Computer help

[Kai]

Guys

Does anyone here know of a program that will sync a laptop and a desktop together so you will basically have 2 machines set up exactly the same. If something happens to one, you can use the other.

What I am trying to do is have a backup of my info and software that matches my laptop. I have been almost been using it exclusively and taking it with me wherever I go. The problems lies in the fact that it must be left in the car sometimes and I am worried about it getting stolen. The smash and grab thing has gotten bad at restaurants, movie theaters, malls, etc.

My other option was just to get a big hard drive and leave it at the office. I could backup/save everything to it. Something that happens automaticaly would be great.

I have a laptop, a regular PC and a hardwired router.

Looking for a simple solution. Ideas - Sugestions?

Thanks

 

[az_max]

You can use Microsoft backup and create a job to backup your important files. Save them to the other machine. Backup Exec and a host of other apps do the same thing but with more features. Most let you save to disk or CDR/DVDR. you can then restore one or more files easily on the other machine.
windows used to have a feature called 'my briefcase' which was meant to sync files like that. Now it's part of their 'offline' file sync, but I've only seen that work well in corp network environments. (ie, you plop a laptop down at a desk and sync files with your network server).

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307885

software's a bit trickier. It's best to have the install media available. there's too many registry settings that can change to sync between two machines.

 

[jim-00-4.6]

The problems lies in the fact that it must be left in the car sometimes and I am worried about it getting stolen. The smash and grab thing has gotten bad at restaurants, movie theaters, malls, etc.Looking for a simple solution. Ideas - Sugestions?

Thanks

Take it out of the car before you go out to dinner?
Put it under the seat?

 

[skydiver]

I'd say to not worry about backing up the programs on each machine. Install the programs on both, then just backup the data.

You can get a 16gb jumpdrive which will fit in your pocket, or an external hard drive which could hold 400gb+, and use that as your backup, or even your primary data location.

 

[Justin Kurosaki]

SyncbackSE works great. It can be configured to do quite a bit... Bidirectional sync, conflict management, sync via FTP, etc.

 

[ID_Disco_II]

The easiest thing to do is use Microsoft's Briefcase feature. The Briefcase is a feature that allows you to keep two folders (on two different devices) in synch with each other. Put one on your laptop with all your shared files in it and another on your work computer. Any time you make updates and reconnect the two, you can re-synch.