Syncing a user between windows 7 and 8.1

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jonb

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#164246 3-Feb-2015 08:06

Have an existing Win7 laptop and a new 8.1 hybrid tablet.

I setup Onedrive sync a few years ago on the laptop, but never tested it with another device. I know the sync is much better on Win8.1, but presumably when both are Win8.1.

Requirements are just that My Documents folder is the same on both. Happy to use Onedrive more as the primary save location, but needs to 'just work' for a user who gets put off technology if it loses work etc.

Can upgrade laptop to Win 8.1 if needed, but rather not.

What workflow/tool changes can we do on the win7 laptop to get sync working reliably?

Thanks

timmmay

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#1230166 3-Feb-2015 08:07

BitTorrent Sync, if available for both platforms. Works great, goes over the local network if it can, but always works over the internet. I use it to back up my parents important documents and photos, in addition to traditional cloud backup, because it gives me visibility of whether backups are running.

nathan

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#1230183 3-Feb-2015 08:42

OneDrive client is supported on Windows 7 too

jonb

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#1230538 3-Feb-2015 13:52

Thanks.

Have the OneDrive client already on Windows 7, it isn't used as the main My Documents location though.

I'll have a try following the steps in this article, specifically the bit at the end showing how to sync folders after the OneDrive desktop app has already been installed.

sidefx

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#1230540 3-Feb-2015 14:01

jonb:
Can upgrade laptop to Win 8.1 if needed, but rather not.

I'm just curious why you'd prefer not to? Since my suggestion was going to be to upgrade the win 7 laptop to windows 10 preview for now, then windows 10 full for free when it's released :)

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jonb

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#1230563 3-Feb-2015 14:37

sidefx:
jonb:
Can upgrade laptop to Win 8.1 if needed, but rather not.

I'm just curious why you'd prefer not to? Since my suggestion was going to be to upgrade the win 7 laptop to windows 10 preview for now, then windows 10 full for free when it's released :)

For my partner who doesn't like change :) She just had a run on windows 8 on the tablet and liked the metro screen, so that will be the better longer term solution.

Glassboy

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#1230566 3-Feb-2015 14:38

jonb: Have an existing Win7 laptop and a new 8.1 hybrid tablet.

I setup Onedrive sync a few years ago on the laptop, but never tested it with another device. I know the sync is much better on Win8.1, but presumably when both are Win8.1.

Requirements are just that My Documents folder is the same on both. Happy to use Onedrive more as the primary save location, but needs to 'just work' for a user who gets put off technology if it loses work etc.

Can upgrade laptop to Win 8.1 if needed, but rather not.

What workflow/tool changes can we do on the win7 laptop to get sync working reliably?

Thanks

Make sure your OneDrive directory is in your "Document Library" location settings. Then it's pretty much seamless. I've done this for the wife and she switches between Windows RT, Vista and Windows 7 machines.