FreeFileSync RealTimeSync

[feetand nches]

I'm running the free version of FFS and I cannot get RealTimeSync to work. Of course I don't know what the hell I'm doing haha, but I gave it a go with the limited directions on their site.
RealTimeSync

As a test I'm trying to sync a two folders on my desktop.
Source: FFS TEST-2
Destination: FFS TEST-3

I tried all the directions on their page and then some of my own insanity to get things to work. It is beyond me why they don't leave some good examples as how to use the tool?

Please don't leave directions for someone who already understands advanced command prompt uses. I am all but a beginner with all that command stuff.

I am using the tool to sync my other external drives but just wanted to try this function out and put it to use.

Thanks, Nasty

 

[file3456]

I use this program myself, only I have my two drives sync on computer start.

You're main thing is the ffs_batch file. If you look at that screenshot you see this:





At the end there is what you need to concern yourself with. Of course you first need to create the ffs_btch file with the program by selecting source and destination folders or drives and set the settings. Then you create that ff_batch file.

 

[feetand nches]

I followed the directions on the site and they did not work, which is the same thing you are saying to do.

Just realized they have a video for this so will take a look.

UPDATE: The video was not helpful.

 

[RolandJS]

I have the same problem, will follow thread alongside you, awaiting the solution.

 

[file3456]

I'll see about trying this tonight on my desktop.

 

[feetand nches]

F22 Simpilot, I would be tickled to death to learn how to use this super tool! I fear that it is not supported in the free version, though cannot find documentation to confirm that. I'll be looking forward to your findings.

 

[file3456]

I got it to work. It is really simple. I'll go through it step by step.


1) Open FreeFileSync and chose your source folder or drive and destination folder or drive. Chose the type of synchronization. I like two-way.

1 - Images Guru


2) Now go to Save as and save as a batch job.

2 - Images Guru


3) Now in the FreeFileSync directory open RealTimeSync.exe. Drag and drop the batch job over the very top part of the screen.

3 - Images Guru

That's it. FreeFileSync should now be in your task bar actively monitoring folder or disk changes. I don't think this will be persistent across PC boot cycles though. To do that follow these steps:

1) Take your already created batch file and use Task Scheduler to run the batch file every time the computer starts or at intervals.

Alternatively.

2) Download and install Startup Control Panel and add the batch file path to the Startup (common) tab. Do this by right clicking in Startup Control Panel and chose add.

Download Startup Control Panel Standalone Version - MajorGeeks

 

[file3456]

though cannot find documentation to confirm that.

Documentation is in the install directory in a PDF.

 

[feetand nches]

I'll give it a go asap, thanks F22 Simpilot!

 

[RolandJS]

F22Simpilot -- I copied your excellent post into an email and emailed to myself -- will copy it into a text file or html when home. Thanks for that post! At school, on a chromebook, not much can be done, yet.

 

[file3456]

So did it work?

 

[feetand nches]

Very sorry for the late reply. My health is not good and having to work and take care of other family members is getting to be to much for me.

I just used your excellent tutorial and it worked great! I will also come back today after doing some more testing. I need to check about it working on a Reboot, and if not will follow the rest of the tutorial.

Really happy to be using this Simpilot and would not have been able to do it without your help. I will be using that tutorial for years to come as a reference, as I assume many others will also! And it is of course backed up to a Word Document. Good Work, very good work sir!

I've donated to the dev also, but after not being able to use some of the functions and not getting help on his forum I stopped. Even though I am strapped for money I think these guys and girls deserve money for their work so I will be back there with my Paypal payment!

 

[file3456]

Good to hear.

 

[feetand nches]

Definitely don't work over a reboot! And I definitely need to put it to work now. I will find a test scenario to try it out once I make that change to add it to Startups. Once I get comfortable with it, I may change the way I backup stuff, but old habits die hard.

Right now I don't even keep my documents Locally, which would work well letting this Sync to a backup once it is plugged in. Wich is where I might go when I move to Windows 10, from 7. Right now I am using USB Flash Drives to keep all my files on, and syncing my main flash to Three others for protection. I only Keep certain things locally, not as important, but lot's of iso's, tools/software etc. So again, I may evolve in my backup scenario and start using this if it proves solid. I may start keeping my files locally, syncing to main flash drive with Real Time Sync, and syncing to the others manually once a week.

Good stuff, thanks again!

 

[feetand nches]

Does the Startup Control Panel not work in Windows 10, sorry, should have mentioned that. I use Windows 7 as my main machine, but for this test was using Windows 10.

I tried what you said and read all I could on the majorgeeks page to no avail. When I Right Click in the "Startup Common" Tab all I get is "New" and when I try to browse to the batch file it does not recognize it?

I guess I'll try the Task Scheduler in windows 10 this time.

I failed with Task Scheduler also, seems like it want's an .xml file and not a batch file? Sorry, I know nothing about .xml and batch.

 

[file3456]

Okay, it looks like StartUp Control Panel doesn't like that file type, nor does Windows Task Scheduler. So here's what you do.

Say your Free File Sync file is on C drive named BatchRun_HD.ffs_batch. Yours would be named differently of course. What we are going to do is create a Windows batch file to invoke that Free File Sync batch file. So here's how to do it.

Open Notepad and add this line:

START C:\BatchRun_HD.ffs_batch

Adjust that batch file name to yours and its path on where it's located on your computer. Now save it as a name.bat. Make sure it has .bat at the end there. No put that .bat file somewhere on your computer like in C drive. Now if Startup Control Panel works in 10, then simply right click under Startup (user) and add that batch file you just created. On computer start up it will invoke that Windows batch file and in turn invoke that Free File Sync batch file.

Make since?

 

[file3456]

What we are doing here is creating a batch file for a batch file. If Startup Control Panel doesn't work in 10 (this program was written during XP), then use the Windows Task Scheduler to launch your new Windows batch file.

 

[feetand nches]

I will try that! In the meantime, do you know if FFS creates a Recycle Bin in the destination Drive? I ask because all of a sudden I have a Recycle Bin on my backup drive. The backup is a Samsung T5 SSD.

The weird thing is, I don't see a Recycle Bin on my USB Flash Drives in which I use the same exact settings?

Thanks, Nasty

 

[file3456]

I think it does and that setting looks like it's here. See pic.

 

[feetand nches]

Sorry Simpilot, I should have said I always choose "Permanent" for that, and again don't see these on my USB Flash Drives, but only on the #1 Sync job I'm doing below. I was under the impression that Recycle bin was not supported when the source and destination are both external drives?

1. I have one Sync I am doing that all of a sudden has the "Recycle Bin" in it. This one is from my Samsung T5 SSD to another HDD External Backup drive of the HDD Type. The Samsung is of course exFAT file system as that is what it came with so I didn't change it. These are just backup files of all types. I don't really expect an answer or a fix as I'm always copying all kinds of files to this drive, and it could just be something I'm doing by accident. I don't ever recall Copying over a Desktop or anything that would put a Recycle bin in the root of the Drive.
Come to think of it now, I did manually Delete some files from that Source Samsung SSD Drive just prior to this, but had Deleted files from it before and there was no Recycle bin created then?

2. The second is from my Main USB that I work with every day, personal and computer stuff. This is Mirrored to Three other USB Flash Drives as exact backups. I do not see any Recycle Bin on those, as I think it should be.

No problem if there is no answer, I will try to reason why it happened. Just wanted to know if others had seen this happen?

Thanks, this is a great tool, and has been working for me well, but it's just a little over my head to use it really well. I used Grsync on linux for quite a while and eventually needed a good windows based tool. Grsync does have a windows version but not as good as FFS.