SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  The Lounge    Best way to sync a folder between two computer locations?
Page 1 2 
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
Best way to sync a folder between two computer locations? Login/Join 
Go Vols!
Picture of Oz_Shadow
posted
I need to know the best way to sync a folder between my computer and a shared folder on a separate machine, actually a QNAP NAS but I may do this with other machines and folders.

I do have Acronis True Image 2020 as well.

Here is an example of what I want to do:

If I put a Pictures folder on my desktop where I add photos from my camera, I would like it to automatically have a copy placed in the folder on the other machine - the NAS in this case.

What I would prefer not to be possible or at least minimized is the chance that the folder on the NAS could lose any of the files either via accidentally deleting if possible, by avoiding them being overwritten.

I would prefer this be via my copy of owned software and not with a third party storage box.

As mentioned, I may also use this means for a similar scenario involving Word documents and PDF files.
 
Posts: 17887 | Location: SE Michigan | Registered: February 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of P250UA5
posted Hide Post
DFS?

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-...system-dfs-functions

Outside of my SOP at work & our network guy is out today.




The Enemy's gate is down.
 
Posts: 15318 | Location: Spring, TX | Registered: July 11, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Optimistic Cynic
Picture of architect
posted Hide Post
If you are doing this to a NAS, why not just use a share provided by the NAS?
 
Posts: 6470 | Location: NoVA | Registered: July 22, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nullus Anxietas
Picture of ensigmatic
posted Hide Post
I've used a (Unix/Linux) utility called rsync to do that. It was designed for that kind of thing. It's got extensive configuration options. But configuring and deploying it is not for the faint of heart.

Rsync I believe is now available for every extant platform on the market.

But I'm curious as to why you'd want to do that in this case? Other than for redundancy/backup purposes, I'd instead create the repository on the NAS and share it to the computer(s) to which I wanted to grant access.

In general terms it is unwise to have the same files exist in multiple places. Particularly if the files are subject to modification. (E.g.: Living documents.) Had many people at my old job disregard that caution. They inevitably ended-up shooting themselves in the foot.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
 
Posts: 26009 | Location: S.E. Michigan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of fwbulldog
posted Hide Post
Win 10?

Sync


_________________________
You do NOT have the right to never be offended.
 
Posts: 3017 | Location: Round Rock | Registered: February 11, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
אַרְיֵה
Picture of V-Tail
posted Hide Post
DropBox?



הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
 
Posts: 30669 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of erj_pilot
posted Hide Post
^^^^^^
I was thinking along the lines of TeamViewer (file copy/transfer function), but I think the OP wants the sync done automatically without having to physically intervene and babysit the sync process...



"If you’re a leader, you lead the way. Not just on the easy ones; you take the tough ones too…” – MAJ Richard D. Winters (1918-2011), E Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne

"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil... Therefore, as tongues of fire lick up straw and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their roots will decay and their flowers blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord Almighty and spurned the word of the Holy One of Israel." - Isaiah 5:20,24
 
Posts: 11066 | Location: NW Houston | Registered: April 04, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nullus Anxietas
Picture of ensigmatic
posted Hide Post
Plus he's asking about local mirroring, not something out on the 'net.



"America is at that awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system,,,, but too early to shoot the bastards." -- Claire Wolfe
"If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living." -- Seneca the Younger, Roman Stoic philosopher
 
Posts: 26009 | Location: S.E. Michigan | Registered: January 06, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nosce te ipsum
Picture of Woodman
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by V-Tail:
DropBox?
Exactly. As well as iCloud. Except ...

I would prefer this be via my copy of owned software and not with a third party storage box.

Government specification, no doubt. Hush-hush. Black cloak operation.
 
Posts: 8759 | Registered: March 24, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of bigdeal
posted Hide Post
If you simply add the file to a folder in either MS OneDrive or Google Drive it will automatically move between all your machines. Short of that, just have Acronis do an incremental backup of your desktop machine daily to the NAS. Not as quick as the online options, but the files will end up where you want them daily.


