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    Problem: long delay in sync. My Live Mesh is working and syncing between 3 computers at different locations. But I can modify & save a mesh file at home, say at 5 am, leave the computer on (no programs running) while I workout, shower, dress, take out the garbage and make lunch (an hour or more) then shut down the computer. At work - the file has not synced - it is still a version from a week ago. Often it is not updated in the online folder either. After it does finally get around to updating in the "cloud", it may still not sync or update on the work computer for a long time. It usually happens finally - when LiveMesh "gets around to it". This kind of slow to "get around to it" syncing is a big problem that makes Live Mesh less useful. There should be a way to force a complete sync once your are done working with files in the mesh folders.
    Friday, March 19, 2010 7:34 PM

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    Yes, I've seen the same behavior and can't tell you why it happens. Sometimes sync is instant and other times there is a long delay. Hopefully we will see this resolved in the next release.

    -steve

    ~ Microsoft MVP Windows Live ~ Windows Live OneCare| Live Mesh|MS Security Essentials Forums Moderator ~
    Monday, March 22, 2010 2:30 PM
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    Hi, Just adding my experience here, although I know it has been address alot. 

    I have just began using Live Mesh and have set 2 folders, one being just a folder for files I would like access to everywhere and one being my IE favorites.  Also, I have this set up on 2 computer, one a Windows Pro XP V2002 SP3 and one a Window 7 Home Premium, both w/ IE8. 

    I have a total of 3 files for 3MBs in the generic folder and 4 favorites in the favorites folder.

    Problem is, if I add a favorite on one computer it only shows a placeholder on the other (happens like this in both directions).  I have allowed it roughly 24hrs and still just place holders, although the files do show up in the Online Folders.  So it appears the files are sync up from the computers with no problem, just not propagating down from there.

    Sync Settings for both folders on all devices (XP comp, 7 comp, and online) is "when files are added or modified".

    Any insight would be appreaciated.

    Thanks -Bill

    Wednesday, March 24, 2010 7:28 PM
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    I assume that both machines are on the same Local network? Any firewall in place? When you open the folder, what do you see in the News for that folder?

    -steve

    ~ Microsoft MVP Windows Live ~ Windows Live OneCare| Live Mesh|MS Security Essentials Forums Moderator ~
    Wednesday, March 24, 2010 7:45 PM
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    Steve, Thank you for the very quick reply!

    I am pretty sure your answer above for Bergerin applies to me also, just wanting to make sure I am not doing something that could be causing this.

    The two computers are on separate LANs, the XP at work (small office, my own business w/ me being the only employee- no fancy enterprise hardware here) and the W7 at home.  Both are using the built-in windows firewall w/ Microsoft Security Essentials for AV.  No other firewalls besides that.  Both computers are behind your run of the mill netgear wireless "n" routers (same models actually, bought them at the same time) with a cable internet connection (5Mbs each).  (WANs are dynamic IPs and LANs are persistent IPs and are hardwired desktops not wireless if that helps) 

    I only have access to the work (XP) computer right now, so I can only list what is in the news for that folder:

    It does show the addition of the favorite added on this computer and the one added on the W7 home computer, however the folder has only a placeholder file for the favorite from the W7 home computer (it has the actual file for the favorite added on this local machine obviously).

    I have just compared it to the news listed for the folder online, it is an exact match. And as I mentioned before, the shortcuts are present on the folder online (hopefully I wasn't too confusing there).

    Thanks -Bill

    Wednesday, March 24, 2010 8:08 PM
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    Hi, Bill.

    Yes, the last reply was for you. It doesn't sound like anything in the setup is causing the issue and it is strange that files sync from both computers to the Live Desktop, but only create placeholders on the other PC.

    I think that I would do the following.

    Change the sync settings for the folders (on the Live Desktop) to not sync with either PC.
    Delete the placeholder files from the local folders when the two Mesh folders on each PC become a normal yellow folder instead of a Mesh blue folder.
    Remove both machines from the Mesh via the Live Desktop.
    Uninstall Live Mesh from both machines.
    Reinstall Live Mesh on a single machine.
    On the Live Desktop, change the sync settings for one folder to sync with the machine you just added.
    On that machine, merge the offered folder with the existing folder by clicking the blue desktop offered folder and browsing to the existing folder.
    Are the files that were on the Live Desktop and not in the existing folder now added?
    If so, repeat with the other folder.
    If not, post back here.
    Next, add the second machine back/reinstall Live Mesh/merge 1 folder, as per above.
    If it works, repeat for the other folder.

