Author |
Message |
jaylach
|
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 8:16 pm |
|
|
Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
|
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9455 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
|
I am just at the beginning of getting serious about using Sync Tot but immediately saw a lacking capability. So what is Sync Toy? It is a free program supplied by Microsoft that allows you to synchronize data between pairs of folders on your network or hard drives. The problem that I see with Sync Toy is that it all has to be done manually to an extent. You initially set up your folder groups to sync (VERY easy to do) but must manually launch Sync Toy to do the actual syncs. Here is a link to schedule Sync Toy to automatically do its thing when you want using Windows Task Scheduler. There are numerous steps to follow but it looks to be fairly simple if you exactly follow the instructions. http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/25046/sc ... windows-7/Note that I have not done this yet but the instructions look proper and should work.
|
|
|
|
|
sboots
|
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 8:30 pm |
|
|
Site Admin |
|
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:48 pm Posts: 2954 Location: New Jersey
|
_________________ stephen boots Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020 "Life's always an adventure with computers!"
|
|
|
|
|
jaylach
|
Posted: Fri Sep 11, 2015 8:39 pm |
|
|
Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
|
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9455 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
|
Oops! I corrected my initial post to include the link to the How To Geeks site which is the one I meant to include. This looks like it could be a REALLY cool aspect as I don't want to be bothered with manually running a sync every time. If this actually works ( I don't see anything in the instructions that would make it seem to fail) it would make Sync Toy go from a useful utility to a VERY powerful data backup system. Annnnnd... LOL! There was a link! Just not enough. Underlined and colored blue is a link to a description of Sync Toy.
|
|
|
|
|
sboots
|
Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2015 10:15 am |
|
|
Site Admin |
|
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:48 pm Posts: 2954 Location: New Jersey
|
Links! Links! Links! All good, Jay.
_________________ stephen boots Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020 "Life's always an adventure with computers!"
|
|
|
|
|
bbarry
|
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 4:43 pm |
|
|
welcoming committee |
|
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am Posts: 2406 Location: North Central Arkansas
|
Jay & Steve - I want to use SyncToy on my new computer simply to back up 6 folder pairs to an external drive. I created the pairs and then clicked on Run All. Everything worked as advertised, and all my folders were copied to my external drive.
Then I went to Task Scheduler to automate SyncToy on a weekly basis. In the referenced 'howtogeek' link, it says "in the Add arguments box, enter –R to run all of your syncs each time."
Well, I added the R but nothing ran last night as scheduled. Instead, I got a popup window that said it didn't like the argument R (I forgot the exact wording of the popup). My specific command line was: C:\ProgramFiles(x86)\SyncToy2.1\SyncToy.exe -R
Any ideas/recommendations on what I am doing wrong in trying to automate SyncToy? Thanks.....
|
|
|
|
|
jaylach
|
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 4:47 pm |
|
|
Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
|
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9455 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
|
I forgot about this thread. I didn't spend a lot of time but never got the automation to work.
|
|
|
|
|
bbarry
|
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 4:51 pm |
|
|
welcoming committee |
|
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am Posts: 2406 Location: North Central Arkansas
|
jaylach wrote: I forgot about this thread. I didn't spend a lot of time but never got the automation to work. Do you know if Patty got it to run in automatic mode? I know she is a big proponent of SyncToy.
|
|
|
|
|
jaylach
|
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 4:56 pm |
|
|
Resident Geekazoid Administrator |
|
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:09 am Posts: 9455 Location: The state of confusion; I just use Wyoming for mail.
|
To my knowledge she never tried but we'll have to wait and see what she says.
|
|
|
|
|
MacDuffie
|
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 6:34 pm |
|
|
Fearless Leader |
|
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:42 am Posts: 2819
|
Hi all. I don't want my data backup to be automatic. I already get that with File History. I want to be able to sync data when I want, when the data is in the proper form that I want. It takes mere seconds to fire up Sync Toy, either run a single folder, or run all folders.
Also, the key to getting what you want with Sync Toy is in the definitions of the type of synchronizations. It is one of the more awesome features of the program, and I don't know that any other program gives you those options (Synchronize, Echo, Contribute to). I choose different options depending on what is appropriate for the folder I am backing up.
_________________ Patty MacDuffie Computer Haven Administrator
Live Long and Prosper Mr. Spock
|
|
|
|
|
bbarry
|
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 6:45 pm |
|
|
welcoming committee |
|
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am Posts: 2406 Location: North Central Arkansas
|
OK, I did some more internet research, and according to the majority (but not all) I have been using the wrong command. There are two executable files in the SyncToy folder. I was using "SyncToy.exe" instead of the other "SyncToyCmd.exe".
Specifically, here is what I found out that I should be doing: "Within the Program/script: field, browse to the SyncToy directory and specify the SyncToyCmd.exe file (C:\Program Files\SyncToy 2.1\SyncToyCmd.exe)"
So I will try that tonight and let you know what happens.
|
|
|
|
|
sboots
|
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 9:28 pm |
|
|
Site Admin |
|
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:48 pm Posts: 2954 Location: New Jersey
|
It has been so long since I've used SyncToy. I currently use GoodSync, which I bought several years ago, to synchronize data that isn't synchronized using OneDrive. And my primary PC (and my wife's) are both backed up pretty much continually using CrashPlan. -steve
_________________ stephen boots Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020 "Life's always an adventure with computers!"
|
|
|
|
|
MacDuffie
|
Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2016 10:33 pm |
|
|
Fearless Leader |
|
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:42 am Posts: 2819
|
How does GoodSync compare with SyncToy, Steve? What made you decide to go for the paid program? Cost?
_________________ Patty MacDuffie Computer Haven Administrator
Live Long and Prosper Mr. Spock
|
|
|
|
|
sboots
|
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 8:09 am |
|
|
Site Admin |
|
Joined: Tue Apr 10, 2012 9:48 pm Posts: 2954 Location: New Jersey
|
Basically, I read about Goodsync and decided to try it out as I'd encountered a few rather minor issues with SyncToy (I can't remember what they were, that's how insignificant the reason!). I was pleased with the capabilities and performance, so I decided to purchase it. -steve
_________________ stephen boots Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020 "Life's always an adventure with computers!"
|
|
|
|
|
bbarry
|
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 10:03 am |
|
|
welcoming committee |
|
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 12:47 am Posts: 2406 Location: North Central Arkansas
|
Last night SyncToy worked as advertised in the automated mode.
I had previously used the command "SyncToy.exe -R" in the script. When I changed to "SyncToyCmd.exe -R", the automated mode worked.
|
|
|
|
|
MacDuffie
|
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2016 10:57 am |
|
|
Fearless Leader |
|
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 5:42 am Posts: 2819
|
OK, cool. Thanks.
_________________ Patty MacDuffie Computer Haven Administrator
Live Long and Prosper Mr. Spock
|
|
|
|
|
|