Windows 7 Syncing Folder Between Drives

DirtRider

Well-Known Member
I am looking for a free application for syncing folder between drives in real time, Windows 7 & XP :confused:
 
Yes but it is not what I really need, I need an application for this function that will work the same on XP & 7. The closest I have found is Synctoy that I can run as a schedule. I had a program once that would check the source folder and when anything new was placed in it or a file changed it would copy it across. This was an old apps and I cannot remember what it was called
 
Ok, you've got me slightly confused...

In your first post you said "between drives"...
Are we now talking "between two computers" or "between two drives on the same computer"?
 
Ok this is how I need to use it. One the one PC Win XP I need it to copy from the HD to an external drive. One the second PC Win 7 it must copy from a network drive across to another network drive. The first PC is not such a big deal if it is done on a schedule as this is more a backup system . However the second PC network to network is a live setup so the files need to be the same almost immediately. I will have a look at Robocopy thanks
 
In response to your original post, which I see now didn't tell the whole story, I would say that you already have the program you need on your PC. It's called XCOPY and it's a DOS program that can be run from a DOS Batch file and can even be put in the task scheduler for timed backups.
I have my own XCOPY batch file set up to back up all my documents, which includes all my pictures, music, etc. to my backup drive.
Aslo my Wordperfect files, all my email files from OE and all my saved info from Mozilla Firefox.

It copies only files which have the archive bit set, meaning they have never been backed up, and files which have been changed or new files.
If I run it often, it only takes a few seconds to complete and I didn't have to add any more software to my PC.

I've always liked doing things with DOS which is already included for FREE in every version of Windows.

Good Luck,
Old Timer :cool:
 
It's called XCOPY and it's a DOS program that can be run from a DOS Batch file and can even be put in the task scheduler for timed backups.

Ah yes I remember DOS :eek: Used to run my first BBS on DOS. Did pages and pages of scripts just to get the simplest thing to do something. We ran at a staggering 400bps on dial-up those days. Finally technology progressed and we all rushed out and purchase our super fast modems 14400bps :razz:
 
I can't help but wonder.....how many older users are still doing a lot with DOS, like doing their backups, formatting new HD's, and running diagnostics and utilities from a DOS boot disk,,,,,,

But, are just too embarrassed to admit it.:confused:

I started out somewhere around 1980 with a Commodore 64 and Commodore Basic.
I wrote a whole office accounting package including inventory in C-64 Basic. At the time I thought it was pretty neat.:tongue:

It was a big deal, the day I finished building my XT Clone and loaded DOS 2.0!
And I thought, "who would ever fill up a 20 Meg Hard drive?";) Ha! Ha!

Oh how times have changed. But DOS still has a big place in my daily PC life.
I doubt that will ever change. It takes a little while (or more) but every new hard drive I get, gets partitioned with FDISK and then formatted in DOS Format. That tests and verifies every sector on the HD, so I know it's safe to load up with an OS. I've actually had brand new HD's, right out of the box, fail that test.:(

Cheers mates!
Old Timer :cool:
 
I use DOS commands a lot... but not for formatting a HD...

With today's larger disks you will very quickly run into the partition size limits in FDISK.

If you want to do a hard disk, use Disk Manager. It will do a surface scan and verify all sectors, just be shure not to check the "Quick Format" option. Or if you want to really check it do a quick format then use CHKDSK /f /r D: in a CMD window yes it takes a very long time, but you know the disk is good.
 
Hmmmm! I've heard that before, about FDISK, but it depends on what version of FDISK you're using.
I've set up all my DOS boot disks with a format that I performed on a PC running Windows ME.
My DOS utilities disk, floppy, CD or flash drive all use the DOS commands from W-ME.
It's much more capable than the DOS from Win-98.

When I set up a new HD, I set the first partition, which I will later use for an OS, to about 30 gigs. Then I set part #2 to use the rest of the disk.
Likewise when I format with Format.com. I format the first partition, no problem.
When I go to format the much larger D: partition Format shows an incorrect size, but,,,,,it will continue formatting till it reaches the last sector on the drive. Again, no problem.

The largest HD I have is a 500 gig and my technique has worked just fine.
Having a hard drive manager like Partition Magic 8 or Easus Partition Manager on a boot CD or flash drive is also very helpful in setting up a brand new HD.
Both work well to partition and format a new HD.
I even found a Portable version of one of the Partition Manager programs that runs great from any CD or flash drive, without ever being installed in Windows. That's been extremely useful!

There are just so many things that work better from a DOS boot disk, especially when you don't have a computer running Windows, YET.

Cheers mates!
Old Timer :cool:
 
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