Replacement for Microsoft Live Sync?

ChristineL

I currently use Microsoft Live Sync to keep files on my PC and netbook synchronised. Both are running Windows XP. But from March Microsoft will be switching to their new "Windows Live Mesh 2011" service and turning off Live Sync - and Mesh doesn't work with XP as the operating system.


So I need a new way of keeping my files synced. The features I like in the current Liv Sync are:

• files are transferred automatically between PCs in real time when both PCs are online (not just at a set time each day and not just when I tell them to sync)
• if one PC is offline, then they automatically sync the files when they are next both online
• the software is able to manage the conflicts of say a file being edited on the one PC and also edited or deleted on the other
• it uses very little systems resource when running
• it has proven relaible

Can anyone advise me of anything similar out there? Live Sync was free but I am prepared to pay for something as good.

Thanks.

jayme1

DropBox syncs files between computers on the local network (skipping the cloud bit if you want to) aswell best of all it is totally free. http://www.dropbox.com/

ChristineL

jayme1 wrote: »

DropBox syncs files between computers on the local network (skipping the cloud bit if you want to) aswell best of all it is totally free. http://www.dropbox.com/

Thanks Jayme - I've looked at Dropbox but can you tell me how I avoid having my files on the cloud too (other than manually moving them out of the dropbox) ? I'm, OK about using the cloud to transfer them but I don't want a copy held there.

free4440273

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=c26efa36-98e0-4ee9-a7c5-98d0592d8c52

Aiadi

The best free (and otherwise) Sync tool there is - has live sync as well ans many many other features:

http://freefilesync.sourceforge.net/index.php


Also read the comments on the portable version:

http://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?q=freefilesync&m=Search

paddyrg

I know you're nervous of all things cloudy, but sugarsync is pretty awesome and free for upto 5GB - unlike dropbox you can sync any folders.

ChristineL

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Much appreciated. I've had a look at all of those now but nothing is matching Live Sync yet. Unless I'm missing something (and that is very possible) SyncToy and the sourceforge one each need the PCs to be on the same network to sync. Dropbox is very slow compared to Live Sync and both it and Sugarsync store copies of the files on the cloud.