Windows Live Mesh and Devices Help Center
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Windows Live Mesh 2011 helps you access the stuff on your computers from almost anywhere.
If you used Live Mesh beta, Windows Live Toolbar, or Windows Live Sync (all discontinued on March 31, 2011), here’s what you need to know before you start using Windows Live Mesh:
As of March 31, 2011, the files stored online in your Live Desktop can no longer be accessed. Your files have also stopped syncing between your computers and your Live Mesh online storage.
Upgrading to Windows Live Mesh 2011 means that:
Folders sync faster, especially if you're syncing them on a lot of computers.
You can sync folders between a PC and a Mac, without having to sync them on online storage.
Remote connections are faster and let you select the part of the display you want to view.
The Windows Live Devices website replaces Live Desktop—it lets you connect to a computer remotely, browse folders that are synced on SkyDrive synced storage, and see the availability of your computers.
If you're on a PC, install Windows Live Mesh, which comes as part of Windows Live Essentials. If you're on a Mac, install Windows Live Mesh for Mac.*
When you install Windows Live Essentials, Live Mesh beta is uninstalled and Windows Live Mesh is installed. If other users on a computer also installed Live Mesh beta, each user will need to uninstall it before you can install Windows Live Essentials. If you don't want to install Windows Live Mesh as part of Essentials, you'll need to uninstall Live Mesh beta manually first.
Set up each folder you want to sync.
If you want to be able to connect to your PC remotely, click Remote and allow remote connections to it. Note that you can't use Windows Live Mesh to connect remotely to a Mac.
If you had any conflict files from Live Mesh that weren't resolved, browse to %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mesh to find them.
When you install Windows Live Essentials, Windows Live Toolbar is uninstalled. If you used the toolbar to sync your favorites, they won’t sync anymore. You can use Windows Live Mesh to set them up to sync again. For more information, see How do I sync program settings between computers? Note that you can't use Windows Live Mesh to sync favorites on a Mac.
When you upgrade to Windows Live Mesh, you can:
Sync more folders.
Have more files in synced folders.
Start syncing a folder in fewer steps.
Connect to your PCs remotely to get to all the files on them. (You can't browse all your folders and files from the web, only those you sync on SkyDrive synced storage.)
Uninstall Sync.
Install Windows Live Mesh and set up each folder you want to sync.
Keep your documents, photos, and other files up to date on all your computers, whether PC or Mac.* When you sync a folder, your latest files are right at hand even if you're working offline at the moment. You can also sync folders on SkyDrive synced storage, so you can go to the Windows Live Devices website to access them on the web from any computer. To get started, see How do I sync a folder?
Connect to your computers remotely. Leave your PC online and run its programs or get to all its files from another computer. This is handy for "emergencies" when you might be at work and need a file from home. For more information about remote connections, see What are remote connections?
Sync your program settings between computers. Keep your Internet Explorer favorites and Microsoft Office settings up to date on all your PCs. For more information and to get started, see How do I sync program settings between computers?
Windows Live Mesh can be installed on computers running Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and Mac OS X version 10.5 or later. It can't be installed on computers running Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, or Windows Home Server version 1, or on PowerPC-based Mac computers.
When you sign in to Windows Live Mesh for the first time on a computer, the computer is added to the Devices website. You can add up to 30 devices to the Devices website.
* Windows Live Mesh for Mac is available in English only.
System requirements
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