I'm incredibly dissapointed with Offline Files in Windows 7 RTM. I thought that Microsoft would fix the syncing issues that plagued Vista and Windows 7 RC. Offline Files ran perfectly in Windows 7 beta (not RC), and in the beta it worked better than in it did in Windows Vista. Somewhere between Windows 7 beta build 6000 and RC build 7100, offline files became virtually unusable. After installing a fresh copy of Windows 7 RTM, Offline Files seemed to work ok until I restarted the computer. Then all of the Offline Files related features just dissapeared again after a simple restart. What happened is that I synced all my files on a mapped network drive by selecting the "Make Available Offline" option that showed when right-clicking on the folder. It went through the process of syncing the files and I saw a green check in the offline files icon in the Windows task tray after it completed successfully. Then I simply restarted my computer. After restart the "make available offline" option is no longer available, and offline files no longer syncs. After spending 2 hours of troubleshooting, disabling/re-enabling offline files, clearing the cache and reinitializing the cache, I could no longer get Offline files to work at all. So I reintsalled Windows 7 RTM again. Same issue. It worked IMMEDIATELY after a clean install, but after restart it no longer worked.I'm very dissapointed as Offline Files was a critital feature I used frequently to synchornize important business data between my notebook PC and the server PC at the office. After spending a grand total of 9 hours trying to get Offline Files to work, I've given up entirely. Microsoft should just remove the Offline Files feature all together and save us the grief. There isn't anything "out of the ordinary" with my setup. Simple network, no special software on the computers that would interfere with Offline Files or anything. And what's frustrating is that the Beta version of Win 7 actually worked with NO problems.Is it possible to get support from a Microsoft software engineer who knows a lot about Offline Files? I went through frustrating time dealing with non-U.S. Microsoft telephone support during the Vista days trying to get Offline Files to work, and would rather speak to a realsoftware engineer. Can anyone point me in the right direction to get real support?

I saw this post just below yours-here. Leave or turn off homegroup.The problem with troubleshooting is that trouble shoots back.

I saw this post just below yours-here. Leave or turn off homegroup. The problem with troubleshooting is that trouble shoots back. Thanks for the heads up. However I never use homegroup in Windows 7 and joined to the network as a work network type, not home. And homegroup automatically disables when you select "Work Network" instead of home.

Eriq07,Searching TechNet reveals this to be an issue for users and administrators as well. I found this interesting article herewith a five checks in a grayed out hyperlink in the last q & A. This author has other articles also. I searched TechNet with "offline file sync fails" and found many various hits.There are various client side issues that can cause the problem as well as server configuration. Good Luck, you are not alone.The problem with troubleshooting is that trouble shoots back.

Hi Eriq, did you ever get to the bottom of this? I'm having the same problem. Running Vista Ultimate, joined to work domain. I have a home directory (mapped to H:\) which was enabled for offline when I used Vista & XP. For whatever reason there is no option to enable offline when I right click any folder or file within my H drive. Thanks

Hi Eriq, did you ever get to the bottom of this? I'm having the same problem. Running Vista Ultimate, joined to work domain. I have a home directory (mapped to H:\) which was enabled for offline when I used Vista & XP. For whatever reason there is no option to enable offline when I right click any folder or file within my H drive. Thanks No, I even duplicated the issues on another computer. It's definitely a bug that needs to be worked on. All Offline Files related options are gone when I right click on any network folder. It worked after a clean install of Windows, but after syncing a small folder full of documents and restarting the computer, the options are all gone again.

There are two sides to this issues as I mentioned in a previous post.The first is how Win 7 interacts with different versions of Windows Server. Depending on the version, the server Administrator needs to modify the group policy settings for your user profile in Windows 7 for the offline file synchronization. The second is the client side settings for the user profile.You may not be the only user on the mapped drive and therefore can't sync the whole drive.Possible workaround: Create a folder in My Documents, perhaps (named mapped drive name or whatever you like), copy all of your mapped drive folders and filesto it. Then set the new folder in My Documents for sync and offline. Change something on the server sideand test it. This would attempt to sync only your folders and files and not the whole drive.Again, my advice is to speak with the server Admin to ultimately resolve the issue with the correct configuration.ASUS P4PE-P4 Extreme 3.4gHz-2gb G.Skill PC3200-XPSP3:55gb-Win7RC:17gb-DATA:500gb-ASUS N6800GT

Thanks for your reply, but I'm not running Windows Server anything. This is also a home-office environment. I'm trying to sync two computers that are both running Win 7. My notebook is running Win7 RTM, and my desktop (server) PC is running Win7 RTM. So no group policy settings to modify or anything (although I tried that too a while back, to no avail). I do have a server running Windows 2003 Server, but I'm not interacting with that server in any way, nor is there a domain configured. I don't login using a server/domain account. Just client-to-client only. Same username and password is used on both computers (my notebook and desktop PC)...

