While replacing a lost or stolen phone may not be fun, it’s a task that can be accomplished relatively easily. Replacing the e-mail, contact information, pictures, and music that were stored on that phone can prove to be an impossible task if you haven’t synchronized your phone with your PC on a regular basis. "Synchronizing" quickly and easily transfers your contacts, e-mail, calendar and other files between your mobile device and your PC.

Before synchronizing, it's important to know which version of Windows your PC is running. Your synchronization settings will be managed through ActiveSync if you have Windows XP or earlier; Windows Mobile Device Center if you have Vista.