Microsoft previously announced that it will be retiring Windows Live Mesh, the file syncing service, in favor of SkyDrive on February 13, 2013. Now that date is fast approaching and once again the company is advising the remaining 25,000 users that it is time to leave behind Mesh and migrate to SkyDrive.
What’s next
If you are still one of the remaining users in WLM, you should start taking care of business like making sure you download all the files stored in the service, because after Feb. 13th, all data in the cloud service will no longer be accessible; sync between computers and remote desktop will also stop working. As Microsoft points out, if you are actively using Mesh, files should be updated in your computer. If this isn’t the case, there are instructions on how to get your data.
After Feb. 13th, all data in the cloud service will no longer be accessible, sync between computers and remote desktop will also stop working.
About features
Let’s talk about features, basically most of the features that you got accustomed to in Windows Live Mesh are in SkyDrive. With SkyDrive you will still get peer-to-peer syncing, and you can share documents with people you may choose. As for the remote desktop, even though this isn’t a feature in SkyDrive, it is a feature that can be compensated by other means. For example, no too long ago I showed you how to create a Windows 8 VPN server in your own computer and be able to fetch files as well as use Windows Remote Desktop Connection — Still in Windows 7? We have you covered as well. There are many other remote access solutions like TeamViewer and LogMeIn, but of course, depending on how you use them, they will cost you some money.
Goodbye
Next month will mark the end of Live Mesh after almost five years of the first beta release, back in 2008. In Windows Live Essentials 2012 the company removed the client replacing it with the Windows Desktop version of SkyDrive and since then users has been slowly, but sure, migrating to the new service, making the departure of a great service for many users nothing to be worried about.
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].