Work Folders: a new feature of Windows 8.1

If you browse the (desktop) control panel on a Windows 8.1 system you may notice a new entry there that you may not have seen before. Work Folders is listed there only if you switch from the default basic view to list view that is displaying all control panel items at once.
When you click on the feature, you find out that it can be used to make work files available "on all devices you use, even when offline", but that is about it. Not that helpful. A blog post by Nir Ben-Zevi back in July about the feature in Windows Server 2012 R2 sheds some light:
Work Folders enables IT administrators to provide Information Workers the ability to sync their work data on all their devices wherever they are while remaining in compliance with company policies. This is done by syncing user data from devices to on-premise file servers, which are now extended to include a new sync protocol.
Work Folders explained
The core idea behind work folders is to support the "bring your own device" work scenario, by enabling employees to bring their own devices to work. Work folders are used to store and access work files on those devices and all other computer systems the user has access to.
The benefit for users is that the data is stored directly on their devices so that they can access it from anywhere. Employees can work on documents on company computers or on personal devices, and have the documents synced automatically between the devices.
To set up Work Folders, simply click on the link in the control panel to do so. You are then asked to either enter your work email address, or enter a work folders url instead.
This works very similar to how SkyDrive or any other file synchronization service works. The core difference here is that the data is not stored on a third party server, but on a company server so that organizations have full control over the data at all times.
Other benefits include the option to encrypt data with self-generated certificates, and that all work folder files are synced in full and do not appear as placeholder files on the user's computer system.
Work Folders are built-in to Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 exclusively. Microsoft does have plans to bring the technology to other Windows operating systems and even other platforms such as Apple's iPad.
You can read up on other requirements over at Microsoft Technet.
In short, it requires:
- A Windows Server 2012 R2 (Preview) server
- An NTFS volume to store user files
Additional requirements for syncing data over the Internet:
- A server certificate from a certification authority.
- Making the server accessible from the Internet.
- A registered domain name and a public DNS record for the domain.
The feature appears limited in its current state. There is no collaboration built-in for now for example
Work Folders Video
Closing Words
Work Folders could become a killer feature of Windows 8.1, considering that it addresses a core issue that organizations face these days: how to make data available without sacrificing privacy or sharing the data with third parties in the process.
While it is certainly limited right now, a free self-hosted file synchronization solution will certainly be appreciated by many.
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What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help