Is it possible to synchronise certain Windows 7 settings. Things like the wallpaper you use for instance, or the programs that are stored in the start menu.
Or the programs that are docked next to your start button etc.
asked Sep 19, 2012 at 12:20
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I don't know a sync tool. But I do use a script that I apply to any new computer (or user account). It sets things like the wallpaper and the pinned programs in the start menu and the super bar. Every time I make a change to my standard configuration, I also need to update the script. Not very user friendly but we are superusers here.– Peter HahndorfSep 23, 2012 at 19:44
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My solution: get windows 8. It does that all for you, except maybe the programs in start menu. Depends on whether its a metro app or a desktop app.– James MertzSep 23, 2012 at 21:18
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@KronoS Do you have any source for that? Something I can read into?– Bram VanroySep 24, 2012 at 8:18
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1arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/06/… ... Also from personal experience with Windows 8.– James MertzSep 24, 2012 at 15:43
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You want to do this for two or more separate computers or just for some kind of backup?– poz2k4444Sep 29, 2012 at 22:43
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2 Answers
The only official transfer tool I know of Windows Easy Transfer, which however does only files.
See this article for details : What is Windows Easy Transfer & How to Backup Your Data for Transfer.
However, there are no tools that can transfer installed applications. Such a tool is even unlikely to exist, because of copyright reasons.
Most commercial products will naturally try to make it as hard as possible to copy a paid application to a second computer without paying for it.
The only truly transferable applications are portable applications.
Most of them are listed on the PortableApps.com website.
[EDIT]
You say that you are only interested in docked programs.
I know of no product that transfers these, but I added below some helpful information.
Windows 7 taskbar pinned icons are stored in two locations:
- File System:
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar - Registry:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Taskband
Unfortunately, the registry information is binary-coded, so transferring it is all-or-none. In addition, the User Pinned folder is only created after the user has pinned at least one icon to the taskbar.
To deploy this, you would need to:
- Configure the pinned items on the source Windows 7 computer
- Export the above registry key to a file (say pinned.reg) and save the contents of the User Pinned folder
- Copy these to the target computer: The pinned.reg file by executing it and the shortcuts by copying to the User Pinned folder (which may require creating).
Please note that I have not tested this procedure. Also, any programs whose icons you transfer should have been installed in identically-placed folders.
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1I don't think you understand what I mean. I don't want to transfer programmes, but if an application is installed on both machines and if it is docked on one machines, it should also dock on the other. I know that this might sound stupid, but it would save me some trouble. Sep 24, 2012 at 8:16
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you could use dropbox to sync your user folder. simply install dropbox and change the folder where it stores your dropbox to c:\ or d:\ where ever. then create a directory junction for your user folder
mklink /j c:\Users\Userfolder c:\Dropbox\Userfolder
Everything including what wallpaper you use and all your registry settings and startmenu and so on is stored in your user folder. That should work ok. files that are in use will only sync on reboot I think.
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I fear for the safety and reliability of this though. Doesn't this mess up my registry? Not all programmes that are on one computer are also on the other. Sep 21, 2012 at 8:21
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1My user folder is several gigabytes in size. I wouldn't want to sync that over the internet. Also I wouldn't want all the files in there to be on dropbox just so I can sync some shortcuts. Sep 23, 2012 at 19:39