How do I synchronize folders created on the server?

[Guest]

Hey,

I'm running WinXP-Pro on a desktop and a laptop where a folder on the
desktop is used as a mapped drive on the laptop. I have the "make files
available offline" option engaged and it works fine. The files/sub-folders in
the targetted folder on the desktop machine synchronize fine and
modifcations/additions made on the laptop synchronize fine.

My problem is this: if a new folder is created on the desktop machine BY THE
DESKTOP USER, that folder and any files/subfolders created in it do NOT
automatically synchronize to the laptop. To make it more clear: say I map a
folder called "rootfolder" as a network drive. If the laptop creates a new
folders (i.e. "laptopfolder") in rootfolder over the network, laptopfolder
will synchronize normally. If the desktop creates a new folder (i.e.
"desktopfolder") in rootfolder, however, it will NOT synchronize to the
laptop.

This is a problem because it limits the ability of the desktop user to work,
and then just synchronize whatever he/she did later. Unless the new folders
are created by the laptop, they won't synchronize.

I know there is a way to fix this such that folders created by the desktop
machine synchronize automatically because I have done it previously with
another desktop/laptop set that were both running WinXP-Pro. It required that
I go into one of the utilities (similar to RegEdit, although I don't think
that was it) to change a setting on the (I think) laptop. I just can't for
the life of me remember the set of steps, and my notes from then were lost in
an HDD crash.

Can someone help me out here? Please?

-Drek

 

[Guest]

Synchronisation is only intended for use in a two-computer setup; it is
extremely risky to use it in a three-computer situation. (which is what you
have here if two computers are both syncronising with a server-folder)

A synchronising tool can only 'know' if files have been changd by one of the
pair of computers being synchonised; if a 'third man' has also changed some
files, then it has no way of knowing if those changed files are the
authoritative versions, or not.

If you think about it, the same applies to paper documents. If two people
modify copies of a document independently, which is now the 'right' version?
Neither is.

You can try Vice Versa, this is a very good tool, my comments above still
apply though. http://www.tgrmn.com/

 

[Guest]

Thanks for trying Ian, I really appreciate it, but I think I was unclear. I'm
not syncing two different laptops to the same desktop, but rather have two
laptop/desktop pairs.

To provide more detail: I had a desktop, then bought a laptop, and set up my
laptop to sync with my desktop. At the time I tracked down the needed setting
(with help) and got everything running properly. Since then my desktop had an
HDD meltdown, but I now have a new drive in there any everything is fine.

After all that, I built a second desktop for my partner's home office, and
then she bought her own laptop. So, now I'm trying to set up her laptop to
work with her desktop the same way my laptop works with my desktop.

Any other ideas?