How do I sync the Contacts on my desktop PC with my notebook via Wi-Fi ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gene
  • Start date Start date
G

Gene

I know this question has been asked a thousand time, but
I can't find the answer with Google - sorry :-)

I am running WLM version 12.0.1606 on BOTH my desktop PC
and my notebook PC. My notebook and desktop are on a Wi-Fi -
so they can Share files.

I want my Windows Live Contact list to be the SAME on both the
desktop PC and the notebook PC at all times. When I add, delete, or
modify a contact on either PC, then I want that same modification to be
AUTOMATICALLY (and instantly) reflected in the contact list on the other
PC. They are connected via Wi-Fi, so it sounds like a simple task - but I
can't
find a link that explains how to set it up.

THANKS,
Gene
 
Syncing of contacts can't be done instantaneously, but if both
WLM programs are signed in to the same Live ID (Hotmail email),
that should keep them synced within 10 minutes or less.
 
THANKS, Gary.

Let me see if I understand:-)

1. Go sign-up for a new "Windows Live Hotmail" account.
http://get.live.com/mail/overview

2. Add this new email account to my exiting WLM on the desktop PC.
Power off & reboot this PC.

3. Add this new email account to my exiting WLM on the notebook PC.
Power off & reboot this PC.

4. When I have my main email account highlighted, click on Contacts
and add or modify an email contact. Even though I do not have the new
Hotmail email account highlighted - the Contacts list on the other PC
will automatically update & reflect the change, within 15 minutes or so.
That is, will having the new Hotmail account installed in the WLM
on both PCs cause the Contact list to automatically sync - even if I NEVER
use the new Hotmail email account? I have a main email account that I use,
and two others that I use occasionally.

I'm sure that I have missed something in the above:-)

THANKS,
Gene
 
Comments inline.

Gene said:
THANKS, Gary.

Let me see if I understand:-)

1. Go sign-up for a new "Windows Live Hotmail" account.
http://get.live.com/mail/overview
Click to expand...

Yes, if you don't already have a Hotmail account. You can pick either
@hotmail.com or @msn.com or @live.com.

2. Add this new email account to my exiting WLM on the desktop PC.
Power off & reboot this PC.

3. Add this new email account to my exiting WLM on the notebook PC.
Power off & reboot this PC.
Click to expand...

Actually, there is no need to add the Live ID as a mail account to WLM,
unless you actually want to send or receive email via that account.
Just go to Tools, Options, Connection, click on "Sign in".
You only need to do this once in each of your two WLM programs.
4. When I have my main email account highlighted, click on Contacts
and add or modify an email contact. Even though I do not have the new
Hotmail email account highlighted - the Contacts list on the other PC
will automatically update & reflect the change, within 15 minutes or so.
That is, will having the new Hotmail account installed in the WLM
on both PCs cause the Contact list to automatically sync - even if I NEVER
use the new Hotmail email account? I have a main email account that I use,
and two others that I use occasionally.
Click to expand...

When WLM is configured to use the Live ID sign-in feature, it uses a special
set of Contacts that are kept in sync through the auspices of that Live ID.
You may have to do a one-time import to get the Live ID contacts populated
initially: Contacts, File, Import, "Address book for current Windows user."

Also you can switch to a different set of Contacts (say business vs personal)
by switching to a different Live ID sign-in.
 
Thanks, Gary.

I set up the desktop and the notebook to both automatically
sign onto Live ID.

I spent a few hours stomping out dups :-)
I finally have a stable set of the same contacts on both machines.

I added a new test contact in on the desktop - Name = "TEST from DeskTop".
It showed up on the notebook after a time.

I added a new test contact in on the notebook - Name = "TEST from
NoteBook".
It showed up on the desktop after a time.

I deleted "TEST from DeskTop" from the notebook PC.
It was removed from the notebook, and eventually was removed from the
desktop PC.

I deleted "TEST from NoteBook" from the desktop PC.
It was immediately removed from the desktop PC.
However, it remains on the notebook PC with a grayed out message of:
"Your request for contact updates is pending"

Is there an option setting on the notebook PC that I need to set?
Why does the desktop PC function correctly, and the notebook PC leave
the deleted test contact in suspense?

THANKS,
Gene
 
All is OK now.
It fixed itself, I think ...

I had the notebook to "not" automatically check for new emails.
I set it to check for all emails every 15 minutes.

Either the switch to auto check for email every 15 minutes, or
just the passage of time worked. The test contact from the
notebook was finally removed.

Sure hope this pseudo contact assistant in the great black
hole at Redmond really works :-)

THANKS,
Gene
 
Good to see the syncing happened, although it took longer than you expected.
In the future, if you need to clean out or combine duplicate contacts,
the online Hotmail website has a very nice utility for that.
 
This looks like the solution that I have been looking for:-)
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/2f4213e8-4d0f-4f61-af8e-a44ef05769971033.mspx

My versions of Vista do not support network folders, not sure how that will
hurt or help me?

Questions:
1. Can I use the Sync Center to keep my Contact lists, Sent items, spell
checker entries,
etc., the same on the desktop and notebook PCs via Wi-Fi ?
2. If I can make #1 above work, do I "really" want to use, or even need to
use "Windows Live ID" ?

THANKS,
Gene
 
I have not tried to use the Sync Center feature, but it seems to me that
it is a non-starter for you since network files can't be synced if you have
Home Premium or a lower edition of Vista.

Regardless, you could not use it to sync messages because that would
foul up the message store (database indexes).
--
Gary VanderMolen, MS-MVP (WLMail)


Gene said:
This looks like the solution that I have been looking for:-)
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/2f4213e8-4d0f-4f61-af8e-a44ef05769971033.mspx

My versions of Vista do not support network folders, not sure how that will hurt or help me?

Questions:
1. Can I use the Sync Center to keep my Contact lists, Sent items, spell checker entries,
etc., the same on the desktop and notebook PCs via Wi-Fi ?
2. If I can make #1 above work, do I "really" want to use, or even need to use "Windows Live ID" ?

THANKS,
Gene
Click to expand...
 
Gary,

this "WORKS" GREAT, and it's free :-)

ShareFolder (beta) - a Windows Live Service
https://www.foldershare.com

I was able to share excel & word documents without a problem.

Try it, it's REALLY good stuff.
I'm sure there is a gotcha, but I have not found it yet.

Gene
 

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