-----------------------------
Guns are awesome because they shoot solid lead freedom. Every man should have several guns. And several dogs, because a man with a cat is a woman. Kurt Schlichter
 
Posts: 33845 | Location: Orlando, FL | Registered: April 30, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Git?
 
Posts: 2541 | Location: KY | Registered: October 20, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of cyanide357
posted Hide Post
Assuming this is on the same network, it sounds like Syncthing would probably be a good fit. I think there is even a QNAP app/installer for it (may depend on the QNAP NAS model?).

https://syncthing.net/

Sounds like it would be perfect for your purpose. You can set the transfers as a one way sync (changes only sync one direction) or not to delete files on the remote copy if deleted on the source. Lots of flexibility in the configuration options. Can setup multiple folders to sync as well.
 
Posts: 249 | Registered: November 24, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Better Than I Deserve!
Picture of LBTRS
posted Hide Post
Google Drive does this for me.


____________________________
NRA Benefactor Life Member
GOA Life Member
Arizona Citizens Defense League Life Member
 
Posts: 4986 | Location: Phoenix, AZ | Registered: September 23, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Be not wise in
thine own eyes
Picture of kimber1911
posted Hide Post
SyncToy 2.1



“We’re in a situation where we have put together, and you guys did it for our administration…President Obama’s administration before this. We have put together, I think, the most extensive and inclusive voter fraud organization in the history of American politics,”
Pres. Select, Joe Biden

“Let’s go, Brandon” Kelli Stavast, 2 Oct. 2021
 
Posts: 5267 | Location: USA | Registered: December 05, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
His Royal Hiney
Picture of Rey HRH
posted Hide Post
Here’s my understanding of syncing files in two locations. If you change a file, the mirror gets changed automatically even if the change is not something you intended. Same for file deletions.

Here’s what I do: when I’m done working for the day, I copy my documents folder into a drive with folders for Monday, Tuesday, etc. When I drag and drop, I get a message for same file names, I select let me decide for each file, I then select to override the files. The ones with same size and dates aren’t processed.

This way if I discover an oops, I have 6 directories I can go back to.



"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946.
 
Posts: 19663 | Location: The Free State of Arizona - Ditat Deus | Registered: March 24, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Go Vols!
Picture of Oz_Shadow
posted Hide Post
I think I found the answer. QNAP has a addon called QSync. It lets me pair two folders and keep them synced. I can add an option where if I delete a file in the synced folder on my computer it will still stay in the NAS folder. I am testing it.
 
Posts: 17887 | Location: SE Michigan | Registered: February 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
quarter MOA visionary
Picture of smschulz
posted Hide Post
If your files are available through the network then why do you need them on your computer or multiple computers?
Backup strategy?
 
Posts: 22907 | Location: Houston, TX | Registered: June 11, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of fpuhan
posted Hide Post
If you're using Macs, there are a couple of very good, free programs available on MacUpdate.

Two that I have used, when I had a need to, were FreeFileSync (and its companion program, RealTimeSync) and SyncTwoFolders (which, coincidentally, is the subject of your post!) .




You can't truly call yourself "peaceful" unless you are capable of great violence. If you're not capable of great violence, you're not peaceful, you're harmless.

NRA Benefactor/Patriot Member
 
Posts: 2857 | Location: Peoples Republic of North Virginia | Registered: December 04, 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Go Vols!
Picture of Oz_Shadow
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by smschulz:
If your files are available through the network then why do you need them on your computer or multiple computers?
Backup strategy?


We want to be able to access them from multiple computers and add more photos from any computer. It’s also a second copy that will be used for a third backup to a portable hard drive to take elsewhere.

Also, the NAS can be accessed from anywhere.
 
Posts: 17887 | Location: SE Michigan | Registered: February 10, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ignored facts
still exist
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by senza nome:
Git?


You're kidding ---right?


----------------------
Let's Go Brandon!
 
Posts: 10926 | Location: 45 miles from the Pacific Ocean | Registered: February 28, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
  Powered by Social Strata Page 1 2  
 

SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  The Lounge    Best way to sync a folder between two computer locations?

© SIGforum 2024