Notes on Syncing & Protecting Your Files

When you log in to a computer at Viking, the computer pulls all of your files from the file server. When you log out, the computer sends all of your files back to the server, but also keeps them on that computer. Therefore, there is a copy of your files on every computer you have logged into. The purpose of this is twofold: 1) to backup your files in case of a crash; 2) to quicken the saving process while you're working (even though logging in and out takes much longer).

As long as your files are saved in the standard folders (Desktop, Documents, Music, Pictures, Movies, Downloads), they are blocked from other people seeing them.

Some staff have noticed that they can see other people's files when logged in as themselves. This is because some people have moved files outside of those standard folders. Here is how to correct that:

•Open your Finder by clicking the blue head on the dock.
•In the sidebar, click on the the Home folder (picture of a house with your name next to it).
•check that ONLY the following items are in there (click on image to enlarge).



If you have other folders or files in there, drag them into one of the other folders.



Your new folder configuration will write over your old configuration the next time you log into a computer you have used before.


OTHER NOTES ON SYNCING:

When you log in to a computer, that computer will contain the most current copy of your files - even more current than what is on the file server. Therefore, when you log in to two computers at the same time, you are confusing the file server!

You are able to log in to a different computer than you normally use, but make sure you are logged out of the 1st one before logging in to a 2nd one.

If you are only going to use the Internet and don't need your files, then you can STOP the syncing when it begins.

If you allow it to sync to another computer when you are already logged in somewhere else, then upon logging out, you will get one of these messages:

This message means that you are logged in somewhere else, and if you sync from this computer, then the most current files will be on the server, and NOT on the other computer that you are logged into. If you still want all of your files from the 2nd computer transferred to the server, then choose sync now. If you did not make any changes to your files and don't need to transfer anything back to the server, then choose sync later.


This message means that you WERE logged in to 2 computers, but have since logged out of the 1st one. Therefore your most recent files are now on the server. They did not get transferred to the 2nd computer because they were still on the 1st computer when you logged into the 2nd one. If you made changes to your files on this computer, then you want to choose Mobile Home, and it will transfer the files from that computer back to the server. If you did NOT make changes and do NOT need anything transferred to the server, then choose Network Home. If you choose Sync Later, then it will ask you again next time you use that computer.

To avoid either of these confusing messages, ONLY LOG IN TO ONE COMPUTER AT A TIME.