Windows Mobile Device Center on Windows 10 (1703)

As of last week, I have been able to connect to our RF guns using the Windows Mobile Device Center (WMDC).  We are running Telnet CE on the guns and we program them through the WMDC in combination with ActiveSync on the guns. 

After upgrading to Windows 10 (1703), I had a difficult time getting WMDC to connect with the guns.  After much research I was able to come up with the steps below to get it to work on a regular basis:

1. Uninstall Windows Mobile Device Center in this order:
   1. Windows Mobile Device Center Driver Update
   2. Windows Mobile Device Center
2. Reinstall the Windows Mobile Device Center
3. Right click on Start (Windows)
4. Left click on Computer Management
5. Expand Services and Applications.
6. Left click on Services.
7. Scroll down to and right click Windows Mobile-2003-based device connectivity.
8. Select Properties.
9. Select the Log On tab.
10. Check “Local System account” and check off “Allow service to interact with desktop.”
11. Click apply
12. Scroll down to and right click Windows Mobile-based device connectivity.
13. Select Properties.
14. Select the Log On tab.
15. Check “Local System account” and check off “Allow service to interact with desktop.”
16. Click apply
17. Close the Computer Management page.

  ***Note*** The settings above may change when you disconnect from a device or reboot your computer.You will have to redo the settings if it does. ***Note***

1. Open a command prompt as an administrator.
   1. Left click the Start (Windows) button.
   2. Type in cmd
   3. Right click the command prompt application
   4. Select Run as Administrator
2. Type in (or copy and paste from blow)

REG ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\RapiMgr /v SvcHostSplitDisable/t REG_DWORD /d 1/f

REG ADD HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WcesComm /v SvcHostSplitDisable/t REG_DWORD /d 1/f

1. Exit the command prompt and reboot your computer.
2. On the handheld, tap on Start > Settings > Connections > USB to PC icon, uncheck the “Enable Advanced Network Functionality” checkbox, tap OK, and then connect the cable.

 
Now that I have received: 2018-01 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1703 for x64-based Systems (KB4056891), it has stopped working again.  I ran the same steps that I used to get it with the initial rollout of 1703. Since this worked with the initial 1703 update, I was hopeful that it would fix it.  No luck.  I have multiple locations that we have to be able to program these RF guns. These locations are not anywhere close to each other, I.E. Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas, California to name a few, so it is not like I can just walk to them to fix them.  Ohio to Puerto Rico is quite a walk.

I am remiss to update them to the 1703 version without a fix.  It is bad enough I have 10 RF guns in my office that need reprogrammed but can't be because I cannot connect to them through their dock. If I cannot find a fix soon, production and distribution of product will become a major issue.