SyncToy

An updated version of the SyncToy utility has been released.

SyncToy has been around for some time, and as the name suggests, is a free utility that you can use to keep one or more folder pairs synchronised in different locations. You can synchronise folder pairs across computers, external drives, or networks. This isn't a backup product, it's a useful option to offer clued-up users who would otherwise waste time copying files on a regular basis.

SyncToy 2.0 can be used with Windows Vista or Windows XP. 

If you already use SyncToy and have existing folder pairs, they can be migrated across to the new version, but it makes sense to synchronise them first.

In the new version, there's a wizard that you use to set up folder pairs. You pick two folders, what sort of synchronisation you want to do, and the name for the folder pair. You can choose options such as whether subfolders will be synched, what files should be excluded, and whether to use file checking.

The new version of SyncToy lets you Synchronize, Echo, or Contribute as the synch options. Synchronize copies any new or updated files in both directions. Echo copies from left to right, and any files deleted in the left-hand folder are deleted in the right-hand folder. Contribute copies from left to right, but ignores deletions.

New in this version is the option of synchronising files from multiple folders to the same destination folder, so perhaps from several laptops to a single network folder so a remote team all have the same files.

You can download SyncToy 2 from the Microsoft website.