[adifrank]

Hi. I've been using DropBox for a couple of years now but after reading several good things about Windows SkyDrive I finally decided to give it a try as well.
I successfully installed it, so it seems. But I just can't figure out what is what. When I try to log into my SkyDrive account I get to a page called Windows Live asking me to log on to my Windows Live account. Then when trying to access my SkyDrive it asked me again for my username and password. So is this something different? When searching for the SkyDrive application on my system I can only find Windows Mesh, which I think is the same thing, but I'm not sure...
I tried uploading a test file to the could and checking if it synced with my local folder. the upload was successful, but it didn't sync with my SkyDrive folder on my local drive. Also on one of the accounts (can't remember which, either mesh, live or skydrive) it says I have 5GB of storage, while in another it says 25GB.
Anyway, it's all confusing to me. What is Windows Live, what is Windows Mesh and what is SkyDrive? Are they connected? Are they different names for the same thing?
Please help me sort this out. Thanks!

[Advertisements]

Windows Live ID is an identification service. You'll need a LiveID to login and access your SkyDrive, or an Windows Live account. If you already have Hotmail, you can login using that info.

SkyDrive is the physical storage "in the cloud". It comes with 5GB of storage free.

Mesh is the service that syncs your local file or folders with SkyDrive. For example you could link your Documents folder to SkyDrive using Mesh, and then every time you create or update a document, it would also be updated on SkyDrive -- offering both backups and access anywhere.

[admin]

Windows Live ID is an identification service. You'll need a LiveID to login and access your SkyDrive, or an Windows Live account. If you already have Hotmail, you can login using that info.

SkyDrive is the physical storage "in the cloud". It comes with 5GB of storage free.

Mesh is the service that syncs your local file or folders with SkyDrive. For example you could link your Documents folder to SkyDrive using Mesh, and then every time you create or update a document, it would also be updated on SkyDrive -- offering both backups and access anywhere.

[adifrank]

thanks! i think i understand the difference between the three now. nevertheless, it seems that i'm not able to sync my local folder with my SkyDrive cloud storage.
Checking my Mesh Settings - I have verified that my SkyDrive is "up to date". I have also verified that mesh identifies my local folder (which I've named "SkyDrive") with which I want Mesh to sync my cloud-based SkyDrive with.
The next thing I did was a small test. I logged into my SkyDrive account using my internet browser and uploaded a file from my desktop. The file upload was successful and I can see it when accessing my SkyDrive (in cloud) via browser. But when I open my local "SkyDrive" folder - it is empty. Obviously it isn't syncing, although all indications say that SkyDrive is synced and up-to-date.

do you have a clue what the problem could be?

thanks!

[adifrank]

even weirder still....

i added a simple text file to the folder on my local drive which syncs to my skydrive. i've managed to log into my skydrive via browser and see this text file, which i named test_01. but then while on the same page, when i click on the link that says "skydrive" it takes me to what seems to be a different skydrive account - because previously it said 5GB of storage and now it says 25GB. not only that, in this "other account" i don't see the test_01 text file anymore but rather that other file which i uploaded previously (and would not sync with the folder on my local drive). i'm including some screen shots to maybe better explain this...

1. i uploaded a pdf file to my skydrive. the pdf file name is: 120602_NationalGrid_BillPayment.pdf
2. i placed a text file titled: test_01.txt in a folder titled "SkyDrive" which exists on my local drive in my computer. This SkyDrive folder is set up to sync with my skydrive in the cloud.

when going to my cloud skydrive through windows mesh - get to this page:



note that it says 4.99GB free of 5.00GB.at the top of this page (not visible in the screen shot i took) there is a link that says: SkyDrive. i clicked it and got to a different skydrive in the cloud. this time it says 25GB free of 25GB. and there is a folder icon. i clicked the folder and found the pdf file i uploaded. but the text file isn't there. this is what it looks like:




can someone please explain to me what is going on? am i missing something?...
i'm completely confused as to what is going on. thanks!