title: Using git, can I checkout a branch in Visual Studio without deleting the old branch?
body: <p>I'm new to git, and we're just now switching from TFS 2010 to git.  We created a new master branch and 3 subsidiary branches off of the master on our remote server.  I installed the VS plugin and cloned the remote repository, which downloaded all of the master files into the local repository.</p>
  
  <p>Now, when I make a new local branch off of one of the other remote branches, it deletes all of the local files for the master branch and replaces them with the files for the newly checked out branch.  When I checkout master again, it again deletes the new branch locally and replaces it with the master branch.</p>
  
  <p>Is there a way to retain the local files so that switching between branches happens quickly and doesn't have to re-download every file all the time?</p>