Microsoft SyncToy v2.0

[Chris Gohlke]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=C26EFA36-98E0-4EE9-A7C5-98D0592D8C52&displaylang=en' target='_blank'>http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...&displaylang=en</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"There are files from all kinds of sources that we want to store and manage. Files are created by our digital cameras, e-mail, cell phones, portable media players, camcorders, PDAs, and laptops. Increasingly, computer users are using different folders, drives, and even different computers (such as a laptop and a desktop) to store, manage, retrieve and view files. Yet managing hundreds or thousands of files is still largely a manual operation. In some cases it is necessary to regularly get copies of files from another location to add to primary location; in other cases there is a need to keep two storage locations exactly in sync. Some users manage files manually, dragging and dropping from one place to another and keeping track of whether the locations are synchronized in their heads. Other users may use two or more applications to provide this functionality. Now there is an easier way. SyncToy, a free PowerToy for Microsoft Windows, is an easy to use, highly customizable program that helps users to do the heavy lifting involved with the copying, moving, and synchronization of different directories. Most common operations can be performed with just a few clicks of the mouse, and additional customization is available without additional complexity. SyncToy can manage multiple sets of folders at the same time; it can combine files from two folders in one case, and mimic renames and deletes in another case. Unlike other applications, SyncToy actually keeps track of renames to file</em><em>s and will make sure those changes get carried over to the synchronized folder."</em></p><p><em></em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/dht/auto/1219885972.usr10.jpg" border="1" /></p><p>I installed this yesterday and I really like it.&nbsp; It has finally let me set up backups the way they should be done and should be much speedier.&nbsp; I've actually set it up to do three separate synchs of my user data (which totals 82 GB).&nbsp; The first synch goes to a second hard drive installed in my PC.&nbsp; I set a Windows task to automatically perform this synch ever time I boot up.&nbsp; A second synch occurs weekly to network storage.&nbsp; Finally I set up an on-demand synch with a USB drive to let me quickly update my off-site backups.&nbsp; Now that they are all set up, synching the changes will be MUCH quicker than the full backups I was previously doing.&nbsp; Plus, having a fully automated synch will protect me from my own laziness!</p>

[marlof]

I used SyncToy a lot on my old computer. With the new one, I switched to the freeware Karen's Replicator (http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp). It does a similar thing, but in the end I found it slightly easier to setup (especially in scheduling). What I like about products like this is that it copies full files, and when you're looking for a file in your backup, you're not stuck with a compressed format that needs a seperate application.

[signothefish]

Another recommendation for Karen's Replicator. Been using it for years now. It's indispensable.

[Chris Gohlke]

Yep, scheduling is the one place I see SyncToy as lacking. At least they recongnized this enough to put right in the help area how to set Vista and XP to do the scheduling for you.

[Jason Dunn]

Myself, I use SyncbackSE. It's not free, but it's pretty cheap and is absolutely fantastic:

http://www.2brightsparks.com/syncback/sbse-features.html

[txa1265]

Sad ... I have been using Vice Versa free edition for many years ...

ViceVersa - FREE!
This software is copyrighted - Copyright 2001 TGRMN Software

heh ... I just installed this and also downloaded the other one! Thanks for these!

[JesterMania]

This type of software was what I was looking for all along. It sure beats using a backup/archiving tool to create a huge archive and having to delete and re-create it everytime. With this software, I can set up multiple sync profiles too so I can keep my backup HD partition, PSP, Pocket PC, and Nokia N95 all in sync. Awesome! I just select which profile and tell it to do an Echo and all done.

[Kursplat]

Jason, SyncBack looks nice. I haven't tried it yet, but from the feature list, I will probably end up with the Pro version. I often have to sync/back up 10s of thousands of files, so it sounds like the Pro version is better suited for that. Plus I like the idea of scripting support if I want to really get fancy.

[palur]

I could not sync the storage card in my pda with any folder on the computer. It does not let me select the Storage card at all from the PDA, though it can see under the hierarchy.
Pchh!

[Chris Gohlke]

palur - is your storage card listed at an actual drive letter?

[Jason Dunn]

Jason, SyncBack looks nice. I haven't tried it yet, but from the feature list, I will probably end up with the Pro version.

Yeah, I've been using the SE version for a couple of years and really like it. Very solid, no problems so far.

[palur]

It shows under Computer-->XDA-->Storage Card.
Thank you
Pradeep

[JesterMania]

On first try, it appears there is something wrong. Over 1000+ files could not be synced due to "Error: Cannot read from the source file xxx. Access is denied.". I don't know if this is a problem with Vista 64-bit or the program itself. I had to sync multiple times until the errors went away. :confused:

[Chris Gohlke]

Did you look at the log to see what they were? I had errors, but since I was backing up my entire user folder, they ended up mostly being files in the browser cache since I was surfing while backing up.

[Rob Alexander]

I've been using Second Copy (http://www.secondcopy.com/) for this type of thing since 1998 and it has always been great. It's small, powerful, flexible, reliable and inexpensive. I played around with the previous version of SyncToy, but it lacked a lot of the flexibility of file selection and scheduling that second copy has.

Recently, I added Memeo Autobackup to the mix. It came with my Seagate FreeAgent Pro external drive and is also very good. I like it better than regular sync tools for my one-way backup to the external drive because it logs all of my file changes as I make them and then does the backups whenever the computer goes idle. It'll even log changes when the external drive is disconnected, then catch up when you plug it back in.

But for synchronizing between my home and work computers, where the changes can occur on either side, there's nothing like Second Copy.

[JesterMania]

Did you look at the log to see what they were? I had errors, but since I was backing up my entire user folder, they ended up mostly being files in the browser cache since I was surfing while backing up.

Thanks Chris, I just found out that it was due to my anti-virus scanner AVG Free. Everytime a file is read, the resident scanner analyzes the file. Apparently, it was not "releasing" the file on time for SyncToy to use. Disabling the resident AV scanner worked great!

[rzanology]

can anyone explain how this differs from foldershare? I've been using foldershare for a looong time now, and im very comfortable with it. is this worth using if i already have folder share?

[Jason Dunn]

can anyone explain how this differs from foldershare? I've been using foldershare for a looong time now, and im very comfortable with it. is this worth using if i already have folder share?

The only real difference is that SyncToy can push files from one location on a PC to another location - FolderShare is more computer to computer.