Did this ever get resolved? I'm wanting this feature, but it looks like I need to upgrade from Windows 7 home premium to Biz or Ultimate to get it. However I don't want to do it if it doesn't work.

I bought another notebook and re-setup everything again (same folders & settings). Had some initial issues but the folders I needed available offline finally synced on the new notebook. Didn't do anything differently. The original notebook I had the issue with is still having problems. But I don't get it. The original notebook is actually a faster model with an intel processor. Fresh install of Windows 7 and everything else I mentioned in previous post. But offline files refused to work properly. Only offline files. I set up the new notebook exact same way I setup the original notebook with same Windows 7 CD. So I have no clear answer as to what happened differently and why it finally worked--albiet a bit slow due to the frequent indexing.

My IT guy cannot figure out yet either. I gave him a suggestion that would probably help my whole office: "Macintosh" I am really unimpressed with Windows 7 as well as Windows mobile. Microsoft has lost its way.

@TMS101 - Not to play thread police, but OSX doesn't even have anything like Offline Files to the best of my knowledge. I, as a user, would appreciate only seeing helpful comments. Also, no one calls them "Macintosh" anymore. :p

I have found the Offline files worked through a shortcut on the desktop. If you go to network on your desktop, and wait for the servers to appear, and browse the server to where your documents are located, and drag and drop that on to your desktop, it should work off line. If you just dragged a short cut from the library after making My Documents available off line, it wont work (usually) Thats my way around it any way, it works for me. So give it a try if you guys have not already done so. Regards

I found this on another thread and it worked in my case - the Offline file database was just corrupt from the manufactures install/deployment - this forces a format on the database. To reinitialize the Offline Files cache, create the following DWORD registry value with a value of 1 and restart the system. HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\CSC\Parameters\FormatDatabase *Note that any unsynchronized changes will be lost. In addition, any files and folders pinned by means other than Folder Redirection or Group Policy will no longer be pinned on that client.* I addeded the DWORD value and set it to 1 then rebooted. After rebooting, I was able to use Offline Files.

Hi Chad The "HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\CSC" does not exist. Should I create one? FYI I'm using windows 7 64bit Home Premium. TIA

Hi Tierra, You need to go into the Regedit (type regedit into the Search programs and files box). Then browse under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then the the rest of the path... System\CurrentControlSet\Services\CSC It is there on a x64 Win 7 Pro Machine. Not too Sure about windows 7 Home, but i would have thought it would be. Let Me know Regards Mike

For home use, I'd recommend Windows Live Mesh. You can sync files across any topology where the machines can both see the internet. The closer they are, the faster the sync. What's nice is it's automatic even when you aren't on the same lan.

For home use, I'd recommend Windows Live Mesh. You can sync files across any topology where the machines can both see the internet. The closer they are, the faster the sync. What's nice is it's automatic even when you aren't on the same lan.

For home use, I'd recommend Windows Live Mesh. You can sync files across any topology where the machines can both see the internet. The closer they are, the faster the sync. What's nice is it's automatic even when you aren't on the same lan.

Hi, You could enable the offline files in Windows 7. You could either use the normal way or by using the command prompt method. By using the command prompt method, you need to use one command in the search box. You need to type “sc start CscServicecommand” in the command prompt. The net start CscServicecommand also can be used to start the offline services. After starting the offline files, you need to use command “sc config CscService start= auto” to enable the offline services in Windows 7. If offline files are disabled, and if you want to start the service first thing you need to do is change the start type to enabled or manual and then start the service. After this you could type the “sc config CscService start=” manual command in the box. After this start offline files service with “net start CscService” or “sc start CscService” commands. Get more information to fix Offline Files issues in windows 7 : http://supportformicrosoft.iyogi.com/windows-7/windows-7-offline-files.html Hope this information helps you.