If you use Microsoft Skydrive cloud storage, you know it has a neat desktop client that automatically syncs content of a desktop folder to the cloud. It uses its own dedicated folder, but if you have existing folders that accumulated photos and music for decades – there’s an easy way to add them as well.

The problem with this approach – Skydrive client will happily sync existing files, but will pass on any new ones added after initial sync. This happens because it cannot detect changes in symlinked folders. If you regularly shutdown/startup your machine – it’s not a problem, when client is restarted it rescans entire content for the changes – and follows symlinks as well.

But if your machine is “always on” e.g. a server there is an easy way as well. Just create an empty folder inside of a “real” Skydrive folder and delete it right away. This, similar to restart, will force Skydrive client to rescan entire content and sync with the cloud. Folder creation can be automated (a batch run on schedule for example) so you will always be in sync.