Windows Mobile Device Cannot Connect (or Quickly Disconnect or Drop) and Not Sync with Vista WMDC (ActiveSync)
Whenever user connect a Windows Mobile device to Windows Vista Windows Mobile Device Center (WMDC) via a USB cable, WMDC fails to connect to the Pocket PC (PPC) Phone device, causing synchronization not start or fail. Sometimes, WMDC may tries to connect to mobile device with “Connecting” message for a while, but eventually fails with “Disconnected” message. In some worse case, Windows Vista doesn’t detect any Windows Mobile device been connected, and no response or connect attempt action in WMDC.
In Device Manager, Windows Mobile-based device driver under Portable Devices and Microsoft Mobile Device Remote Adapter local area network connection under Network Adapters appear briefly before missing or disappearing again. Any connection established is terminated, dropped, disconnected, vanished and disappeared within a few seconds. When the connection is not established, user cannot or unable to sync the PC with desktop, and can’t install applications or transfer files. Soft reset or hard reset the device also does not help to perfectly fix the problem.
Microsoft publishes several troubleshooting tips to fix device unable to connec issue. One of the cause appears to be Windows Live OneCare that blocks the device connectivity. To allow the device to connect via Windows Live OneCare, enable (check) the ActiveSync/Windows Mobile Device Center – synchronize my mobile devices with my computer rule in Firewall Connection Tool button (Firewall tab) of Windows Live OneCare settings. Also in Firewall Tab, click on Advanced button and go to Ports and Protocols tab. Add and create a port called Windows Mobile Device Center with TCP Port Range as 5721, For Connections dropdown as Inbound [local ports] and Scope is set to Local network (subnet).
Other possible cause in failure to connect to WMDC is due to driver installation may not have completed successfully. If you think this may be the case, follow these steps:
- Keep the WM device connected.
- Go to Start > Start Search.
- Enter Device Manager or devmgmt.msc to launch the Device Manager window.
- Look under the Network adapters node for Microsoft Windows Mobile Remote Adapter. If this is not present, skip to step 5. Otherwise, right-click Microsoft Windows Mobile Remote Adapter and choose to Uninstall.
- Look under the Mobile Devices node for Microsoft USB Sync. If this is not present, skip to step 6. Otherwise, right-click Microsoft USB Sync and choose to Uninstall.
- Disconnect and reconnect the WM device. The device driver for the PPC Phone will re-install and Windows Mobile Device Center will launch.
If Microsoft resolution doesn’t help, try to disable the Advanced Network Functionality mode on the Windows Mobile device from the USB to PC icon in Connections of Start Menu Settings. After turning off Advanced Network Functionality, the device will be connected via a USB Serial driver, the sync will be done via native Smartphone USB Sync device driver and no LAN network connection is made.
However, the most likely and most possible resolution for dropped connection and not connected problem for Windows Mobile Device Center is related to Windows Media Player process. On connection with a Windows Mobile device, system will launch wmplayer.exe process, even though Windows Media Player is not ran or opened, and user is not syncing any music, song or media files at internal memory storage or SD memory card.
The wmplayer.exe process for unknown reason will terminate the connection, according to experience of a few users. As wmplayer.exe process won’t terminate itself, user have to end and kill the process as fast as possible once the Pocket PC device is connected to computer and wmplayer.exe process service is launched.
To manually terminate the wmplayer.exe, right click on Windows Taskbar and click on Task Manager. Then click on Image Name to sort the list of processes according to name alphabetically. Locate and highlight wmplayer.exe near the bottom of the list, and click on End Process button. After a while, the device will install with correct driver, connect and WMDC will sync. If the device still doesn’t connect and sync, try to disconnect and reconnect the device again, and kill off any wmplayer.exe service that run after connecting as soon as possible.
If system is not responding to or takes no action to detect, install connect any plugged in Windows Mobile device (and of course WMDC no sync action too), it may be causing by existing wmplayer.exe already existed, blocking future sync process. To fix the issue, open Task Manager (taskmgr in Start Search), and search for any wmplayer.exe service that is running, and kill or end all these processes. Re-connect the Windows Mobile device, and Windows Mobile Device Center should connect and sync properly.
