BitTorrent Sync is a torrent client that doesn't need torrent trackers. It is also a tool for synchronizing files between devices: personal computers, laptops, tablets, etc. During synchronization, data is transferred via P2P protocol, bypassing the remote server, i.e. synchronization and data transfer is carried out between devices, ensuring that the transmitted data does not fall into the wrong hands. The fact of the security of data exchange is reinforced by the use of encryption.

Functioning principle

Using the client, you can share your files with your friends, relatives, work colleagues, or synchronize your files between different devices. Each folder that is shared receives a private key. Share this key with the people you want to share your files with, or use it yourself, on your other devices, to sync files. It is enough to install the client on another device, enter the secret key, and now, after a while, your files are synchronized.

Attention! Synchronization and exchange of files between devices is possible only if the devices are turned on and connected to the Internet. They will find each other themselves, using the mechanisms of the P2P protocol.

BitTorrent Sync is ideal for sharing photos and home videos with family and friends around the world. It is ideal for group, distributed work between people.

If you saved the installer to disk, then go to the download folder and run the BTSync.exe file.

It is advisable not to uncheck the boxes here. The first checkbox will add an exception for this application in Windows Firewall, the second will make the application launch at system startup, and accordingly, the files will be constantly synchronized between all devices.

We press Install !

Initial setup

Installation is instant, right? This is the window:

Allows you to either create a new folder to sync files between devices, or sync a folder with files on this device with a folder on another device. Those. choose:

• Standard Setup - to share your folder.
• I have a secret - to sync files from another device on the network. In this case, in the field below, under item I have a secret insert the secret key that you received on another device when moving along Standard Setup , or the key that you received for the soap / Your option from a comrade in arms who decided to share his precious files with you.

Standard Setup

Next or Skip ... I will press Next - I want to share my files with the world!

Select a folder with files for sharing / synchronization:

Please note that files in the selected folder will not be deleted. You can immediately select the path to the folder with home photos. However, you should take into account the fact that synchronization implies the ability to change and delete files on connected devices. Aspects of access rights and protection of files from deletion I will consider below.

To copy, press the button Copy .

Push Next :

Next Skip Tour .

I have a secret

Now let's consider the option in which we already have a secret key and wish to connect to a private file sharing network or synchronize files with our other device, on which the BitTorrent Sync client is already installed.

I paste the code:

Select the directory where the files will be uploaded:

Push Next :

This is an introductory tour, click Next and familiarize yourself with the capabilities and functions of the program. I will press Skip Tour .

Let there be a window! then a window will open

In the tab Shared Folders sync paths are listed. Here you can also create or connect new folders, manage access rights, view the secret keys of folders for their connection on other devices, manage their fine settings. I will describe these operations below.

In the tab Devices connected devices are listed. This is just wonderful!

In the tab Transfers you can see what is being distributed to and what is being loaded where. And also the speed of sending and receiving.

In the tab History you can track current events. Some radish removed or migrated my Install, Configure and Use BitTorrent Sync.docx file. 🙂

In the tab Preferences you can customize the client settings.

For example Devicename Is the name of your device. It will be displayed in the tab Devices other clients who have either provided you with access to files, or to whom you have provided access. Modify this parameter so that your friends immediately understand that it is you. What other parameters mean, I think, and so it is clear. In 99% of cases, they do not require modification.

By clicking on the button Advanced ... you can take a look at the fine-tuning. Nothing interesting.

Folder management

Let's go to the tab Shared Folders and click on the path line with the right mouse button. Here it is - the menu!

Here's the point:

• Open folder - will open a path in the explorer
• Copy secret - will place in the clipboard the same secret key that can be inserted into the soap and sent to your beloved relative. Let him look at the pictures from the birthday of the grandmother.
• Show folder preferences - and this item will open a window of all available settings for the shared pack. Let's see what's in there:

I will not explain what each point means, I will dwell only on the point DeletedfilestoSynctrash, which is already checked by default. This means that if your relative deletes the pictures of your beloved grandmother, they will not be deleted, but will be moved to a special, hidden folder located in the shared directory. In Windows Explorer, you may not see it if the option "do not show hidden files and folders" is set in the system. Total Commander will show this folder during basic configuration without any problems:

Advanced settings window, besides the tab General , has a tab Advanced ... There are so many interesting and useful things !!! It doesn't seem like exclamation marks, right?

That's how it is! How many different and interesting secret keys!

