Windows 7 Briefcase is not viable

Anonymous
2009-12-19T15:29:58+00:00

I use briefcase extensively to sync my travel laptop with my office desktop. I carry virtually my entire working life in two large synced files. Windows 7 seems to render briefcase unusable. 1) a.sync source file and b. status are missing from the default Windows Explorer display. I finally figured out how to restore them, but it is hardly user friendly. 2) Syncing analysis is so slow it needs to speed up to stop (usually Task Manager says it is non-responsive) but it does (I think) usually come back if you wait long enough. I've given up on wireless as I believe that is worse. 3) If there is a way to "split from original" so that files or directories may be removed from the briefcase, I haven't figured out how. 4)Other strange things happen. My "Critical" briefcase just changed from a briefcase into a normal folder for reasons I haven't figured. Had a file marked read only, which wouldn't sync, and after removing the read only attribute, resyncing and exiting, the briefcase icon was replaced by the folder icon and no longer had briefcase characteristics. (That may not bee the reason, I did other things, but that was the strangest.). - If anybody at MS is interested in making Briefcase viable, I'd love to help. - SY Wink

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2010-01-28T21:37:54+00:00

SYWink,

I stumbled across your post in looking for answers to the Windows 7 Briefcase. What I was able to find as an answer (at least for my situation) was that the necessary menu bar for the briefcase was hidden by default in Win7. The standard Windows 7 folder view doesn't have the familiar File, Edit, View, etc. You can re-enable the normal menu bar by clicking on Organize-Layout-Menu Bar. Once this is enabled you will also see the familiar "Briefcase" option in that menu bar when you're in your Briefcase. Under Briefcase you should see the "Split From Original" option.

I have not yet looked into the sync speed, so I have no insight as to that. However, as for the briefcase magically turning into a regular folder, I have actually seen that on just about every Microsoft OS, I've never found a reason for it.

I hope this helps you, at least a little.

Toledohitman

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Anonymous
2012-01-03T06:12:16+00:00

If one requires synchronization so urgently and in a professional capacity perhaps one should purchase synchronization software such as Allway Sync or BellSync or GoodSync or others. Also, if data management is part of ones profession, than one may have buddies that can try out the different software and collaborate on the best of what's out there. Again, if you make more money by being on your A-game with file synchronization than it pays to purchase specialized software instead of kicking yourself and crying about it for all to hear, no?. Good software is only about 20 bucks. I make less than 30k a year and can afford that :)

To all, this thread raises an important problem of compounding a problem with frustrated ranting. If one is frustrated than take a moment to focus on the goal before one speaks out. Otherwise you don't solve anything and you reinforce and popularize adolescent behavior. Readers should also consider ranting to possibly be trolling or competitor negative advertising. Compulsive insincerity and cowardly rude behavior are going to cause big problems if we don't all recognize them as bringing society into very dark times.

Dear S Wink, you could do your listening audience a great service and post reviews of software like the aforementioned. Maybe even get into a Linux club and work with GNU projects perhaps? If your job involves these things than you stand to really contribute to making things better. If your job is to talk down Microsoft than you're doing great, lol.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

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  1. Anonymous
    2010-10-13T14:57:36+00:00

    I dont know if this is the answer to the issue, but works for me. Im using win7 and xp syncing over the network.

    1. Create a folder "A" in PC1 and put some files you want sync.
    2. Create a briefcase in PC1.
    3. Drag the folder "A" inside the briefcase.
    4. Drag the briefcase to PC2.
    5. Change the files, add some others at both endpoints. ("A" folder in pc1 and briefcase/A in pc 2).

    **** Here is the tricky part.****

    For some reason that fancy bar doesn't work properly. But the old menu appears to still work.

    ****

    1. In the briefcase folder, type left alt, then go to menu briefcase and choose Update All.
    2. Now an window should appear with information about the files to be exchanged between computers.

    With this method i could sync the folders, but the Update All only works if done in Win7.

    Hope it helps.

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  2. Anonymous
    2010-11-22T18:24:15+00:00

    I too have been dependent on the briefcase function, for many years.  I recently worked ona Windows 7 laptop and tried to set up a breifcase for my friend.  It seemed towork fine and I thought that it actually gave mor unformation about thefiles than XP.  

    However, when I tried to delete a folder from the briefcase, Win7 then repeatedly prompts to have us delete the files on the host, or else reinstate them all to the removable drive.  This never happened to me in using briefcase between two computers, at least when I did the deletii while the briefcase computer was "off line." I am wondering if anyone has had luck in figuring out how to let the briefcase and host computer  realize that you just wanted to get things out of your briefcase, and did not want to delete files from the source host as well.

    I realize that I have the same problem if I delete a folder in a Briefcase on a laptop that remains connected to the host server.  You have to delete the whole briefcase and then recreate the briefcase without the directory you did not want.

    Is there a better wasy?

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  3. Anonymous
    2010-12-04T05:37:26+00:00

    So far my briefcase have been reliable. I'm in college and I use a thumbdrive to save my research/homework adn then I synch with my xternal hard drive at home.

    So far very speedy. I use a 16GB thmbdrive (which got stolen ...) and now a 320GB xtrnl hd. Still working fine for me.

    I had one problem. Sometimes W7 rename my thumbdrive drive letter. I have to right click on MY COMPUTER and click on MANAGE then DISK MANAGEMENT  to swap some drive letters and then back to normal.

    It does that about once a month. I connect a lot devices through the usb connections I must admit.

    Now if I could make it stop changing the letters.

    I'd like to be able to synch with another source. Is that possible anyone?

    For instance, If I lose a thumbdrive but repopulate a new one. I'd like to keep synching, will I have to match drive letters. Let me try it.

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