No April joke. Since 1st of April you are able to download the Next Generation Sync Client also for the Operating System Windows 8.1

The new version 17.3.6378.0329 is now available around the globe. If you have subscribed to my blog, you know that I have written, that on Microsoft roadmap the next generation Sync Client should be available at the end of the 1st quarter 2016. Ok, only one day…

But during the last MVP call, Reuben Krippner, Microsoft Director product management, announced the second quarter for GA.

I have had suggested, that there will be an Update for Windows 8.1. Perhaps you know, that OneDrive Personal is integrated in the OS. But this was wrong. And therefore I have to write this blog post, to tell you, If you are a Windows 8.1 user and want to sync document libraries to Office 365, there will be three different sync clients. 

 

SkyDrive.exe	integrated in OS Windows 8.1 Syncs personal data to OneDrive personal. Particularities: Selective sync of data (Old Version) Icon-Color: white
OneDrive.exe	Syncs business data to OneDrive for Business document libraries in Office 365 (fka MySite) Particularities: selective sync of Business data You may add one or more other Office 365 tenants Icon-Color: blue
Groove.exe	Syncs business data to SharePoint Online Team sites and document libraries in Groups Particularities: no selective Sync, All or Nothing, several sync limitations Icon-Color: Blue

I suggest, that changing the Sync engine Skydrive.exe to OneDrive.exe (NGSC) would be not so easy. If you see, that more and more companies will plan to upgrade to Windows 10, than this decision would be much clearer. And in short terms: SkyDrive.exe is running most without any problems.

But with colored icons, the user will have some issues. Where do I find , which programs in which version do I have on my device?

Sync-Client	Version	Path
SkyDrive.exe	6.3.9600.17484	C:\Windows\System32
OneDrive.exe	17.3.6378.329	C:\Users\User\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDrive
Groove.exe	15.0.4805.1000	C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15

 

Where may I download the Next Generation Sync Client?

Here is the Link to the Microsoft OneDrive Site. You may click on both Download Links, colored with green arrows. Both will download the same sync client. But on the right site there is another page with useful descriptions. So administrators have a change, to rollout this client automatically and f.e. connect the NGSC automatically  with the users OneDrive for Business.

If you click on the Download Link (marked with the red arrow,you are able to install a 32- or 64 Bit version of the “old” Groove.exe as a C2R Version. And this download is available in different languages. The NGSC is available also in different languages, but these languages are in the Setup and is based of the language of the OS. The Next Generation Sync Client is only available Click 2 Run Version. The big advantage: Like the components of Office 365, there will update automatically.

By the way, now you do not have to setup a special registry Key, but in Windows 8.1 you are not allowed, to setup a connection to your OneDrive (Personal)

For testing purposes, I have setup two different VM’s (Windows 8.1 and Windows 7), both OSs have been fully patches with all updates. I want to have four different scenarios:

• I want sync my personal data to OneDrive  (part only a part of it)
• I want sync selective data to my OneDrive for Business
• I want to sync data from a team site in Office 365
• I want to sync selective data form OneDrive for Business of another tenant

The last option is not a typical business scenario, but often IT consultants would use it.

 

Windows 8.1

If you see al cloud symbols in the notification area, so after setup it looks like the following:

	Your OneDrive (Personal) is quick identified. It’s the The symbol with the white Color Synchronization: SkyDrive.exe But with the three other cloud symbols you may not identify them without clicking with the right mouse button
	The first line shows – that we have a NGSC client, connected with the tenant HBsoft to OneDrive for Business Synchronization: Next Generation Sync Client
	The first line shows – that we have a NGSC client, connected with the tenant BitTitan to OneDrive for Business Synchronization: Next Generation Sync Client
	and here you connect to not OneDrive for Business with the “old Groove” client Identification: No Cloud symbol in the window Synchronization: Groove.exe Particularities: You cannot identify, which document library you are connect to, but OneDrive for Business as destination is definitely wrong.

If I have a sync issue as a user, first I have to identify, which sync client is having a problem. If you open Windows Explorer, the above configuration looks as following:

OneDrive (Personal) NGSC –> ODFB (Tenant HBsoft) NGSC –> ODFB (Tenant BitTitan) Groove.exe – Team site

Conclusion: Windows 8.1 users must be trained, what’s behind the different sync client symbols

 

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But for completeness here are the other Windows operating systems.
If you work with one of these OS, you only have maximum two sync clients:

 

OneDrive.exe	Syncs my Personal data to OneDrive (Personal) and Syncs my Business data to OneDrive for Business in Office 365 (fka MySite) Particularities: selective sync of Business data You may add one or more other Office 365 tenants Icon-Color: white(OneDrive Personal) blue (OneDrive for Business)
Groove.exe	Syncs business data to SharePoint Online Team sites and document libraries in Groups Particularities: no selective Sync, All or Nothing, several sync limitations Icon-Color: Blue

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Conclusion:

Microsoft closes one more Sync app. But we have to wait until the Next Generation Sync Client is able to connect to all different destinations in Office 365.

The goal is…

… One fully functional Sync client, we may sync to all document libraries (without any errors).

I’m wondering, that Microsoft has not published the GA of the NGSC for Windows 8.1 on the OneDrive Blog, I found the first information published on a support site of Office 365