Synchronize your network files to your local computer with Windows 2000

To set up your computer to use Offline Files

1. Open My Computer.
2. On the Tools menu, click Folder Options.
3. On the Offline Files tab, make sure that the Enable Offline Files check box is selected.
4. Select Synchronize all offline files before logging off to get a full synchronization. Leave it unselected for a quick synchronization.

Notes

To open My Computer, double-click My Computer on your desktop.

A full synchronization ensures that you have the most current versions of every network file that has been made available offline. A quick synchronization ensures that you have complete versions of all your offline files, though they may not necessarily be the most current versions.

By default, the Enable Offline Files check box is selected in Windows 2000 Professional.

Even if your computer is configured to use Offline Files, you must still select the network files and folders that you want to make available offline.

To view a list of all of the network files that are available offline, on the Offline Files tab, click View Files.

To make a file or folder available offline

1. In My Computer or My Network Places, click the shared network file or folder that you want to make available offline.
2. On the File menu, click Make Available Offline.
   

Important

Make Available Offline will appear on the File menu only if your computer is set up to use Offline Files.

Notes

The first time you make an item available offline, the Offline Files wizard will guide you through the process. When the Synchronizing dialog box disappears, the item is available offline.

Individual files from a shared network folder or an entire shared network folder can be made available offline. If an entire folder is made available offline, any files placed in that shared Folder will automatically be made available offline the next time the computers are synchronized.

If a shortcut to a file is made available offline, that file is made available offline, but if a shortcut to a folder is made available offline, the contents of that folder will not be made available offline.

When the status of your network connection changes, an Offline Files icon appears in the status area, and an informational balloon is displayed over the status area to notify you of the change. If the informational balloon notifies you that you are offline, you can continue to work with your files as you normally do, or you can click the Offline Files icon in the status area for more information about the status of your connection.

To undo making a file or folder available offline, right-click the item and click Make Available Offline again to remove the check mark.