A synchronized backup of your important Windows documents and files is a great way of ensuring your data is both secure and up-to-date. Microsoft provides a way for you to keep your important files backed up and in sync with a USB external hard drive or flash drive with a few mouse clicks. Storing synchronized backup files on a USB device allows you to keep the data in a safe, and separate, location.

Difficulty: ModerateInstructions1

Go to the Microsoft Downloads Center website. Download and save the SyncToy application to your computer (see Resources).

2

Open "Computer" or "My Computer" and browse to the folder where you saved the SyncToy program. Double-click the SyncToy setup file and follow the on-screen prompts to install the utility on your PC. Enable the "Pin to Start bar" option before clicking "Finish" to complete the installation process.

3

Launch SyncToy by clicking on "Start" and then the "SyncToy" program link. Wait for SyncToy to launch.

4

Click the "New Folder Pair" button near the bottom of screen. Under the "Left Folder" header, click the "Browse" button. Navigate to the folder you want to backup and synchronize the USB drive.

5

Insert the external hard drive plug or flash drive into an empty USB port on your PC. Wait for Windows to recognize and configure the USB drive. After Windows confirms the USB device is ready for use, click the "Browse" button under the "Right Folder" section of the SyncToy window.

6

Click "Computer" or "My Computer" in the SyncToy "Browse" window. Click and select the drive letter for the USB drive, and then click the "OK" button.

7

Enable the "Synchronize" option in the new window and click the "Next" button.

8

Enter a name for the new pair of synchronized folders and click the "Finish" button.

9

Highlight the name for the new pair of folders in the left side of the SyncToy window, then click the "Run" button. The first time you run SyncToy, the utility will first copy all of the files from the selected source folder to the external hard drive or USB flash drive. When you run the application again, the utility will sync the source folder and USB device by copying files that have been changed or edited. SyncToy will also delete files on the USB drive that are no longer in the source folder.

Tips & WarningsAlthough SyncToy is a handy utility, it does not synchronize files automatically. You must run the application each time you want to copy new files or synchronize current files between your PC and the USB drive. However, subsequent synchronizations of the files should only take a few seconds. References University of North Carolina Charlotte: How to Use the Microsoft SyncToy Instruction Sheet PC Hell: How to Use Microsoft SyncToy to Backup Your Data to an External Hard Drive, Shared Network Drive, or USB Drive Microsoft TechNet: SyncToy White Paper Microsoft TechNet: Utility Spotlight -- SyncToy 2.0 ResourcesMicrosoft Download Center: Download SyncToy 2.1

• How to Sync Windows With USB [10/14/2010 03:00:01]