Need more from Windows Live SkyDrive? Try SDExplorer Advanced 3.5

CloudStorageExplorer.com has released a major update of its paid-for Windows Live SkyDrive Explorer extension, SD Explorer Advanced.  The tool allows users to access their SkyDrive accounts via a drive in Windows Explorer.

SD Explorer Advanced 3.5 introduces a new Background Uploader Module, which simplifies the task of uploading large batches of files to SkyDrive accounts. It also includes a new Tune Up Tool for advanced users wishing to tweak hidden program settings, and an improved MUI (Multilingual User Interface).

SD Explorer Advanced, which is also available in cut-down free form as SD Explorer 3.0 Base, promises a number of features in addition to the basic functionality offered by Windows Live SkyDrive. One of SD Explorer’s limitations is the fact that, as a Windows Explorer extension, it’s limited to uploading files one at a time, so while it’s technically possible to select multiple files and folders for upload, each file is uploaded one at a time.

This limitation led to complaints from users with timeout issues and slow upload speeds, which disrupted the whole process and made the app only suitable for uploading small batches of files in one go.

The Background Uploader Module aims to resolve these issues by allowing files to be processed in a queue – instead of dragging and dropping files into the SkyDrive drive that appears in Windows Explorer, users should instead right-click their selection and choose Add to the SDExplorer’s Upload Queue.

Once added, the Background Uploader Module processes the queue one file at a time without tying up the user. It’s also capable of handling timeout errors by automatically retrying the upload. The queue can be viewed and managed by a Notification area icon, where the user can set different levels of priority for files and make other adjustments as required.

The user can also prevent Windows from going to sleep during the process, then set a specific task when the process is complete, such as shutting down the computer.

SDExplorer 3.0 Base and SD Explorer 3.5 Advanced are available now for free and trial download respectively for PCs running Windows XP or later. A Windows Live account is required for SkyDrive use, and the Advanced version costs $13.75 for a three-activations license that comes with 12 month’s free updates.

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