    Just a few other thoughts:

    1. I assume that both machines are using the same LiveID to access Live Mesh and it isn't that you are inviting another LiveID.
    2. Your folders being shared between machines are not encrypted or marked Read Only

    -steve

    ~ Microsoft MVP Windows Live ~ Windows Live OneCare| Live Mesh|MS Security Essentials Forums Moderator ~
    Thursday, March 25, 2010 12:42 PM
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    Steve,

    To answer your other thoughts section:

    Yes both computers are using the same LiveID to access Live Mesh and the folders are not encrypted or marked Read Only.

    I will try the procedure you listed later on today, got a bit off work I must accomplish this morning first.  I will post the results afterwards to let you know how it goes.

    However, I did some more messing around yesterday and have some weird findings for you.  The favorites folder was the one (of 2) Live Mesh folder that had been giving me trouble.  So I decided to mess w/ the other folder that I had setup on the desktop of both computers.  I had 3 files in there (2 pdfs and 1 excel).  Before I finished for the day at work yesterday I opened the excel file made a few minute changes and saved it.  When I got home I started the computer and gave it a few minutes then went into the same folder on that computers desktop and opened the excel file, the changes were there- it had successfully synced.  However, right afterwards I went to the favorites folder and the placeholder file for the favorite added on the other computer was still there- that folder still had not synced.  I left it at that for the night.

    Anyways I was just messing around on the work computer a few minutes ago and remembered you had mentioned looking in the "News" section yesterday to see if the changes were listed there, so I went to the favorites folders news section and clearly saw "Bill M added file Adobe Forums....url 10:56 AM" listed a while back (and the file was still just a placeholder- it was added on my home computer).  In that entry the file name was hyperlinked, so I clicked on it to see what would happen and to my surprise it opened and a new entry "Bill M updated file Adobe Forums....url 8:52 AM" was immediately added to the News section (although I didn't update it, just opened it).  Furthermore, the file is now present in the favorites folder, NO MORE PLACEHOLDER!  Is this a way to possibly force the file to sync?

    Thought you may find that interesting, Thanks again for the help- Bill

    Thursday, March 25, 2010 2:08 PM
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    That is interesting - the last bit. I'm not sure why it caused the Sync to happen as it should not be the facility for forcing a sync. It suggests that the News link was pointing to the actual Favorite and not the placeholder, even though you saw the placeholder. Files that are in progress for a Sync or pending conflict resolution are in the GACBASE\HoldingArea folder on each PC. On a Windows 7 machine, that's here: \Users\%user%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Live Mesh\GacBase\HoldingArea. You may want to check that folder to see if it contains anything.

    Since sync has begun working, albeit a bit whacked, you may want to leave things alone for a bit.

    -steve

    ~ Microsoft MVP Windows Live ~ Windows Live OneCare| Live Mesh|MS Security Essentials Forums Moderator ~
    Thursday, March 25, 2010 2:15 PM
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    Steve,

    I found that folder on this computer (XP)= "C:\Documents and Settings\%user%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Live Mesh\GacBase\HoldingArea" and it is empty, I imagine that is due to this computer now being completely in sync.

    I'll head home at lunch and look in that folder on the W7 computer.  Also, I will look in the favorites folder and assuming there is still a placeholder there I will click on the file name in the "News" section and let you know what happens.

    Thanks- Bill

    Thursday, March 25, 2010 3:15 PM
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    Problem: long delay in sync. My Live Mesh is working and syncing between 3 computers at different locations. But I can modify & save a mesh file at home, say at 5 am, leave the computer on (no programs running) while I workout, shower, dress, take out the garbage and make lunch (an hour or more) then shut down the computer. At work - the file has not synced - it is still a version from a week ago. Often it is not updated in the online folder either. After it does finally get around to updating in the "cloud", it may still not sync or update on the work computer for a long time. It usually happens finally - when LiveMesh "gets around to it". This kind of slow to "get around to it" syncing is a big problem that makes Live Mesh less useful. There should be a way to force a complete sync once your are done working with files in the mesh folders.

    I have exactly the same problem and I am using Live Mesh already a couple of months on 4 different Computers. I am also using dropbox which is updating instantly (but has other problems). The problem is that you see the correct file version on the News list but when you open the file it could still be an old version. There must be some routine in the software that keeps the files from updating instantly. I would like to move all my "cloud" files from dropbox to Live Mesh (because of the larger free space), but as long as this issue is not resolved it is too risky. A "force sync now" button as suggested by Bergenin would solve the problem at least partially.
    Friday, March 26, 2010 3:58 AM
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    china-man: I'll add that another risk is that Live Mesh is a beta service, meaning bugs exist and problems can happen.

    -steve

    ~ Microsoft MVP Windows Live ~ Windows Live OneCare| Live Mesh|MS Security Essentials Forums Moderator ~
    Friday, March 26, 2010 12:25 PM
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