HOW TO: Synchronize Mobile Devices and Desktop Computers with Synchronization Manager (314512)

SUMMARY

This step-by-step article describes how to synchronize mobile devices and desktop computers with Synchronization Manager.

Users of mobile devices such as laptop and notebook computers often need to synchronize their mobile devices with desktop computers. The Windows XP Synchronization Manager helps ensure that the files and folders on your mobile device and your desktop computer stay synchronized. With Synchronization Manager, you can be sure you are always working with the latest copy of your data, online or offline.

Synchronization Manager enables you to control when your offline files are synchronized with files on the network. You can have Synchronization Manager automatically synchronize the information that is available to you offline in a number of ways:

• Every time you log on or off your computer, or both.
• At specific intervals while your computer is idle.
• At scheduled times.

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Setting Up Your Computer to Use Offline Files

1. Open My Computer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
3. On the Offline Files tab, make sure that the Enable Offline Files check box is selected.
4. Click to select the Synchronize all offline files before logging off check box to obtain a full synchronization, or do not click to select this check box if you want a quick synchronization.

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Making Files and Folders Available Offline

1. Click Start, point to All Programs point to Accessories, and then click Windows Explorer.
2. Find the file or folder you want to work with offline, and then click the file to select it.
3. On the File menu, click Make Available Offline. Note that the Make Available Offline command exists on the File menu only if your computer is set up to use Offline Files.

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Synchronizing Offline Items When You Log On or Off a Computer

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, and then click Synchronize to start Synchronization Manager.
2. Click Setup.
3. On the Logon/Logoff tab, click the network connection that you want to use in the When I am using this network connection box.
4. In the Synchronize the following checked items box, click to select the check boxes beside the offline files and folders that you want to synchronize.
5. Under Automatically synchronize the selected items, click either or both When I log on to my computer or When I log off my computer.
6. If you want Synchronization Manager to request permission before automatically synchronizing your offline items, click to select the Ask me before synchronizing the items check box.

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Synchronizing Offline Items When Your Computer is Idle

1. Start Synchronization Manager.
2. Click Setup.
3. In the When I am using this network connection box, click the network connection that you want to use.
4. In the Synchronize the following checked items box, click to select the check boxes beside the offline files and folders that you want to synchronize.
5. Click to select the Synchronize the selected items while my computer is idle check box.

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Scheduling Offline Items to Synchronize

1. Start Synchronization Manager.
2. Click Setup.
3. Click Add to start the Scheduled Synchronization Wizard, which assists you with the process of creating a synchronization schedule.

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