Question about Outlook Express

I bought a SkyDrive subscription a few months ago.

At the time, I was using a Dell XPS601 PC.
Now, I use a Dell XPS8700 PC.

I still use my XPS601 but my main machine is the 8700.

Problem is, on the 601, when I clic the SkyDrive icon in Windows Explorer, I can see the whole content of my SkyDrive.

Every file and folders are available for me to interact with.

But not on my XPS8700?

I have downloaded and installed the SkyDrive desktop app.

In IE10, I can easily browse all of my SkyDrive content.

But on my XPS8700, for the life of me, my SkyDrive folder is EMPTY?

At work, on my Thinkpad, I downloaded and installed the SkyDrive desktop app too.
And I can see the whole content of my SkyDrive on my Thinkpad as though they were on my local hard drive.

I just tried installing the SkyDrive desktop app on an HP Pavillion PC we have in our house.
Same results. As soon as I finished installing the SkyDrive app, it seems its content is forever empty?

So, begin to see a pattern emerge here.

I hope this is just an issue of user ignorance?

Is it possible that :

a) the fact that my "SkyDrive files" are available on my XPS601 PC and my Thinkpad PC is precisely because the files actually reside physically on both local hard drives?

b) after freshly installing the SkyDrive app, and not having selected ANY files off SkyDrive for synchronizing, is it possible that the "local SkyDrive" remains empty?

Is it possible that the purpose of the SkyDrive desktop app is just to facilitate file transfers between a local machine and the SkyDrive folder in the cloud? In other words, one of the purpose of the SkyDrive app is just to act as a background task to shuffle files back and forth between a local machine and SkyDrive?

I think I have the SkyDrive desktop app all wrong?

I was under the impression that the SkyDrive app would help me remotely navigate my SkyDrive without being connected through Internet Explorer?

I was Under that impression because at work, on my Thinkpad, and at home, on my Dell XPS601, I *can* see the whole content of my SkyDrive whereas on my new Dell XPS8700, none of my SkyDrive files are visible!

Talk about confusing.

I carefully combed through all SkyDrive FAQ before posting.

Sorry if this has already been answered.