Sync folders & files on 2 computers on a network

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I have 2 computers, a desktop, and a laptop, on a Homegroup network, both running Win 7 Pro. I am behind a hardware firewall, as well as software firewalls and very strong protection on both computers. I am very careful online. So I do not have password protected logins on either computer, and I have never had a security problem. I use both for work.

I am always having to try to remember which files I have on which computer, so I can work on them. I would like to be able access any of them from either computer, and them have them update and sync whenever I need them on either computer. I would like to be able to do this within Win 7 if possible, but if I have to get a good Syncing program, I could do that if necessary.

I have many different folders and files on each computer that I would like to sync between them. I would like to be able to do this without having to have both computers running all of the time. My favorites in IE9 are already being synced with XMarks, and this is very helpful. However, I have numerous folders and files on the desktop and the laptop that I would like to be able to access from either computer at any time without booting up both. The folder systems are already very similar on both computers.

Can I sync them with Win 7’s Sync Center? I have tried this, but it runs forever, and then when I check the folders and files on each computer they are still different. I have allowed access with sharing and permissions on both, but I still am unable to sync the folders and files between both computers. I have also tried to do this with Memeo Auto Sync, which I have from a Seagate Goflex portable drive, but although I let both computers run all day while it ran its sync program, the 2 computers still have different folders and files on them.

What am I missing here? I’ll appreciate all the help I can get. Thanks very much for your help!

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You could try Windows Live Mesh. It’s a great synchronizing tool. I use it to synchronize some folders between my desktop and laptop. Works very well.

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I have Windows Live Mesh, but it can only sync 5GB. I need more like 100GB minimum. Thanks for the reply though; I appreciate it. Maybe I’m overlooking something in Windows Live Mesh?

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I have Windows Live Mesh, but it can only sync 5GB. I need more like 100GB minimum. Thanks for the reply though; I appreciate it. Maybe I’m overlooking something in Windows Live Mesh?

You can sync much more than 5 GB, as long as you don’t sync it with Sky Drive synced storage. If you just sync between your computers, there is no limit.

You can sync some folders just between your computers and others, if you want to, you can sync with Sky Drive synced storage too. This is specified by shared folder, so it allows you all the flexibility that you need.

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Thanks Rui Ribeiro!

My problem may be that I already set Windows Live Mesh to sync with Sky Drive before I found out that it would only do 5GB. I have tried to find a way to delete that setting, but I haven’t been able to find a way. Do you know how? Or should I just delete Windows Live Mesh from both computers and start over again? This will be great if I can get it to work!

Thanks so much for the help!

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You don’t need to start over. If you open Live Mesh, you will have the list of synced folders. If you click one, you will have the path to the folder followed by the devices it syncs on. Just click Select Devices and on the window that pops up, uncheck Sky Drive synced storage and you’re done. Repeat this process for every folder you want to remove from Sky Drive synced storage.

For any new folder you want to share, just don’t share it with Sky Drive synced storage and it won’t add to your 5 GB limit.

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Ronald,

I use Microsoft Sync Toy 2.1 to keep my desktop & laptop synced.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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Hi RetiredGeek,

Likely you are not interested, but Live Mesh is the most recent sync tool from Microsoft. As it seems to me, it has two advantages over Sync Toy: automatic sync (no need to start the sync, Live Mesh will detect changes and sync automatically); sync to the cloud (up to 5 GB), thus providing a cloud backup of up to 5GB of data.

It just works. I never worry if I have the latest files on each computer as I know they will be there when I need them, cause they will just be synchronized as soon as Live mesh detects the changes – and that is usually very fast.

As a downside, Live Mesh needs to be running continuously to ensure this automatic syncing.

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Rui,

Thanks for the info. However, I like to control things.

I don’t really want constant sync or another program running in the background, just the way I like to do things. YMMV.

Us old fogeys don’t take to well to change.

Regards.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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I used to use Microsoft’s SyncToy – until I found its action was to delete all the files and folders on one PC when the other PC went offline. A brilliant piece of programming.

I now use AllSync and SyncBackSE for different synchronisations. AllSync seems to the the faster, and allows me to synchronise three PCs (or even more, if I had more!). SyncBack SE just does pairs of PCs. OK, they cost (some) money, unless your needs are limited, but at least they don’t delete all my data…

BATcher

Plethora means a lot to me.

