Re: SyncToy has the capability of destroying your data!

sync toy itself does not
corrupt files. however, it
does not make any decisions on
your behalf and blindly overwrites
files.

this is a good thing when files
are error free.

if your systems encounter corrupted
files, unfortunately sync toy wouldn;t
know the difference and will simply
obey your preset's and copy them over
onto the good files. thus who or what would
be at fault for rewriting good files with
corrupted ones?

sync toy is a pretty good tool. but that
is all that it is. it would be up to the
operator to take into considerations
probable scenerios and manufacture
a methodology to insure loss of data.

for me to say "go ahead and don't worry
about anything in the future would be a bit
irresponsible for me and would be unfair
to you and unfair to the sync toy".

i stand by my original posting.
fortunately, you are the best expert
for the needs of your system.

"Dave-BDV" <DaveBDV@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:0A3D3B62-DB00-4080-ACC1-0E7835735D40@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks for the reply DatabaseBen. Two questions...
1) Is there anything in particular with SyncToy that would cause my file
sizes to go to 0 bytes (you mentioned "a multitude" of files)? I realize
'stuff' happens and maybe I have a corrupted or 0 byte file that has a
newer
time stamp than the good copy of the file on the other system and I could
overwrite the good copy. I'm OK (as I can be) with that - especially since
in
the last 20 years or so I don't recall it happening that much. Don't get
me
wrong... I've lost a whole disk before but not so much on the corrupted or
0
byte file. And I'm guessing any sync program with have trouble with that.

2) I re-read your suggestion about the special folders. but I just can't
see
how this would work for me. I can see if they were different files on each
system and you wanted to back up your main pc on the laptop and your
laptop
on the main pc. But if they are the same files. for example, more
documents
in [C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\MS Word Docs\*.doc] and
most
times I edit these files on the main pc but sometimes I forget and don't
go
over the network or it's not available and I edit them on the laptop. I
need
for those files to be the same on both systems in the end. Unless I'm
missing
something, if I had them each in "special folders" they would never get to
be
the same.

To sum up:
A) If SyncToy does not it itself cause corrupted files or somehow destroy
data, then I'm OK it not knowing a already existing file that is corrupted
or
zero bytes may be copied over a good one. Can someone confirm that 'as far
as
they know' SyncToy' does not do this.
B) If anyone can suggest or clarify a procedure that would even protect me
from the corrupted file scenario given the workflow described above - that
would be great.
C) Given my workflow, should I be using something else? (Although I do
like
SyncToy - if it's not corrupting my files!)

Thanks!

--
\Dave



"DatabaseBen" wrote:

it's quite simple.....

say that you are syncing identical folders
between to machines. then on one machine,
say the laptop, the file sizes were reduced to
zero bytes. But you were not aware of this
and you sync those zero bytes over to the
folder on the other machine. Well, you
would then find yourself with 2 folders
on 2 machines with a multitude of files
that are zero bytes.....

quite simply, why put all your eggs
in one basket when there's plenty of
room in another...


"Dave-BDV" <DaveBDV@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:FB86F65E-760C-416D-A834-CC262942C256@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On 10/22/06, DatabaseBen said in part (more complete quote below):
"(SyncToy)
has the capability of destroying your data under certain and obscure
conditions"

Well I have been using SyncToy for some time now to sync files between
my
3
systems not knowing about this potential. I know this is called a "toy"
but... it's such a great program as compared to LapLink I would like to
continue to use it. I understand the workaround stated below, but that
won't
work for me because of disk space and workflow issues. My workflow is
I
modify most files on system A, and back them up on system B on the 1st
of
the
month and to system C on the 15th. Sometimes I modify the files on
system
B
or C and I want them to make it back to system A too. These are not
just
photos it's just about everything in 'My Documents'
So could someone tell me - should I be using a different program? Or
maybe
DatabaseBen can tell me about when or how the "certain and obscure
conditions" happen so I can avoid them.

Thanks in advance for the help and suggestions!

More complete quote:
"the syncing tool is great as you have recently found out.
however, it also has the capability of destroying your
data under certain and obscure conditions.

If you make backups frequently, then you have some
protection. But I would suggest to use your main pc
as a storage device for those laptop files you can
to maintain on both sides.

Please consider simply making
a special folder on your pc for those laptop files. And
make a special folder on your laptop for those pc
files you want to sync.

You can create synchronization
for these. It may sound like duplication. But it is better
to be safe and have usable copies than to discover later
on that you have none...."


--
\Dave






.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: SyncToy has the capability of destroying your data!
    ... corrupt files. ... sync toy is a pretty good tool. ... I re-read your suggestion about the special folders. ... system and you wanted to back up your main pc on the laptop and your ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.photos)
  • Re: windows/system32/config/system is corrupt or missing
    ... "How to Recover from a Corrupted Registry That Prevents Windows XP ... Also when I put my WINDOWS XP HOME EDITION SP2 in my laptop ... I even tried to put the boot up files on my USB ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: If anyone has been in contact with me re Pursglove or Poole since sept 2005 HELP!
    ... Had a major failure of the laptop with all my genealogy records. ... I did have an incremental back up on CDR/W, but this was corrupt! ...
    (soc.genealogy.britain)
  • RE: Repairing XP
    ... been changed or corrupt, and will replace them from files on the CD. ... the laptop? ... > and some applications don't launch anymore. ... Error is "Error performing inpage ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: Calendar wont sync OTA on Moto Q
    ... if you can sync via USB then it is something else anyway. ... Clinton Fitch, MVP-Mobile Devices ... up to sync via USB and it will pick up his calendar w/o issue. ... I tried to determine which items in his calendar were corrupt by looking ...
    (microsoft.public.pocketpc.activesync)