Use Offline Files In Windows XP

You can make network files available offline by storing shared files on your computer so that they are accessible when you are not connected to the network. If you do this, you can work with the files the same way that you work with them when you are connected to the network. When you reconnect to the network, changes that you made to the files are updated to the network.


Configuring your computer to use Offline Files
1. Click Start--> and then click My Computer.
2. On the Tools menu--> click Folder Options.
3. Click the Offline Files tab.
4. Select the Enable Offline Files check box--> and then click OK.


To make shared network files or folders available when you are offline:
1. Click Start--> and then click My Computer.
2. Click My Network Places.
3. Double-click the network place that contains the folder or file that you want to make available offline.
4. Right-click the file or folder that you want--> and then click Make Available Offline--> The Offline Files Wizard starts--> Click Next to continue.
5. Select the Automatically synchronize the Offline Files when I log on and log off my computer check box--> and then click Next.
6. Select the Create a shortcut to the Offline Files folder on my desktop check box--> and then click Finish.
The files are copied to your computer--> and a "Shortcut to Offline Files" folder is displayed on the desktop.

NOTE: When you make other files available offline, they are displayed in the "Shortcut to Offline Files" folder.


Making files or folders unavailable offline
To stop using a shared network file or folder when you are offline.


Right-click the offline file--> and then click the Make Available Offline command to remove the check. The file or folder is removed from the Offline Files folder.


Synchronizing Offline Files:
Offline files are automatically synchronized by default when you log in to the network.


To manually synchronize an offline file

Right-click the file that you want--> and then click Synchronize. You must be connected to the network to synchronize files.


To edit the synchronization settings:
1. Right-click the offline file that you want--> and then click Synchronize.
2. In the Synchronizing dialog box--> click Setup.
3. Change the synchronization settings that you want--> and then click OK.