How to Sync Files the RIGHT way (Windows only)

06 Sep 2010

Support Center » Knowledgebase » How to Sync Files the RIGHT way (Windows only)

	How to Sync Files the RIGHT way (Windows only)

Solution I'm going to let you in on a little secret I found. It helps synchronize files between directories. It is "holy---- easy to use," as one contributor put it.

A long time ago (2002), clients started using the Microsoft Briefcase to sync files between folders. But even a long time ago, the Briefcase was deeply troubled and non-functional as an actual sync assistant. Drag-n-drop is usually better than Briefcase.

If you've got a savvy computer person, you would have probably found out about batch files and a program called Xcopy. Batch files use simple DOS commands to copy files from point A to point B. And it’s free. But its power is its weakness in that if you don't set it up right, you will lose some changes in the sync. Xcopy will overwrite blindly and is not "smart" enough to realize which files are newer, unless you write code to make it happen.

Of course there's a huge selection of not-free software known as shareware (where you're supposed to share some money with the author). Most of these solutions are equal or inferior to Briefcase. Plus, there are so many to choose from, it is a waste of time to try them all ... and be disappointed. So that's where the collective consciousness we call the Internet comes into play.

You want the best? Usually Google knows what that is, today. Google took me back to ArsTechnica (a great site) and that's where I found a group of know-it-alls who actually did. They mentioned a program developed for photographers who needed to sync pictures between two folders. I tested it out and I strongly recommend it. It's called SyncToy2.0 and it's a Microsoft product, hence the "Windows only" tag on the title of this article. It really IS "holy---- easy to use!" It's so easy; I'm not even going to tell you how. Download link follows.

If you have two folders that are in need of a smart, easy-to-use sync, then you've found it here. Comments welcome!

Ref:
Answer Line, Lincoln Spector, Nov 26, 2002
SyncToy 2.0, Microsoft, Aug 15, 2008
Xcopy Switches: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289483, Jan 31, 2007

SyncToy v2.0 Download link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=c26efa36-98e0-4ee9-a7c5-98d0592d8c52

Article Details

Article ID:

Created On:

11 Jul 2009 10:15 AM