Last week I told you about Foldershare from Microsoft, an easy way to synchronize folders and files between computers. This week, I want to tell you about another fresh-out-of-beta service from Microsoft called Skydrive. In simple terms it’s a 5gb online storage locker, again offered to you at no cost. You can use it to store important files and share them with others if you choose. It’s quite fast and since it’s online, you don’t have to worry about losing your files as you would if you misplaced a USB storage device. Give it a try at:
http://skydrive.live.com
To register, you will need either a Windows Live login or Hotmail address. Ok, that will be all the free Microsoft promos for a while and we’ll look at something new next week!
As an addendum to last week’s tip, don’t use Foldershare to try to synchronize your local files (My Documents and Netfiles for instance). SyncBack SE is the right choice for this and should meet your needs. Foldershare is strictly focused on computer to computer sharing. There’s a fully functional and free version of SyncBack SE available at:
http://www.2brightsparks.com/downloads.html#freeware
I’ve used it in the past to automatically sync selected folders with Netfiles. Let me know if this is something you think you could make use of or if you have more questions.
I came across a new service last week that I’ve found to be very helpful in moving and backing-up files. It’s called Foldershare and it was created by an independent company, but then purchased my Microsoft in 2005. Microsoft has recently released it in beta status as part of their Windows Live service. In essence it’s a mechanism to share or synchronize files and folders between multiple computers. You could use it to back up documents between your work and home computer, between multiple work computers, etc. To start using it do the following:
- Go to http://foldershare.com and create an account (doesn’t have to be a Windows Live ID, I’m using my work email address).
- You’ll need to then download the client (it’s available for both PC and Mac) to each computer you want to synchronize with. See the Manage Your Computers section for this.
- You will then create a personal library (for backups) or a shared library to distribute files to friends and family. You must then select a folder or specific file on your computer. You also have to select the folder or location where the files will be received by the second computer.
Once installed, both computers will search for each other, and then start the synchronization process. Note that it doesn’t store your files online, it simply uses the web to copy the files back and forth.
Have a good weekend! - Andy
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