Windows CE Meets Window NT

Phase 3
What technology preview is complete without some Registry spelunking? Add the following value to your Registry to disable the default disconnect after 20 minutes. Otherwise, while your PDA sits idle waiting for the next address to be entered or for another action, RAS disconnects and you must continually re-establish connections.

Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

Key: System\CurrentControlSet\Services\RemoteAccess\Parameters

Add the following value under the Parameters key:

Value Name: Autodisconnect

Value Type: REG_DWORD

Data: 0

Attach one end of your serial cable to the PDA and the other end to the NT machine. You will see a prompt for Username. Enter a Guest password, press Enter and a domain, and press Enter again. The Setup New Partner wizard will complete the installation by preparing your NT and CE machines for synchronization.

If you had a RAS device installed and deleted it, follow the installation instructions for adding a new RAS device (Phase 1, steps 6 through 10). An error message will say you don't have enough static pool entries. You need to expand the range (Phase 2, steps 4 through 7). Change the value in the End box from 192.168.55.105 to 192.168.55.115. If you're using real connections and happen to use those particular IP addresses, you'll have trouble. But if you don't use those addresses, this solution works well. I use it successfully with both our LAN connection and also with RAS dialup. Finish configuring your dialup modem device, and use it like any RAS device.

Troubleshooting
When I use my PDA with NT, I've had a couple of problems. Luckily, I have found workarounds for them, too.

When you boot your NT machine, your PDA tries to establish a connection before the boot process is complete. An error message appears on the PDA. Ignore it. Press Cancel, and wait for the NT machine to finish booting. You can establish a connection from your PDA to the NT machine by selecting the PC Link icon, under the Programs\Communications folder from the start menu.

Sometimes, connecting to the NT machine from the HPC machine is difficult. It generally takes a couple of tries. If you fail the first time, try this: Select HPC Explorer application (which you see in Screen 4) from your NT desktop. Let the process time out and fail, and then select PC link from the HPC. This approach works every time for me. Or, you can change the speed of your RAS connection (see the read_nt file for the particulars).

If you cannot establish a connection between your PDA and your desktop, make sure to select the user right, Log on locally. (Screen 5 shows this right granted to Administrators.) You can modify this right from the User Manager applet.

Some Ideas
These steps will get you going with Windows CE and NT. After my trial-and-error experience with the Compaq PC Companion, Windows CE, and NT, I have some thoughts about how this combination compares with the U.S. Robotics Pilot (for more information about that platform, see Mark Smith, "NT Stuff We Like," January 1997, and "U.S. Robotics Pilot," February 1997).

The Compaq PC Companion is large. You don't want to just stick it in your shirt pocket and go. It fits, but if you lean over, the PC Companion tumbles out onto the floor. But this machine runs Windows CE, which is Windows: If you are familiar with Microsoft Word, you know Pocket Word. If you know Schedule+, the Windows CE version won't present a problem. So this new hardware and its OS are far more powerful than my Pilot, and the PC Companion now is in my shirt pocket more often than my Pilot. Now if Microsoft would just release a real NT version of the connection software, I would be happy.