How to sync folder between multiple computers? (desktop, hard drive, email)
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What is best way to sync a folder between multiple computers?
I just tried OneDrive, but all files are saved to OneDrive, and it is not good experience to run some VBA programs (excel files) under OneDrive. So I gave up OneDrive.
How about Google Drive? It is good that I can keep the folder in local hard drive, then sync the folder to Google Drive. Now what is the next step? How to sync the folder from Google Drive to another computer?
I use both. What exactly is not working on OneDrive? If I create a file it gets saved to both my local drive and the cloud. I haven't noticed a problem.
I use both. What exactly is not working on OneDrive? If I create a file it gets saved to both my local drive and the cloud. I haven't noticed a problem.
I want to use personal hotmail for OneDrive to sync data, while I have to use another different email associated with Office 365 sign in. The system gets somewhat complicated, and keep pushing me to sign in with hotmail when I deal with microsoft files in OneDrive.
In short, OneDrive does not work well with Office 365 files signed in with a different email address.
But I have set up with Google Drive at this moment.
Yes, OneDrive and Google Drive both work with the account/email you are logged in with. If you set up OneDrive using a different account/email, then having multiple Microsoft accounts/emails would complicate getting the cloud storage service to work the way you want.
Of course if you use Google's cloud service, it doesn't care about what Microsoft account/email you are logged in with.
As asked by others, what type of files/data are you trying to share/sync between computers?
Also, where are these computers located, same location/network or at different locations/networks?
For example; if both computers are connected to the same local network (LAN), it could be as simple as sharing a folder, then you can access it from the other computer, map it as a network drive then use just about any folder/drive sync app to manage it.
Try tools like SyncThing or Gs Richcopy 360 ,both offer advanced features and flexibility, and allow two-way syncing between different cloud storage providers, NAS devices, and local drives .
Require some technical knowledge to set up but offer greater control over synchronization.
Will the tool do it correctly? If we try it, one area that should be of major concern is that we could be entrusting the tool to update/delete our files correctly as part of the syncing process. That logic failed me, as the syncing tool I was using at the time (may have even been SyncThing) lost some of my files. So since the very tool that was supposed to safeguard my files actually did the polar opposite...lost some files, I decided to stick with mainstream OneDrive and Google Drive for my Windows and Google devices. Of course cloud-based anything has pros and cons, but at least now I don't lose files, and I access them anywhere with any device.
Will the tool do it correctly? If we try it, one area that should be of major concern is that we could be entrusting the tool to update/delete our files correctly as part of the syncing process. That logic failed me, as the syncing tool I was using at the time (may have even been SyncThing) lost some of my files. So since the very tool that was supposed to safeguard my files actually did the polar opposite...lost some files, I decided to stick with mainstream OneDrive and Google Drive for my Windows and Google devices. Of course cloud-based anything has pros and cons, but at least now I don't lose files, and I access them anywhere with any device.
Could be the tool but also free cloud portals, as claimed by users, to have had lost files permanently as well.
Ultimately, if the files are that important and irreplaceable, cloud backup/synching should not be the only backup method.
Syncthing is OK, comparable to most other similar tools. GS RichCopy 360 is not a free tool and one could use free alternative such as the older Robocopy GUI, RoboMirror, Easy Copy or MS RichCopy. All these tools are very effective and best of all; free.
So, using a Windows PowerShell or batch script, very easy to backup files to an external media or local NAS. Then use one of the free cloud synching apps for redundancy. Abandoned free tools like Toucan was actually very good in the sense that it offered synching as well as backup.
OEM external backup drives come with their own software but I have yet to see one that is straightforward and intuitive.
Synch can be dangerous for those who doesn't want anything at either end deleted by the process because due to the nature of synching and settings of the particular app, either the source or the target can have files deleted if one end was missing the files that the other end had.
If you are using a script or app that simply copies new and/or modified files to target, that is a much safer method, imho. Files at the target drive should not be deleted or updated until/unless the user does it manually.
A backup execution can easily be added as a scheduled task or the script shortcut be put on desktop or even in the startup to make it easier or more automated. There is so many different ways of going at it that I could write pages.
Wait, I think I already have written a bit too long...
Final note; only thing more important than what method the user is using for file backup is, actually regularly doing the backups which some fail at.
Agree with TurcoLoco and Also I would to say Trying is the best practice in your case and as I said before using SyncThing or Gs Richcopy 360 will not waste your time because both are easy and full featured .
RoboMirror, Easy Copy, MS RichCopy and Robocopy are a free copy good tool but there are some limitations , so I recommend to check Pros and Cons for every tool .
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