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Entries (RSS)
June 10th, 2009 19:15
Hi,
Thanks a million for the tip. It worked ! I am really grateful.
May 10th, 2009 03:51
THIS IS AWESOME!
IT WORKS FINE WITH MY HTC P4350
THANK YOU SO MUCH
April 22nd, 2009 04:34
I had this problem on my HTC Touch Pro all of the sudden my ActiveSync on Vista stopped working. When I connected the cable, WMDC started to sync and dropped the connection after 3seconds. Nothing helped, drivers, WMDC reinstall, USB modes, reflash, no luck on PC or PPC side. The problem was WM11 new syncing “feature”, there was no process visible though, it just killed the sync. Solution I found is quite simple: Go to your storage card and delete folder WMDRM, then create (or duplicate something) a new file and rename it to WMDRM (without extension). Done
WMP will look for the library folder and will see that WMDRM actually exists, it won’t check whether its a folder or file though. When it discovers that the “folder” can’t be opened, it will give up the sync. Easy huh?
April 7th, 2009 21:48
Disabling advanced network functionality on Moto 9QM worked for me.. Thanks for writing this troubleshooting post.
April 1st, 2009 15:39
I have Vista with Windows Mobile Device Center trying to connect to Windows Mobile 6 device (Samsung Blackjack). I also don’t have USB to PC listed under connection options on the device, am I missing something?
March 17th, 2009 20:21
I was all over the place trying to enable firewall ports and Upnp service and you name it…Disabling Advanced Network Functionality worked to connect my iPAQ E-210 to Vista. Thanks a bunch!
March 1st, 2009 05:27
Thanks a ton! Disabling Advanced Network Functionality allowed my phone to finally connect using Windows 7. Thanks again!
February 19th, 2009 03:03
I am still having problems. I was hoping that the one uncheck trick would help, but no go.
December 30th, 2008 10:45
Thankyou so much for this. Turned out all I had to do was diable the advanced network functionality
December 17th, 2008 18:06
If you have Intellisync:
1: Go to the ‘control panel’ of Intellisync
2: Settings
3: ActiveSync
4: Set ActiveSync Connection to: Enabled
(Remember to set the ActiveSync in Windows to NOT sync things!!)
December 9th, 2008 09:44
Ok..I found out that I dont have the usb icon because my Windows Mobile 5.0 is an earlier build. To upgrade it I need to sync it..but I can’t sync, being my reason for being here.
December 8th, 2008 01:48
Thank You!!!
Thank You!!!
Thank You!!!
Thank You!!!
Removed one checkmark and all is right with my phone!
“…disable the Advanced Network Functionality mode…” worked for my XV6800.
I have been searching for a solution for the past month. Spent hours on the phone with Verizon with no results.
December 6th, 2008 21:30
I’m assuming you all are using Windows Mobile 6.0? I don’t have the USB to PC icon in that location.
December 5th, 2008 07:34
Thank you so much disabling advanced network functionality did the trick!!!
November 24th, 2008 03:49
And one other thing: make sure you take your storage card out!
November 21st, 2008 19:15
Wow, this is fantastic. Killing WMP did the trick for me and the last two additions are also important. Thanks a lot!!!!
November 5th, 2008 01:49
… and uncheck “sync this device automatically” in “set up syn” in wmplayer !!!!
November 5th, 2008 01:44
That points into the right direction: if the Storage card was seen by the Host before, vista tries to start it as a Media Device. Disable Autoplay or set Mobile devices to “Ask for Action” will solve the Problem.
November 1st, 2008 11:24
Holy crap! I’ve had problems connecting my WM device for nearly two years, and I finally came across this blog. Disabling Advanced Network Functionality fixed the problem! THANK YOU!
October 30th, 2008 19:07
disable the Advanced Network Functionality mode on the Windows Mobile device from the USB to PC icon in Connections of Start Menu Settings.
this worked for my omnia many thanks
October 15th, 2008 22:16
thanks (Y)
September 16th, 2008 03:49
Nothing works for me, I’ve given up trying to make it work on Vista x64.
I’ll go back to XP.
Thanks for nothing MS.
August 29th, 2008 06:12
Disabling Advanced Network Functionality worked to connect my Samsung i760 to Vista. Now I’m all synched up and ROCKIN again!