Synchronising laptops with desktops

[zcacogp]

Chaps,

I have a problem, and I can't think that I am alone in this.

I have a laptop (for those who kindly contributed to the "which laptop" thread I started a couple of weeks ago, many thanks, I ended up going for an IBM.) I also have a desktop. Sometimes I work on files on my laptop, sometimes on my desktop. When I am at work, I dial-up and collect Email on my laptop, when I am at home I dial-up and collect Email on my desktop.

As you can imagine, my desktop and laptop information look very different, and I often have problems with the latest version of something being on the "other" computer. And Emails are never in two places at once.

I have the same information structure (set of directories on the HDD) on both machines. And what I need is some kind of synchonisation programme that will take the latest version of any one file in any one place, and ensure that it is present on both machines. And do the same for new files, and Emails. Did this make sense?

I connect the two together with a crossover-cable network, but can't seem to find anything in windows which will allow me to do this. (The laptop is Windows XP, the desktop Win 2000). What do other people do to get around this problem? Can I get a small application to help, preferably free or cheap, or does such a thing not exist?


Oli.

>>> Edited by zcacogp on Friday 7th May 19:18

[arcturus]

It does exist and it is built into Windows.

You can either use the 'Briefcase' to synchronise or else if you have XP Pro, not XP Home, you can use the Synchronisation facility although not sure if this works with Win 2k.

Use the Windows help to learn about both.

I use the Synchronisation facility to keep my XP Pro desktop and XP Pro laptop in step with each other. Works fine for me.

>> Edited by arcturus on Friday 7th May 19:46

[manek]

I also use the synchronisation built into XP to keep laptop and desktop files in sync. It really works well (don't bother with Briefcase, it's broken and hard to use). Go for it.

[MickC]

arcturus said:

It does exist and it is built into Windows. You can either use the 'Briefcase' to synchronise or else if you have XP Pro, not XP Home, you can use the Synchronisation facility although not sure if this works with Win 2k. >> Edited by arcturus on Friday 7th May 19:46

Yep works with W2K as long as you do the 'syncronise' bit from the XP pro machine. I used this quite a bit, best to decide which machine will be the server and which the client (usually the laptop is the client), then use the sync function from the client.

If you are using outlook express or outlook (without exhange server), you need to tell the laptop to use the a PST on the server. Then when away from the office, you use the offline verion of the pst file, and when back in the office you sync if with the server. Because your PST is just one file, you need to be careful not to let it get updated in two places, or one version will overwrite the other. With other files it's not too bad, you can usually work out which one is the most up to date if you manage to update both, but you have to be more careful with database type files and your PST.

[t1grm]

Win 2K doesn't seem to have the synchronise feature. It must be new for XP. However, Laplink has an xchange agent feature that allows you synchronise between folders. It costs about 60 quid:

www.laplink.com/uk/store.asp

[MickC]

t1grm said:

Win 2K doesn't seem to have the synchronise feature. It must be new for XP. However, Laplink has an xchange agent feature that allows you synchronise between folders. It costs about 60 quid: www.laplink.com/uk/store.asp

Correct but if you have a windows XP client (and store your data on a share on W2K (server or pro), you use the syncronise function from the XP client and it will copy offline files to/from the server as needed, based on date.

[zcacogp]

Chaps,

You are quite right - there is a synchronisation feature in XP, and it seems to be in 2000 (pro) as well. Windows Help has been quite ... helpful, and I think I am finding my way around it.

Acid test comes this evening, when I try to see ifthe desktop will recognise and update the files which I have been working on all day on the laptop. I think I'll back things up to a memory stick beforehand just in case.

Thanks very much for your help, everyone.


Oli.

[greenv8s]

You can get your emails delivered to both PCss by configuring one of them to leave the mail on the server (it's an option in the account properties).

[zcacogp]

Yes, but it doesn't work for sent items in the same way. (A good way through though - thanks.)


Oli.