In this article we will explain the process of file synchronization and show you the two major methods of synchronization within Windows XP. The most typical example of a situation where you might want to use file synchronization would be an office worker who uses a laptop both at home and on the network at the office, or one who uses a laptop to take work home. File synchronization allows all the work done at home to be instantly added to the work desktop as soon as the laptop is connected to the office network.