Windows Mobile Email Send Failure – FIX

On Windows Mobile 6.0/6.1 with Pocket Outlook suddenly stops being able to send outgoing email with error message: “The message(s) could not be sent. Check that your have network coverage and that your account information is correct. Then try sending again.”

Microsoft came out with a fix for this on November 12th, 2008 which can be downloaded at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=d9d71b2e-d2dd-44f2-86e5-1e53aad7fb7a&displaylang=en&t.

1)  There are two options at the link above.

a)  You can download the .msi file and install the patch on your PC which should theoretically install it on your mobile device if it is connected via USB while you are installing it.

b)  Or there is the .cab file which should be downloaded from your Windows Mobile device directly, just send yourself an email with the above URL and use your device to download the .cab file and run it.  (Recommended)

2)  After install you must perform a soft reset on your device, just push the reset button with the stylus.  NOTE:  Some devices, such as my XV6800 appear to automatically reset after the patch is installed.

NOTE:  Any old emails in your outbox will be immediately sent once the device is reset.  Be sure to delete any old emails you don’t want going out from your “Outbox” folder.

Further details of the problem are also at the download link above.

All information should be valid for any Windows Mobile device, however I’ve tested this only on a Verizon XV6800.

Verizon XV6800 Stock OEM ROMS

The Verizon Pocket PC running Windows Mobile 6 Stock OEM ROMS including the MR1(MR-1) and MR2(MR-2), and Qwerty Keyboard fix can be downloaded at the link below:

http://www.pcdphones.com/phone_downloads.aspx?bid=89&cid=1&mid=287&carrier=Verizon%20Wireless#

If you currently have the XV6800 you may wish to verify that you are using the latest update for your device since several bugs are fixed and optimizations made to improve the phone’s functionality.

The MR1 upgrade includes the following features:

• ROM Version:  3.57.605.1 (The Windows Mobile operating system version)
• Radio Version:  3.37.75 (The radio is what is responsible for audio clarity, data speed, and reduced dropped/missed calls).
• Pri Version:  ?
• Upgraded OS to Windows Mobile version 6.1
• Added EVDO Rev A capability (This can increase data (internet) speeds by about 5x)
• Updated the MMS client to be compatible with WM 6.1  (Newer multimedia messagin version)
• Added Microsoft Remote Desktop Application – You can access your PCs desktop from your device using Remote Desktop
• Added capability to use VzNavigator application. – Which is a GPS enabled application.
• Resolved compatibility issues with Microsoft Voice Command 1.6.
• Added capability to read micro SD card of up to 16GB memory (SDHC aka. Secure Digital High Capacity).  (Very useful!)

The MRU2 upgrade includes the following:

• ROM Version:  3.57.605.2 (The Windows Mobile operating system version)
• Radio Version:  3.37.78 (The radio is what is responsible for audio clarity, data speed, and reduced dropped/missed calls).
• Pri Version:  2.03_002
• Enhancement to VZNavigator performance.  (Make Verizon’s GPS program, VZNavigator, work better.
  Voice calls performance improvement on Motorola network.   Improvement to voice quality, remove garbling ,reduce dropped calls, etc.!

Query keyboard fix description (Excerpt from release file):

This software update (cab file) corrects the following issue:
Fixed onboard QWERTY keypad issue, where the keypad works as if, the function key had been enabled at all times, when using sites like Yahoo Go2 and Windows Live Search as well as with other applications.

NOTE:  Verizon will replace your XV6800 phone if your USB port is no longer working properly if it is still under warranty. Examples of this would be phone doesn’t charge when plugged into charger.  Phone will disconnects from computer when USB cable is bumped.  USB cable has to be held down or weighted to keep it connected.

If you are looking for other phones/PDAs/WM6 OEM ROMS and/or upgardes check here http://www.pcdphones.com/uts_downloads.aspx.

SQL Server Express auto-creation Login failed for user in Visual Studio

Have you received the following error:

Login failed for user ‘Domain\Username’.

SQLExpress database file auto-creation error

In Visual Studio 2005 or 2008 when trying to run a web site that auto-creates an ASP.NET database.  Or perhaps you’ve gotten the error when simply right clicking on App_Data and trying to add a new SQL Server database usually named ASPNETDB.MDF?

After wasting a day of my time verifying things such as:

Does my windows username have dbcreate access in SQL Express?

Does my global web.config or machine.config have something wrong in the connectionStrings section? Perhaps LocalSqlServer got misconfigured in the past.

In the end I discovered that the reason was Vista’s user account control.  I simply needed to to right click on my Visual Studio icon and select “Run as Administrator”, then everything worked and the error went away.

This is why it might work fine if you are running the ASP.NET web application in IIS, but not when running under a DB admin authorized windows administrator account in Visual Studio.

Another tip:  If you are having any sort of strange error or problem in Visual Studio or with running sites, just exit Visual Studio and run it again as administrator.