• Secret Is a key that gives access to its owners in read and write mode
• Read only secret Is a key that gives its owners access only and exclusively in read mode. Exactly this key should be sent to relatives so they don't accidentally delete anything. For synchronization and group interaction, you should use the key above. Please note that this key also protects files from changes, i.e. the granddaughter will definitely not finish drawing a mustache on the grandmother's pictures. 🙂
• One- time secret - You can provide the owners of this key with access for a period of 24 hours. After this time, the key is canceled, and its owner will not be able to synchronize their files with yours.

It is worthwhile to be clear about the fact that BitTorrent Sync is a file synchronization program. If you have given access to your files, then they are copied to the device of the owner of the secret key, which gives him this access. Deleting files on your part does not guarantee that copies of these files will be deleted from devices that had access to your device.

Access in read-only mode ensures that the files you have are not changed. If you have access to files in the read-only mode, all your changes to these files will be discarded, the changed file will be synchronized again.

The key for 24 hours only guarantees that the user who has this key will be able to access your files during the validity period of this key, actually copying your files to himself. After the expiration of the period, the user will lose the ability to synchronize files between your and his device, but will not lose the files that have already been received.

Adding a new folder for sharing and synchronization

Let's go to the tab Shared Folders and click on the Add button at the bottom of the window, thereby opening the dialog for adding a new synchronization node.

Choose a path and generate a key using the Generate button:

I decided to share the pron. The daddy has been added to the list of paths. The secret key has been sent to all interested parties, the indexing of the folder and all the riches that it contains will soon be completed. I gave you the basic material. I have to go eat, I'm tired!

Acknowledgments

BitTorrent Companies for a wonderful tool!

Special thanks to the captain of the ISS, Chris Hadfield, for the delightful and poignant performance of the song "Space Oddity", it was she who set the tone and helped finish this topic to the end.

How do I transfer a large file over the Internet? If you had such a question, then the usual solution was to use third-party services for this, with the help of which such a large file could be transferred to another computer or mobile device.

BitTorrent Sync has been specifically designed to transfer large files to another computer or other device without using third-party intermediaries. BitTorrent Sync uses the BitTorrent protocol to synchronize large files between two computers.

To use the capabilities of the BitTorrent Sync service, you need to install the free BitTorrent Sync program on the computers that will be synchronized with each other.

With the help of the program, it will be possible to transfer large files over the Internet, from one computer to another. Naturally, using BitTorrent Sync you can transfer not only large files, but also small files.

To transfer files, they usually use cloud storage, FTP servers, file sharing, and files are also transferred using various devices, for example, using external USB flash drives.

Some of these intermediaries support data synchronization. This means that a file that has changed on one computer will instantly become available in a new version on another computer, or on a mobile device. Provided that the other computer is connected to the Internet at this time and has access to the file storage.

The BitTorrent Sync service combines a torrent client and a tool for automatic data synchronization. With the BitTorrent Sync service, you can transfer a large file over the Internet by splitting it into small parts. This does not require any user participation in this process.

When using BitTorrent Sync, files are transferred from one computer to another computer directly, without the involvement of an outside server. Files placed in the folder for synchronization will be synchronized and available from any devices and computers that are allowed access to this folder.

Automatic synchronization saves the latest version of the modified file.

File exchange is encrypted using the AES-256 algorithm. The transmitted data is not stored on the server or in the "cloud". The files are available only to those users to whom you provide the "secret" - the secret code of the encrypted key, which is not transmitted over the network.

To transfer large files, you will need to install BitTorrent Sync on all computers or devices that will sync files.

BitTorrent Sync can be downloaded from the official site of the BitTorrent Labs developer.

BitTorrent Sync download

After that, in the pop-up window, you need to select the operating system to download the BitTorrent Sync installer to your computer. Operating systems supported: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, iOS.

BitTorrent Sync will need to be installed on all computers in order to be able to synchronize files with each other.

Installing BitTorrent Sync on Your Computer

To start the process of installing the program on your computer, you will need to run the installation file of the program. BitTorrent Sync is installed in Russian.

In the "BitTorrent Sync Settings" window that opens, you need to click on the "Next" button, if you agree with the choice of the installation location for the program, and with the places for creating the program icons.

In the next window of the installation wizard, click on the "Install" button.

After that, a new window will open, in this window you need to activate the item "I have read and agree with the Privacy Policy and Terms", and then click on the "Next" button. If you have not used the BitTorrent Sync program before, then you do not have a "secret" yet, so you should select the "Standard installation" item.

