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Sync WLM between 2 computers without using the cloud
I recently had to buy a new computer, and along with it came Windows7. I have used Outlook Express forever (13 years or so) and now am faced with changing.
My situation is that I have multiple computers I wish to keep in sync. My home computer (the one that is now Win7) and my shop computer (WinXP) are the main ones, plus a netbook I use for travel. I did not and do not want my email data living in the cloud, so any web based solution was not and is not an option.
The system I used for years worked very well, and I am trying to replicate it using current mail software. My preference would be Windows Live Mail, as it has a smaller footprint than Outlook, and does everything I need. I've always found Outlook to be an over bloated solution to problems I don't have.
The technique I used was as follows: my home computer is my main machine, and the most physically secure. I would use Windows SyncToy to synchronize my Outlook Express data to a USB key, and then run Outlook Express on either my shop computer or the netbook right off the key. I did so so that I left no email data on either the shop computer or netbook, in the event they were stolen. When returning home I would use SyncToy again to reflect any changes into my home computer. Worked like a charm.
I've tried Outlook, and on top of the big bloater having to run on lesser capable computers, copying the data file (Outlook.pst) back and forth to the key was an inconvenience - it can be a huge file and I was used to only copying what amounted to a couple of days of changed emails. Running Outlook on either the shop computer or netbook off the USB key is not a great solution - performance is poor. So I would be faced with uploading the key to the actual computer, thus leaving data on them that I would rather not. I suppose I could then delete the .pst off these computers each time I left them, but that is a PITA.
In the first case, I cannot sort out exactly how Contacts work - I tried copying what I thought was the contacts file (something .edb) but after doing so the other computer did not recognize it. And I just tried putting the message store on the key and moving the key to the other computer and starting Windows Live Mail, but got a message the data store was corrupt and it would recover. 15 minutes of grinding later, and some amount of data ended up in the other computer, but not in the folders it should be.....essentially useless.
I really don't wish to open a discussion on why wouldn't I use the cloud (sync through Hotmail or such) or simply leave everything sitting on my ISP server. I have certain thoughts about privacy and the security of ANY online service, and want my data in my hands.
Any ideas on how I might accomplish this? If using WLM should work as it did with Outlook Express, could you share some thoughts on exactly what files I should be copying/syncing?
Thx....Hub
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