Windows 7 - How to sync 2 folders?

Hi everybody,

I have a folder(with many picture take over 10 years) that I want to sync with my other computer over my network.

Does windows 7 have a sync tool that I can copy a folder to another place?

Thanks!

Hi rambytes,

I'm looking into it.

Just one word of caution, synchronizing if not set right can lead to loss of files.
(especially the direction of synchronizing is important)

Get back to you on it asap.

Greetz

With XP, i've use Sync Toy from Microsoft.... but if Windows 7 have a native sync program, i prefer to use this one

there's no in built way to do this. You will need 3rd party software.

Instead of Sync Toy, can you suggest a good software (and free of course)...

does sync toy not run on 7? coz if it does you should use that. the prog i use isn't free

Well, I have tested a bit with the "Sync center" of Windows 7 and it works on the basis of "Offline files".

This is a bit different than the sync options of 3rd party tools.

I'll explain the difference.

With 3rd party tools usually there are two identical folders on both machines.
In your case that would mean, first copy the whole folder with pictures to the other computer, and then setting up a sync relationship.
And set the direction it has to synchronize in, and what to do with duplicates etc.


With Windows 7 it goes like this:
You have to activate offline files, and reboot.

Then you can browse your network computer, select the folder that you want to be able to use offline, rightclick it and select "always available offline"

Now when you are indeed working offline, your Windows 7 computer will remember the changes.
As soon as the other computer is started up, the Windows 7 comp will apply the changes you made (synchronize). that can be edited files, but also new files you added, or files you deleted.

The upside of this method is that you won't lose the space of the files on both computers, only on the parent computer.

The downside is that you don't really have duplicates of the files.


From what I understand your purpose is to have a second (backup) set of the files because you are afraid to lose them in case of disk failure.

If that is the reason, then I recommend using a 3rd party synchronizer.

A couple of months ago, I installed a very simple to use 3rd party tool at someones computer.

If you are interested I'll look it up.

Hope this was helpful

Greetz

Yes, you're right... I have a lot of picture (over 3,400) taken over the years and I only want to have a "copy" of them in another place... so if i have a disk failure, I still have a copy in another place.

So i will need a 3rd party software.... i will try the Sync toy and check if it's compatible with Windows 7 (i'm pretty sure)

and thanks ALOT !!!

Be very careful!!

Wrongly set sync, can lose you the files.

Make a backup first before you do anything with sync.

sync toy should do the trick