A "secret" is a special code that will be used to create an encryption key. Further from the article, you will learn how you will need to use it.

In the "Select folder" window, you can select any folder for synchronization, or agree with the choice of the program. After selecting the folder for synchronization, you will need to click on the "Next" button.

In the "Start Synchronization" window, you will see a "secret" - a synchronization code that will need to be entered on another computer or device to start synchronization between computers.

In order to copy the code to the clipboard, you need to click on the "Copy" button. Save this code, then you will need to transfer it to the user on another computer or device so that he can enter this code to start synchronization.

You can transfer this key in a convenient way for you - in person, send it by e-mail, dictate by phone, send an SMS message, etc.

You can now view the BitTorrent Sync Tour for a quick tour of the program. To do this, you need to click on the "Next" button.

If you do not want this, then click on the "Skip" button.

This will launch BitTorrent Sync on your computer.

Installing BitTorrent Sync on Another Computer

You will now need to install BitTorrent Sync on another computer or device.

The installation of the program is no different until the moment when the program window opens asking if you have a "secret".

In this window, on another computer, you will need to activate the item "I have a secret", and then you will need to enter the received code from the first computer. Then check the box next to the item "I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms", and then click on the "Next" button.

Further installation of the program is no different from installing the program on the first computer. Finally, a program window will open on another computer.

You can also manage the program from the system tray (notification area).

Connecting a mobile device via BitTorrent Sync

To connect a mobile device via the BitTorrent Sync service, you first need to install the corresponding application on the mobile device from the Google Play store.

Then on your computer you will need to open the BitTorrent Sync program window => Folders => select a folder for synchronization => "Show folder properties". In the "Folder Properties" window that opens, you will need to click on the "Connect mobile device" button.

After that, the "QR code" window will open, in this window you need to select the type of access - "Full Access" or "Read Only".

On a mobile device, you will need to select a folder to sync, and then scan the QR code. You can also enter the synchronization code manually.

You can activate the "Automatic synchronization" item so that the files are downloaded to your mobile device automatically. If this item is not selected, then you will need to select files for synchronization and transfer to a mobile device manually.

Now let's answer this question - how to use the BitTorrent Sync service?

How to transfer large files via BitTorrent Sync

After installing the program on a computer, on the first computer you will need to add a file to the "BTSync" folder to synchronize it and transfer the file to another computer.

After you copy the file to the "BTSync" sync folder, synchronization starts immediately, the file starts being transferred from one computer to another computer, or to another device.

In this image, you can see that the file (movie) began to be transferred to another computer at a fairly good speed - about 2.2 MB / s. The speed of transferring files between computers will depend on the speed of your internet connection.

A file is being downloaded on another computer at this time. This process can be observed in the "Downloads" tab.

After finishing copying the file, you can see that the 2.18GB video file was transferred from one computer to another computer in 17 minutes.

In exactly the same way, you can transfer files from the computer that received the files to the computer that previously transferred the files. An unlimited number of files can be sent and received simultaneously in both directions.

To do this, add the necessary files to the "BTSync" folder. After that, synchronization and transfer of files to another computer begins.

Adding New Folders to BitTorrent Sync

To add a new folder, in the BitTorrent Sync window, you will need to click on the "Add folder" button. This will open the Add Folder window.

In this window, in the “Secret” field, you will need to enter the “secret” created earlier, or create a new “secret” using the “Create” button for this.

Then you will need to click on the "Select" button to select a folder. After filling in the program fields, click on the "OK" button.

After you click on the added folder with the right mouse button, a context menu will open, with which you can control the synchronization of this folder.

After adding a new folder, its contents can be synchronized with another computer or mobile device.

Removing a folder from BitTorrent Sync

To delete a folder from the BitTorrent Sync program, you will first need to select the folder to be deleted, and then click on the "Delete folder" button.

In the warning window, click on the "OK" button.

This will remove the folder from BitTorrent Sync.

Deleting Files in BitTorrent Sync

If a file was deleted from one computer, which was synchronized using the BitTorrent Sync synchronization service, then on the other computer this file is not deleted, but is moved to the hidden folder ".SyncArchive", which is located in the "BTSync" folder.

Therefore, if you also need to delete a file from your computer, if you delete it on another computer, you will need to go to the "Folders" tab, select the "BTSync" folder there, and then right-click on it. In the context menu, you will need to select the "Open SyncArchive" item, and then delete the file from the ".SyncArchive" folder.