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I used to use Microsoft’s SyncToy – until I found its action was to delete all the files and folders on one PC when the other PC went offline. A brilliant piece of programming.

BATcher,

I’ve never seen this behavior from SyncToy {YMMV Obviously}. What version were you using? I’ve been using it now for 2 years w/o a single glitch.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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I’ve never seen this behaviour from SyncToy {YMMV Obviously}. What version were you using? I’ve been using it now for 2 years w/o a single glitch.

I had probably been using it for rather longer than you had, going through the various 1.x versions up to 2.1, I think, and was quite enthusiastic about it!

No doubt the problem I had was a pathological case, but it was effectively comparing four folders on one PC with ‘nothing’ on the other PC (because it had gone off-line), and so decided that to get things to synchronise, it would remove the four folders on the on-line PC. Not quite the result I had wanted!

BATcher

Plethora means a lot to me.

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Does Live Mesh go peer to peer over a local network at network speeds? In other words, is there more overhead with a web-based exchange (“handshake”)? I’ve only used it as off site poor man’s backup over the Internet with a friend.

I think the free versions (non-business) of Syncback and AllwaySync are terrific and all that’s needed for anything local. Then there are only two annoyances with true syncronization; the data preservation is so good (if its in 3 locations) that one has to delete an unwanted file from all locations or it will repopulate at the next run (or run a special profile once in a while that is set to delete files not in the source after you’ve deleted them there. Also should one file become corrupt or the previous version be needed, its gone or replaced by the bad one after the profile run.

Of course Win 7 does shadow copies now though so its very possible to go pull the working version of the file from there if its noticed in time. I’ve only had one file get corrupted after many years of use though so the risk is low.

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Does Live Mesh go peer to peer over a local network at network speeds? In other words, is there more overhead with a web-based exchange (“handshake”)? I’ve only used it as off site poor man’s backup over the Internet with a friend.

I think the free versions (non-business) of Syncback and AllwaySync are terrific and all that’s needed for anything local. Then there are only two annoyances with true syncronization; the data preservation is so good (if its in 3 locations) that one has to delete an unwanted file from all locations or it will repopulate at the next run (or run a special profile once in a while that is set to delete files not in the source after you’ve deleted them there. Also should one file become corrupt or the previous version be needed, its gone or replaced by the bad one after the profile run.

Of course Win 7 does shadow copies now though so its very possible to go pull the working version of the file from there if its noticed in time. I’ve only had one file get corrupted after many years of use though so the risk is low.

Not sure what you mean more overhead. I can’t be sure, but I doubt it goes peer to peer, in the sense that it will connect directly between the PCs. I find it very fast, regardless of where I am. My upload speed is very good either at home or work, anyway, but it is pretty fast.

If you delete a file from a shared folder, it’s gone. I used to do it between 3 PCs and it always worked like this.

An interesting additional feature is that you can (if you so configure it) remote desktop between your PCs without anything else. It’s a pretty reasonable remote desktop app too.

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This is for Rui Ribeiro:
I’m the one who started this thread, and I just want to thank you VERY much! I had a hard time finding where to go to do what you suggested Friday (last) night, but I finally found it. (I think sometimes Microsoft’s Live sites could be a little more intuitive). But I did what you said, and Windows Live Mesh is working really well now. All of my files on both computers are now in sync. Awesome! Thanks again; I really appreciate your help, and your following on it with me. This will save me a lot of time and head scatching trying to remember which computer I had this or that on. You’ve saved me a lot of time and frustration, so, THANKS AGAIN!

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This is for Rui Ribeiro:
I’m the one who started this thread, and I just want to thank you VERY much! I had a hard time finding where to go to do what you suggested Friday (last) night, but I finally found it. (I think sometimes Microsoft’s Live sites could be a little more intuitive). But I did what you said, and Windows Live Mesh is working really well now. All of my files on both computers are now in sync. Awesome! Thanks again; I really appreciate your help, and your following on it with me. This will save me a lot of time and head scatching trying to remember which computer I had this or that on. You’ve saved me a lot of time and frustration, so, THANKS AGAIN!

Ronald,

You’re most welcome .

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