Lesson 2: Configuring Mobile Devices

671

Sync Conflicts

In most sync partnerships the Sync Center automatically keeps the most recent version of a

file and overwrites the older versions. Sometimes, however, the Sync Center prompts you to

choose which version of a file to keep. This usually occurs when a file has changed in both

locations since the last sync. When this happens, Sync Center notifies you of a sync conflict,

which you must resolve before it can sync the items in conflict.

For example, if you have changed a document on your computer since the last sync and made

a different change to the same document in a network folder set up to sync with your com-

puter, a sync conflict will occur. Sync Center will ask how you want to resolve the conflict,

allowing you to choose which version you want to leave unchanged and which version you

want to update.

If you have a sync conflict, the Sync Center icon in the notification area on your taskbar

changes to display a black exclamation mark on a yellow triangle superimposed on the normal

icon. You can point to this icon to see if there are any conflicts. (Depending on how you have

your taskbar configured, this icon might not be visible.) If there are conflicts, Windows will

display a summary of them. You can right-click the Sync Center icon at any time and click View

Conflicts to open Sync Center and check for sync conflicts.

You can also open Sync Center from the Accessories menu or the Mobility Center (on a mobile

PC) and click View Sync Conflicts. If conflicts are listed, you can select one or more of them

and click Resolve. You create, detect, and resolve a sync conflict in the practice session later in

this lesson.

NOTE

Sync conflicts, errors, and warnings

A sync conflict occurs when differences cannot be reconciled between file versions stored in differ-

ent locations. This stops sync from completing until you reconcile the differences. A sync error is a

problem—such as a mobile device not plugged in or an unavailable network server—that prevents

sync from being completed. Sync errors are not caused by problems reconciling two versions of a

file. A sync warning is typically less severe than a sync error and usually does not prevent the sync

from completing. For example, Sync Center might warn you when it detects low battery power on

your cell phone. If the cell phone died completely, this would create a sync error.

Offline Files

You, or users you support, can use offline files to access files stored in shared network folders

even when the network copies are unavailable. You can do this by using Sync Center to sync

with network files that you have made available offline. This automatically creates a copy of the

network files (offline files) on your computer. Sync Center will automatically sync your offline

files and open them when the network versions are unavailable.