By default, files deleted from one computer are saved on the other computer in the ".SyncArchive" folder. In order for the files to be automatically deleted on another computer, in the "Folders" tab, you will need to enter the folder properties from the context menu.

In the "Folder Options" window, in the "Settings" tab, you will need to uncheck the box next to the "Store deleted files in SyncArchive" item, and then click on the "OK" or "Apply" button.

After that, if a file is deleted from one computer, it will also be deleted from another computer. The deleted file will not be saved in the “.SyncArchive” folder on the other computer.

One-way sync via BitTorrent Sync

With one-way synchronization, the user on the second computer can only receive the transferred files via the Internet to his computer. If he makes changes to the received files, then those changes will not be made to the files on the first computer.

In the BitTorrent Sync window, you will need to open the "Folders" tab, select a folder, or add a new one, and then click on the "Show folder properties" item in the context menu.

In the "Folder Properties" window, in the "Secret" tab, in the "Read Secret" section, using the "Copy" button, you will need to copy the secret code to transfer to the user of another computer. After that, click on the "Apply" or "OK" button.

A user on another computer must add a new folder, and in the "Secret" field, enter the password received from the first computer.

After enabling one-way sync, file transfers will be in one direction, and any changes made on the second computer will not be reflected on the first computer.

Temporary folder access in BitTorrent Sync

In BitTorrent Sync, you can grant temporary access to a folder for synchronization. At the same time, it will be possible to enable full access to the synchronization folder or one-way access, read-only.

In order to provide temporary access to a folder for 24 hours, you will need to enter the folder properties. In the "Folder Properties" window, in the "Secret" tab, in the "One-Time Secret" section, you will need to select the type of synchronization - "Full Access" or "Read Only".

• "Full Control" - files will be copied in two directions. All changes to the files will take place on two computers.
• Read Only - Files will be copied in one direction. Changes made on the second computer will not be reflected on the first.

After selecting the settings, you will need to click on the "OK" button. Then you should transfer the one-time secret to another user on another computer or mobile device.

Then you can transfer large or small files to another computer within 24 hours.

Conclusions of the article

When using BitTorrent Sync, you can synchronize files, using a synchronization service, you can transfer large files over the Internet, directly between computers, bypassing intermediaries. When transferring files between computers, the files will be encrypted.

BitTorrent Sync - How to Transfer Large File Between Computers (Video)

Do you have a G-SYNC monitor and NVIDIA graphics? Let's take a look at what G-SYNC is, how to enable it and configure it correctly to take full advantage of the potential and capabilities of this technology. Keep in mind that turning it on isn't all there is to it.

Every gamer knows what V-Sync is. This function synchronizes the frames of the picture to eliminate screen tearing. If you turn off vertical sync on a regular monitor, then the input lag (latency) will decrease, while you will notice that the game will respond better to your commands, but thus the frames will not be properly synchronized and will reach screen tearing.

V-Sync eliminates screen tearing, but at the same time increases the latency of the image output relative to the controls, so that it becomes less comfortable to play. Each time you move the mouse, it appears that the movement effect occurs with a slight delay. And this is where the G-SYNC function comes in handy, which eliminates both of these shortcomings.

What is G-SYNC?

A fairly expensive but effective solution for NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards is the use of G-SYNC technology, which eliminates screen tearing without using additional input lag. But to implement it, you need a monitor that includes the G-SYNC module. The module adjusts the refresh rate of the screen to the number of frames per second, so that there is no additional delay and the effect of screen tearing is eliminated.

Many users, after purchasing such a monitor, only enable NVIDIA G-SYNC support in the NVIDIA control panel settings with the conviction that this is all they have to do. In theory, yes, because G-SYNC will work, but if you want to fully maximize the use of this technology, then you need to use a number of additional functions associated with the appropriate setting of classic vertical sync and limiting the FPS in games to a number fewer than the maximum refresh rate. monitor. Why? You will learn all this from the following recommendations.

Enabling G-SYNC in NVIDIA Control Panel

Let's start with the simplest basic solution, that is, from the moment the G-SYNC module is turned on. This can be done using the NVIDIA Control Panel. Right click on the desktop and select NVIDIA Control Panel.

Then go to the Display - G-SYNC Settings tab. Here you can enable the technology using the "Enable G-SYNC" field. Check it out.

Then you will be able to specify whether it will only work in full screen mode, or can also activate in games running in windowed mode or full screen window (no borders).

If you select the "Enable G-SYNC for full screen mode" option, the function will only work in games that have a full screen mode set (this option can be changed in the settings of specific games). Games in windowed or full screen mode will not use this technology.

