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.

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.

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.

Many developers have been clamoring for an automatic push of the .NET framework to windows computers that don’t already have it via Windows Update or Microsoft Update.  It has been absolutely crippling to developers trying to write and deliver small pieces of software over the internet.  Even with broadband the install takes 5 minutes on a PC assuming it doesn’t have anti-virus software, spyware, etc. slowing it down.

Clients balk at software developed in the .NET framework they have a 20M install size instead of 2M, +5 minutes install time, and about 3 additional dialogs during install.

Even with broadband, assuming 768K DSL the download time for 20M is an additional 3.5 minutes which doesn’t sound bad until you consider that it might have taken 20 seconds.  Imagine a user kicking off the download from say download.com then going on to browse the news or worse yet downloading competing software, leaving your software’s download forgotten in the background.

Also, what about “click once” deployment and all the other possibilities that might have been.

Not pushing the .NET Framework out via Windows Update seems to be a big misstep on Microsoft’s part and it is killing developers who choose to devote themselves to .NET dev only.

I find writing software in unmanaged C++ or other non .NET languages increases time to market, development cost, and is much more tedious.

At least Microsoft is moving in the right direction with Vista by including the .NET Framework 2.0 out of the box and pushing newer versions of .NET instead of just service packs for already installed versions.  See Scott Hanselman’s computerzen.com article on this.

Ray Ozzie should get this little problem fixed as part of the improvements he is trying to implement at Microsoft.

I’ve learned since writing the above that there are legal issues mostly related to the EU (European Union) anti-trust laws that have prevented Microsoft from pushing .NET out.  I’m not so sure all this consumer protection actually protects consumers that much when it makes it a pain for them to run apps written at a much lower cost in .NET.

Some errors you might get if you don’t follow all the steps below:

Local policy on server does not allow TLS secure connections

Hostname didn’t match any configured ftp site.

1) First create a self signed server certificate.

2)

To allow web publishing via Secure FTP do this.

OR

To setup a strand-alone FTP server do this.

Only I’d recommend setting “require SSL” and encrypting all data, not just the login credentials.

3)  RESTART THE “Microsoft FTP Service” in the services control panel for changes to take effect!

Not all IIS7 FTP changes take place, even if the FTP service is restarted from the admin control panel.

For example setting the Firewall Data Port Range and possibly the External Firewall IP Address requires that the “Microsoft FTP Service” service be restarted before it will take effect.  I spent ridiculous amounts of time trying to figure this out among other things.

I used Core FTP as the client:

Username format FTPSiteHostname|Username
For example: ftp.somedomain.com|someuser

Check PASV
Connection:  AUTH TLS
Check SSL Listings
Check SSL Transfer
Check Windows SSL

The username syntax is *VERY* important, don’t forget it!

To read (and see) how Passive and Active FTP work go here.

Verizon has a data usage pricing inconsistency bordering on a scam through the use of misleading marketing and price advertising.
On Verizon’s web site under certain (perhaps all) calling plans without data usage the price is listed at $1.99/megabyte. Even the fine print indicates that this is the price. However if you have a PDA phone such as a Pocket PC XV6900, Palm, etc. they actually charge $0.015/kilobyte. Since 1 Megabyte is 1024 kilobytes this comes out to $0.015 x (1024 kilobytes/megabyte) = $15.36/megabyte. Which is 7.71 times more per unit of data than if you have a regular phone.

This is outrageous especially since PDA phone users often use *MORE* data than someone on a phone, which would make them more money.

I happen to use less than 10 megabytes/month of data. That is sufficient for me to sync my email when I am away from my desk for long periods of time, only a few times a month.

So, I thought I should post this so everyone knows what is going on.

I saw the $1.99 price and used the data, until I checked my usage for the month at 6,419.06 KB where it predicted I would be billed $96.30. I promptly called Verizon to find out what was going on.

Since I realized this was the case before I was billed, Verizon was nice enough to allow me to retroactively change to an unlimited data plan for $29.99/month so I wouldn’t be charged $96.30.

Check it out HERE for yourself, just browse plans, enter your zip code if necessary and it is the third bullet point from the top $1.99/MB.

I wonder if you sign up for the plan on a regular phone, then switch it via their website to the ESN of a PDA phone….