Sync Center

The Sync Center is Windows Vista is a great way to keep the information on your computers or portable devices up to date with eachother. If you are working on the same document in many locations, you would usually have to copy this document over to the different devices or computers. With the Sync Center you can set up synchronization for files and folders so the information can be copied automatically. You can choose netween two types of syncs.

1) One way Sync - this is where information can be changed, added, deleted to one files and the same actions occur on a file on another device, however if you were to make these changes to the original file, the actions would not be replicated.

2) Two way Sync - this is where you can add, delete or change information on either copy of the file on the different locations and the information will be automatically synchronized.

Setting up a synchronization for a file or folder is much easier than in Windows XP. You just go into the Sync Center and choose what files are to be synchronized and a sync partner is created. If you have set up a two way sync and have changed the document on both computers before synchronizing the files again, you will be prompted with a choice between the two versions of the file. If you have synchronized a folder, you can add a file to one of the folders and it will automatically be copied to the other folder, also if you delete a file from one folder, the file will be automatically deleted from the other folder.

Starter, Home Basic and Home Premium versions of Windows Vista do not come with the aboility to sync with network folder.

To set up a new sync partnership, click on the Set up new sync partnerships link on the left pane. You will then see the window shown on the screenshot below. If you have mobile devices connected to the pc you should be able to see them listed in the window below.

Once you see your device listed, select the devide by clicking on it. You should see a button above it with Set up written on it - click the button and you will be given options for synchronization. If you do not see your device, you may wish to switch it off and then on again and make sure that it is working.

You should receive some options for setting up your device as a sync partner along with how and when you want the syncs to occur. If you are choosing to sync offline files such as in the screenshot above, you will have to follow those instructions. For setting up a specific folder or file, you will have to share it first and then select the offline files setting.