IPAQ 3955 Won't Sync?

In order to sync any iPAQ with Windows Vista, you will need to download and install Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1 from http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/downloads/microsoft/device-center-download.mspx.

Activesync will only work for XP Operating Systems and earlier.
Notes

• To find out whether your version of Windows Vista or Windows 7 is 32-bit or 64-bit, click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Properties. The version is listed after System Type.
• You can use Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1 only with phones running Windows Mobile 2003 or later. ActiveSync and Windows Mobile Device Center won’t work with Windows Embedded CE 4.2 or 5.0, Pocket PC 2002, or Smartphone 2002 devices. (To see which Windows Mobile operating system you’re using, and if your phone doesn’t have a touch screen, click Start > Settings > About. If your phone has a touch screen, click Start > Settings > System tab > About.) To sync content to any of these devices, you must use a USB or serial cable and your computer’s Internet connection and File Explorer.
• You must use Microsoft Outlook 2002, Outlook 2003, or Office Outlook 2007 to sync your e-mail, contacts, tasks, and notes from your computer.
• You must use a USB cable to connect your phone to your computer the first time you use Windows Mobile Device Center to sync.

Usually the simplest solution with Microsoft software such as active-sync is to uninstall it and install it again from scratch. When you reinstall it will ask you what programs you want to sync with, your old PIM software has been lowered in priority in favour of Outlook because MS think everyone should want to use it, so it's often easier to start using Outlook as your main PIM.

i can try to help you , first are you using xp or vista ? and which version of active sync ? i found that after upgrading to active sync v4.5 my ipaq 4700 refused to sync , i have xp home , so by trial and error i learned several things , i tryed my usb cable in every usb slot i had , only to find some usb ports are more friendly to certain devices , for a lack of better terms , i deleted all partnerships in active sync , found that i needed to make sure active sync is not running on ipaq , go to settings / memory / running programs on the ipaq , stop all running programs , turn the ipaq off , then on the pc made sure firewall not locked , plug usb cable into pc , i leave mine in a port permanently , plug into the ipaq , it automatically turns the ipaq on , then i see 2 icons in pc system subtray start blinking , at that point i know sync is going to work , then active sync icon starts turning , lit up in green , and asks do you want to create a partnership , yes , follow prompts , and thats what has been working for me , now if i was to put the usb cable into a different port , no doubt it would give me grief , and the same thing with my phone and active sync , make sure active sync is not running on the device , sometimes i have to reset the unit , ipaq or phone , make sure unit is turned off them make the connection , give it a try .

you are now using outlook 2003 , probably cache , this means all the email is on your laptop. when you sync it will sync all the email (thousands). initialise your ppc (back to factory default). set up the sync via usb cable. then sync via bluetooth . then you are fully sync. now setup an auto backup of your email data (daily). if after some time , you have sync problem again , initialise the ppc, restore from backup and you are back to sync (last full backup). try this , you will never need to do it all again.
Regards
David Ng

Try and reinstall the sync software in your PC. Check your cable if it is properly hooked.

Did you tried installing the ActivSync again, for Windows XP the version is 4.5, for Windows Vista is 6.0, Try installing the AS

Check the setting on the ipaq, go to ActiveSync and tools, options, server and make sure calendar, contacts and inbox are not selected here. Then, put the pda in its cradle and let it do a sync, it should change the settings on the desktop and the (sync status on device) should disappear. I had a similar problem and after de-selecting these, everything worked fine.

Is ActiveSync set to sync only items from the last 2 weeks?

This original question is so old it probably won?t help the original poster but instead is meant for anyone who runs across this in the future with a similar problem. If you haven?t already done so backup your data, remove any extra cards or plug-ins and do a cold-boot. If that doesn?t work the next step is to remove Active Sync and install the latest version from Microsoft. If that doesn?t help then the next thing I would try is syncing to another PC and then another cradle if possible. If the problem persists the only thing left to try would be reflasing the ROM.

try soft reset on your Ipaq and a restart of your PC.