XP read only to archive

I have 3 computers:
1. win 98 at home
2. xp-h laptop
3. xp-p at office

I back up to CD-ReWrite for each computer.
I use a USB cable (Pc-Linq) to copy and paste (newest) between computers so that all 3 have the same files as I work at home, atmy clients and at the office.
The problem is that XP tends to save + copy across in READ ONLY attribute, so that when I work on the 98 and try to copy to XP it does not overwrite, and I have to change the attribute, but then the old copy of the XP becomes ?newest? and the file is not copied across.
I am going bananas as I am writing down which files I am modifying so that I will force the copy/paste across.
Is there a way of telling XP to write to ?Archive? mode instead of ?Read? ?