Windows 7: Karen's Replicator - mystery folders

I have just tried KR.

I should start by sharing some information that was not obvious to me as a beginner/amateur, in case it helps anyone else. On the first run it reported that the job was completed successfully with no failures, but it did not copy any files. I have since worked out (by trial and error) that the user account running the program needs to be named in the security permissions lists for each folder to be backed up - it is not sufficient that it is an administrator account and that administrator accounts appear in those lists. This seems odd, but there it is.

Now for my question. When I backup the My Documents folder to a separate external hard drive using the 'echo' function, why do empty My Music, My Pictures and My Videos folders mysteriously appear in the destination folder when they are not in the source folder? And how can I stop them appearing? When I delete them from the destination folder, they reappear when the job is next run.

I do have hidden folders and files visible, so they really aren't in the source folder.

The 'real' My Music, My Pictures and My Videos folders - together with their contents - are copied across correctly in the right place.

This is a nuiscance as well as a mystery - I was comparing the properties of the source and destination folders as a check on the backup process, and this shows as an error.

I have never used KR, but have a lot of experience with a competing product (Second Copy).

Second Copy has a quirk also: it doesn't always delete empty folders on the destination drive. I work around that by periodically running an app designed to delete empty folders.

All I can suggest is digging into help and configuration files and look for very fine distinctions in terminology and switches, such as:

"always copy empty folders" (check or uncheck)

"exact copy" as opposed to "synchronize"

"delete empty folders after copy" (check or uncheck)

Lastly---I looked at KR a few months ago and got the impression it had not been updated recently. That may have a bearing on your issue. You might email someone at KR if they do not have a forum.

ignatzatsonic - Many thanks for your response.

I note that you have not used KR, but logically this seems to be a Windows 7 issue rather than a KR problem. KR seems to be 'seeing' folders in the source - and does so in all four user accounts being backed up - which I am not seeing, but they are very odd folders to have in the My Documents folder.

One further piece of information - the folders and files in all four user accounts were brought across from XP SP3 using the Windows 7 transfer wizzard. I'm not sure why that would make a difference, but it might.

I have tried the KR help files, but they are very limited.

In testing the program and settings, I have tried deleting a folder from the source and it does indeed vanish from the destination, so this does not seem to be the same problem as yours.

Are your "valid" My Music, My Pictures, My Videos folders in the traditional location or have they been relocated??

I'm just guessing that might have something to do with it. I don't use them on my own PC.

I've generally avoided that Windows Easy Transfer Wizard as I found it did not work as advertised. I just backup my stuff manually and then reconfigure applications as necessary. Not that that helps you now.

If you can't otherwise resolve the issue, I assume you can simply ignore the fact that empty folders appear on the destination drive. They do no harm and occupy little space. Probably a better solution than continually deleting them as long as they don't multiply.

They are in the traditional location.

I think I agree with you - this may be one to give up on.

Many thanks anyway.

Paul

You might be interested in the app I mentioned "Remove Empty Directories":

Works well, small, quick;

get it here:

Remove Empty Directories - Freeware for Windows

Highly configurable. It can ignore certain drives, folders, etc, whatever you want. I run it periodically on my destination drive.