Free File Sync app needed

[techguyone]

I need to be able to keep whole folders synched between the pc and a removable drive (large amounts of data)

I have been using Allway Sync which works great but... apparantly with the number of files I move, it requires me to upgrade to the pay for version.

Does anyone have any suggestions, I need to be able to:

update multiple files/folders (allway let you have seperate 'tasks' within the program)
have it work on a task scheduler (allway let you specify 'x mins' where it would go away and check to see if the files had changed)
not have it choke when it compares thousands of files and syncs

 

[InsaneNutter]

Has the program got to be free? If not the program your using at the moment has had a bit of a price cut, its now $20.

Windows can synchronise files between two pc’s, I’ll admit I’ve never used it but it sounds like it should get the job done quite well.

You might want to have a read of this guide on how it can be done in Windows here: Beginners Guides: Synchronizing Files and Folders - PCSTATS.com

 

[techguyone]

Free is better, I'm using Vista so no offline files or briefcase, I did experiment with MS Sync Toy but that doesn't work correctly with task scheduler.

I may have to buy the pro version of allway but just wanted to see if anything else was out there that fit the specs.

 

[InsaneNutter]

If you looked in Vista control panel, there is a “Sync Centre” in there which appears to do something with offline files, you can also create a briefcase by right clicking somewhere and selecting new > briefcase.

I’m guessing you have played about with that? If not they looks to be an article/guide showing how it works here: Keep everything in sync with Windows Vista's Sync Center

 

[techguyone]

Sync centre won't work

The article mentions the mobile device needs to be 'sync compatible' some MS thing that I don't have on my pocket drive I guess.

 

[techguyone]

I was being cheap, I brought the reg code pro version (£14)
I don't think its going to break the bank

 

[InsaneNutter]

That’s not bad all! A lot cheaper than I thought. Before I looked up the prices I thought it was going to set you back loads.

 

[techguyone]

No I can't complain really, the app does work pretty well, and its currently comparing 4 jobs with 27,832, 4,253, 35,031, and 209 files (128 Gigs) every 10 mins and also upon media drive insertion detect.

I'm just trying to make sure if my PC hard drive goes pop then I'm not in trouble with data loss. I used to back up onto tape, then CD/DVD but this is definately the easiest no-brain (once you define the jobs) solution

 

[InsaneNutter]

A Raid 1 array is also a good way to project against hard drive failure, whatever data you have on one hard drive is basically mirrored on to another drive. You don’t have to do anything except replace a drive if one was ever to fail. There are downsides to this like you could get a virus that deletes all your data. It would be gone from both drives then.

I usually just copy my documents to an external drive every couple of weeks and keep an extra backups on an old 120gig drive that’s in my pc.

Sounds like a good backup plan you have there