How to Reboot ActiveSync

Earlier this year, in several editions of Mobile & Wireless UPDATE, Idiscussed the pitfalls of Microsoft ActiveSync, software thatsynchronizes Pocket PCs (and other Windows CE-based devices) withdesktop PCs. One particular ActiveSync annoyance is that when it failsto connect, you sometimes must shut down and restart the host PCbefore ActiveSync will recognize the mobile device.

While working on a follow-up column about ActiveSync (which you'll seelater this year in Windows & .NET Magazine), I discoveredasreboot.exe, a little-known Microsoft utility program that can stopand restart ActiveSync. You can download this tool here. (Be forewarned: The tool comes with nodocumentation.)

Perhaps more important, I think I've figured out how asreboot.exeworks: It stops both wcesmgr.exe (the application that displays theActiveSync window) and wcescomm.exe, a background program that doesn'tautomatically stop when the ActiveSync window closes.

The next time ActiveSync fails to connect, follow these steps:

1. Disconnect the mobile device and perform a soft reset.

2. Close the ActiveSync window.

3. Using either Microsoft's asreboot.exe utility or Task Manager,terminate wcescomm.exe.

4. Start ActiveSync and connect your device.