Microsoft ActiveSync error

Just try to connect my old Pocket PC (HP iPAQ rx3417) to the laptop using Microsoft ActiveSync 4.5, but pop up an error message:

Cannot verify the version of ActiveSync on your device. A program such as a firewall may be blocking a port ActiveSync uses to connect to the device, or you may need to upgrade to a more recent version of ActiveSync on the PC.

So, I turn off PCTools Firewall Pro, and restart, but still have the same error. So I try to reinstall ActiveSync with older version, 4.1, hope that the problem will be solved. But the problem still there, with a different message:

This version of Microsoft ActiveSync is not compatible with the mobile device. Please upgrade to the latest verison of ActiveSync and reconnect.

I think the problem might be caused by Nokia PC Suite, so I uninstall all the Nokia related software and driver. I also uninstall PCTools Firewall Pro, and restart the laptop several times. However, the problem is still not solved.

Finally, I install Microsoft ActiveSync 3.71, and the problem is solved. Even I install PCTools Firewall Pro and Nokia PC Suite again, there is no problem for the connection of the Pocket PC with the laptop.

And, I suspect that this problem is caused by Windows XP Service Pack 3.

You can download older version of MS ActiveSync from here.