I'm trying to decide how best to synchronize files between my two laptops. One is really a "desktop replacement Toshiba and one is a small, lightweight Acer Travelmate. I've got everything on the Toshiba, but it's too heavy to (a) carry to/from the office every day, and (b) carry on trips. At least, not enjoyably. I'd like to use the Acer at home and when I travel, even though it's a little slower, just to spare my neck and shoulder and spine.

Also, I'd rather not be carrying around the Toshiba so much, in case something does happen to it. I do a full backup and drive image to an external hard drive before I travel, but still ... if there's going to be a computer casualty somewhere down the road, I'd rather it be the old Acer.

I have all my project files in a Project Files directory, amounting to about 4 Gb, and I have big Outlook mailbox and contact files (about 100 Mb together). I just bought a Kensington 5 Gb PCMCIA hard drive that I could use to synchronize my work and Outlook files between the two computers.

One question: is this something I should be doing with Microsoft Briefcase, or would it be simpler using the sync feature in Power Desk?

And what about using Windows (xp) File and Settings Transfer Wizard to make sure my software's configured the same on both computers? Is there anything I *should* be doing with the Transfer Wizard?

I imagine a lot of you FlyerTalkers must have wrestled with this issue. A prize to the most creative, efficient solution!

I have a notebook that spends about half its time in the office. I go on business trips with it, but don't carry it back and forth to home.

For my Outlook mail and contacts, I just leave everything on the server and use offline synchronization to "make copies" of everything for local use on my notebooks. This keeps everything in sync.

I use Briefcase or it's XP incarnation, "Offline Files" a moderate amount. I have to admit that I don't have many files that I access constantly, so I'm not a heavy offline files user.

As an alternative, I've used the Unison file synchronizer to sync up big directories across offices.

Offline files works very well for me too - I use it to synchronise files from my desktop to the notebook. Once you've got it set up, it synchronises the files whenever the network connection is restored.

I guess I should clarify one thing -- there is no network server in my life. Just these two laptops.

Have you thought about using the removable drive as the primary drive for those files, then you don't have to sync it at all? Pop it out of one, bring it to the other, and it's all done.

I thought about that, but it seems risky to me. I drop it one time and I wipe out all my project files and Outlook files. So there'd at least need to be frequent backing up with that approach, if not synchronizing.

Hmm... still mulling what to do...

If you have broadband, get a router with switch to network the two and copy files over. No risk.

If no broadband, buy a hub,or switch, or a cross-over cable, and network the two to copy files over. Back up as needed to external HD.