registration-info out of the registry that I do not always have to re-activate my apps and type in serials etc.
That does it for me. I don't like full-backup-solutions like Sprite or SPB Backup.
Cheers
spb backup for my mail,contacts and text messages.
And at last sashimi to install al my programs quickly.
And my own created cab with registery entries so I can quickly change everthing.
de Wolfe said:
Well, if you see your HD2 as a "business tool" imo it would be the best solution to decide for one ROM and keep it for a while...
I use a mixture of Sashimi, Outlook, MyPhone and CeRegEditor. With Sashimi I backup my mail-account-setup, with MS MyPhone I backup my SMS and WWW-bookmarks, with Outlook (of course) I "backup" my appointments and contacts, with CeRegEditor I backup my app-registration-info out of the registry that I do not always have to re-activate my apps and type in serials etc.
That does it for me. I don't like full-backup-solutions like Sprite or SPB Backup.
Cheers
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Pretty much EXACTLY what I do as well...
I dont simple, the only thing i have backed up is my memory card on the pc and contacts, calender in myphone that's it I like to change the settings differently on ROM's
Sashimi for Mail-Config, applications, registry-tweaks
MyPhone for text messages, bookmarks and tasks
Sashimi changed my life
I'm with mischgin regarding sashimi.
It alone can manage most of the things some of you do with 5 different apps
Cab autoinstall, either on internal memory or SD (you chose which goes where), registry key importing (export with total commander, sashimi will reimport back), single file copying (mirroring the root folder structure), XML provisioning for wifi and mail accounts via makisu.
This is what I use, and on top of that I only need pimbackup to restore everything else which is PIM related.
I don't use the EXE and CERT folders of SAHIMI (yet), but I can pretty much restore *everything* automatically.
The only things I don't, is because I don't knows their registry entries in order to export them (for instance, everything you change from under manila settings )
SPB backup without a doubt!
I dont use any kind of backup.
I use a rom that uses the autoinstall folder,
i created a cab of my email settings using makisu (sashimi's little brother),
and a cab of my registry tweaks(including the home quicklinks), which i update as and when i find more tweaks,
and i sync with Outlook on the pc for contacts.
Mail gets restored because my phone doesnt delete it off the server, so its still there next time you send/recieve, (unless the PC has checked them in the meantime, of course, in which case they are on the PC, and subsequently in the outlook email account on teh phone)
I dont back up txt's, i've never understood why anyone keeps them, to me its the same as recording every phone call and keeping the recordings, , why???
From the start of teh hard reset to being completely set up and synched, takes about 20 minutes. (Including teh time for the OS and apps to instal)
EDIT - oh, and lots of apps dont need to be reinstalled if you plan on using them from the sd card.
Just create a link to the executable and many of them still work.
I hard code a quicklink to things like that into my quicklinks reg cab.
I really really really really really really want a quick easy way of restoring my email settings
And as most programs don't really need installing on each ROM change I wish it was easy to tell them to store Application data on the storage card and for Cookie's tab to automatically restore icons by saving them to the Storage card (as in, the actual icon files, not just the standard backup). CorePlayer, TomTom, AiReader and GRemote are examples of programs that don't really need reinstalling.
Demon_man said:
I dont simple, the only thing i have backed up is my memory card on the pc and contacts, calender in myphone that's it I like to change the settings differently on ROM's
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ditti, currently doing same but if I found something to back up email config, facebook setting and a couple of others, it would be good
what i usually do is auto backup with NRGZ's systems export backup tool and xda uc. Also copy the progam files folder which the apps are installed on the phone and if you wantthe start menu folder in windows which has all the shortcuts etc (saves time doing it one by one).
All you have to do is just copy and past those 2 folders back in the correct places after you flash. Everythings back to how it was. Also use PIM for contacts and sms. Takes no longer than 5-10 mins to get it exactly how i want
I want to auomate as much as possible because I'm jumping between ROMs, and the provisioning XML's can't set all settings on the mail account, like "When deleting messages, Keep them on the server". I can not loose any work E-mail because I forget to set that on a new ROM. So it seems like copying a new, correctly set up file and restore CEMail.vol through the XDA UC process is the only option.
But I can't find out how. There is a Mortscript by hercule18 that supposedly does it on WM5, but I don't get anywhere with my WM6.5 HD2. Any help would be appreciated!