Walt - Install it on both machines, then both should be able to sync with your external drive from either one. The latest version of SyncToy was written to work w/Vista (v1.4, I think), but I have it installed on an XP Pro machine and it just did a great job of updating my external HDD. You will need to remove the Briefcase folder from the external drive as it will no longer be used by SyncToy. You will basically be starting over doing your backup to the external drive. SyncToy gives you several options of what you want to do with renamed and deleted files that Briefcase doesn't. It's a much nicer and friendlier application than Briefcase.
You shouldn't have any trouble reading the files on the external drive with either machine, especially since you're working directly with folders, sub folders and files. Unlike Briefcase, SyncToy doesn't encapsulate anything inside it's own named folder. Let me know if this works OK for you... -p Walter Hamler wrote: > Paul, do I install the Sync Toy on my XP machine or the Vista laptop.? > The briefcase works fine on my XP desktop and recognizes the briefcase > on the external backup drive. The problem is when I hook up the drive > to the laptop. It will not open the briefcase with the picture files. > > Walt > > On 5/4/08, Paul Sorenson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Hmmm...That was me that mentioned Briefcase. Don't know if that's a >> Vista issue, but it works well for me w/XP Pro and a USB external drive. >> I did a quick Google for Briefcase problems w/Vista and apparently >> there's a bug in Briefcase that causes some problems w/Vista. Several >> recommended a Microsoft PowerToy called SyncToy that solves the >> Briefcase problem and works better. It's a free download from MicroSoft. >> >> http://tinyurl.com/7dlru >> >> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/prophoto/synctoy.mspx >> >> -p >> >> >> Walter Hamler wrote: >>> In the recent discussion someone mentioned the use of the Briefcase in >>> XP to allow easier backups. >>> I tried it and it does work. However, I discovered that my laptop with >>> Vista cannot read the Briefcase file on my portable hard drive. Is >>> this normal? If so I will have to revert to the other straight copy >>> of the pictures folder and try to keep up as I add new images. >>> >>> Walt >>> >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow the directions. >> > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
