SYNCH OneNote ??

Question

What does SYNCH do? Am asking cuz NOWHERE can I find exact details, e.g.

say I have two books, and

• identical but changed font size on one page
• identical but one changed section(TAB) name
• identical but moved 5 lines of text to start of same section(TAB) from lower in same section

AND

• does it work to make the "oldest item" identical to its "newest counterpart" ?
• can one do SYNCing within books on PC without an internet connection?

If it matters to answer, I am using

OneNote® 2016 MSO (Version 2407 Build 16.0.17830.20056) 64-bit

on Win10 PRO.

Answer 1

Hi, have you ever connect to another computer through LAN?

Can you open the path G:/blah in the file explorer now? Can you open the notebook in missing path through OneNote?

Answer 2

1. I never meant to use cloud or OneDrive, etc. It happened accidentally. I never want to log on MS. Somehow it just happened.
2. during that period ON must have put itself up into cloud.
3. subsequentially I have tried to delete all ref on OneDrive from my PC. Probably not totally successful.
4. yes, I have edited on both sides/books

5a. properties on one book points to C: and I see the resulting structure.

5b. properties on 2nd book points to G: which does not exist on my PC.

5c. where on my PC is this book?

Answer 3

If you have edited on both sides (the copy and the synced one), I am afraid that you have to merge them manually. If you can confirm you have only edited on one side, you can just delete the unedited one.

I am not clear about what you said on the cloud ver., typically, the notebook properties would show the notebook is stored in OneDrive.

Answer 4

Thomas, thx for the quick reply. I understand UR answ.

I take it from UR answ I should NOT even try synch.

So, how then, do I "merge" 2 notebooks that have, maybe,

10-20% differences somewhere on some page in some section?

This situation came about (as best I can guess) cuz at some time

I used 1Drive and MS Acct, and a copy got up to cloud. Then I realized and made a copy (?) on C:. Thereafter did not realized which I was updating. The cloud ver (labeled G: in properties) is somewhere on my

PC in //apps/MS/blah/blah/blah.

I made backup of both to flash drive but dont know how to use it

for desired purpose. I have ~60 sections/tabs in each book.

Answer 5

Hi d-penny,

Welcome to Microsoft Community. Syncing is not for merging 2 different notebooks. It is used for making the same notebook synced across different device. For example, you have a pc and a phone. If you edit the notebook in your pc and sync, the changes will be reflected on the phone. So sync within one device is nonsense.

As long as no conflicts. the changes will be merged automatically, otherwise, you will be prompted you need to resolve the conflict.

Best Regards,

Thomas.L - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist