FreeFileSync and Drive Letters

[feetand nches]

I've been using FeeFileSync and it is a great tool, but a little difficult for me to understand sometimes. One thing I think I'm having issues with is Drive Letters Changing on Backup Drives, Source and Destination. I keep the drives off line for the most part and plug them in when needed.

I wonder if I need to assign Drive Letters to avoid this in the future? But I don't understand how this all works. Can someone give me some advice or and a good link?

Thanks, Nasty7

 

[feetand nches]

This is what I have now. One thing I don't understand is, when I stick in an External Drive, either a USB Flash or other, it is assigning a "G" to it. And today, the second one I plugged in after but while the first was in, got an "I" and not an "H"?

I wonder why the first one (which is a Flash Drive) is not getting a "D"? Is this because I have an Unallocated drive at the end? If so what should I do about that? The unallocated Partition at the end was for Linux, but decided not to Dual Boot my main machine. I could extend that last Unallocated Partition if that would help my cause. Though, later on I may Install Linux to that, I don't know.

The second Drive (Click Free Backup) has more than one Partition on it, so I can understand why it looks weird (not plugged in now). It's an old "Click Free" Backup drive. I'm not using the Software on the Click Free Drive. I tried once to delete all the Partitions on Click Free Drive but could not. I may be able to do it now but would require lots of moving around and Restoring files.

I simply want to designate Four External Backups I use so that the FreeFileSync will recognize them the same each time. I'm just unsure what to designate each on as? please help!

EDIT: Just wanted to add that I did an little reading, and see that it is best to use letters at the end of the alphabet. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

[/IMG]

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

I avoid the problem of drive letters changing on external drives by identifying them in the FreeFilesync profile by drive name instead of drive letter. I give each external backup drive a unique name, then, while setting up the profile, I click on the little down arrow in the field where the destination drive letter goes and select the appropriate drive name.

 

[feetand nches]

That's what I do Lady Fitzgerald, but the letter still seems to change.

I also got a brand new Samsung T5 SSD 500GB, I wonder if I should leave it as exFAT??? All my USB Flash Drives are the usual FAT32. Wouldn't it be better if it were NTFS? for larger files. Not that I have larger files but I believe that is what my other WD Passport is.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

That's what I do Lady Fitzgerald, but the letter still seems to change...

As long as FreeFileSync is set to be looking for the drive name, it doesn't matter what the drive letter is. Note how it appears when set to look for drive names instead of drive letters. You can check



Check here to see more on how to deal with variable drive letters: Variable Drive Letters - FreeFileSync

...I also got a brand new Samsung T5 SSD 500GB, I wonder if I should leave it as exFAT??? All my USB Flash Drives are the usual FAT32. Wouldn't it be better if it were NTFS? for larger files. Not that I have larger files but I believe that is what my other WD Passport is.

I'm a firm believer in, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" I would leave it alone unless you run into an incompatility issue, which is highly unlikely. I don't remember what the actual size limits for exFAT is but the volume, file number, and file size limits are far higher than the largest HDDs available so that won't be a problem.

 

[feetand nches]

I will do better observing and try to see exactly what is going on, and will look at you link.

Thanks, I'm sure this is not over lol. I really need to get my Syncing skills better honed.

I know it is correct when it starts Comparing right away. This time it worked! Of course I made sure last time it was correct and hit the Save Button, but I'd done that before.

Is it normal for it to take so long to "Compare"? Like 30min for 99GB. Is the Paid version faster for this?

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

...Is it normal for it to take so long to "Compare"? Like 30min for 99GB. Is the Paid version faster for this?

How long it takes to compare depends on a lot of factors, such as drive type (HDD or SSD), file size, System specs, hardware, etc. The paid version would be no faster.

 

[feetand nches]

If I'm running the same Sync Profile would it still take this long? Seems like a few times it only took a few seconds.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

It also depends a lot on how much write and delete activity has occurred since the last time you ran it. FreeFileSync (FFS) only looks for writes and deletes since the previous time it was run. If there wenre't very many, it will be fast. If there were a lot, it will be faster.

I'm assuming you are using FFS in Mirror mode for making backups.

 

[feetand nches]

I'm assuming you are using FFS in Mirror mode for making backups.

Yes, and usually only New Writes with some small Deletes or changes to files.

I really appreciate your help again and will continue learning how to use this tool. FFS is quite good, but because of that it is also quite complicated for me anyhow.

I'm going to set up my new Samsung drive, very excited!