If you want "windowed" games to also use G-SYNC technology, then enable the "Enable G-SYNC for windowed and full screen mode" option. When this option is selected, the function intercepts the currently active window and imposes its action on it, activating support for the modified screen refresh in it. You may need to restart your computer to activate this option.

How to check that this technology is enabled. To do this, open the Display menu at the top of the window and select the "G-SYNC Indicator" checkbox. This will inform you that G-SYNC is enabled when you start the game.

Then go to the Manage 3D Settings tab in the side menu. In the Global settings section, find the Preferred refresh rate field.

Set this to “Highest available”. Some games can impose their own refresh rate, this can lead to the fact that G-SYNC will not be fully utilized. Thanks to this option, all game settings will be ignored and the ability to use the maximum refresh rate of the monitor, which is most often 144Hz in devices with G-SYNC, will always be enabled.

In general, this is the basic setup you need to do to enable G-SYNC. But, if you want to take full advantage of the potential of your equipment, then you should read the further instructions.

What do I do with V-SYNC if I have G-SYNC? Leave it enabled or disable it?

This is the most common dilemma for G-SYNC monitor owners. It is generally accepted that this technology completely replaces the classic V-SYNC, which can be completely disabled in the NVIDIA Control Panel or simply ignored.

First you need to understand the difference between the two. The task of both functions is theoretically the same - to overcome the screen tearing effect. But the mode of action is significantly different.

V-SYNC synchronizes frames to match the monitor's constant refresh rate. Therefore, the function acts as an intermediary, capturing the picture and thus displaying the frame, so as to adapt them to a constant frame rate, thereby preventing image tearing. As a result, this can lead to input lag (delay), because V-SYNC must first "capture and arrange" the image, and only then display it on the screen.

G-SYNC works exactly the opposite. Adjusts not the image, but the monitor refresh rate to the number of frames displayed on the screen. Everything is done in hardware using the G-SYNC module built into the monitor, so there is no additional delay in displaying the picture, as is the case with vertical sync. This is its main advantage.

The whole problem is that G-SYNC works well only when the FPS is in the supported refresh rate range. This range covers frequencies from 30 Hz to the maximum the monitor can support (60 Hz or 144 Hz). That is, this technology works to its fullest when the FPS does not fall below 30 and does not exceed 60 or 144 frames per second, depending on the maximum supported refresh rate. Looks very good, below is an infographic created by BlurBusters.

What happens if the frames per second goes outside this range? G-SYNC will not be able to customize screen refresh, so whatever is out of range does not work. You will find exactly the same problems as on a regular monitor without G-SYNC and classic V-sync will work. If it is turned off, screen tearing will occur. If enabled, you will not see the break effect, but an iput lag (delay) will appear.

Therefore, it is in your best interest to stay within the G-SYNC refresh range, which is at least 30Hz and at most whatever the monitor supports at its maximum (144Hz most often, but there are 60Hz displays as well). How to do it? Using the appropriate vertical sync parameters, as well as limiting the maximum number of FPS.

What, then, is the conclusion from this? In a situation where the number of frames per second falls below 30 FPS, you need to leave Vsync still enabled. These are rare cases, but when it comes down to them, V-SYNC ensures that there is no tearing effect. If the upper limit is exceeded, then everything is simple - you need to limit the maximum number of frames per second so as not to approach the upper limit, at the crossing of which V-SYNC is turned on, thereby ensuring continuous operation of G-SYNC.

Therefore, if you have a 144Hz monitor, you need to turn on the FPS limit at 142 so as not to come close to the upper limit. If the monitor is 60 Hz, set the limit to 58. Even if the computer is able to do more FPS, it will not do it. Then V-SYNC will not turn on and only G-SYNC will be active.

Enabling Vertical Sync in NVIDIA Settings

Open the NVIDIA Control Panel and go to the Manage 3D Settings tab. In the Global Setting section, find the Vertical Sync option and set the option to “On”.

Thanks to this, Vsync will always be ready to turn on if the FPS falls below 30 FPS, and a monitor with G-SYNC technology would not be able to cope with this.

Limit FPS to less than the maximum refresh rate

The best way to limit frames per second is to use RTSS (RivaTuner Statistics Server). By far the best solution is to use a limiter built into the game, but not everyone has one.

Download and run the program, then in the list of games on the left side, check the Global field. Here you can set a common limiter for all applications. On the right side, find the "Framerate limit" field. Set the limit here for 144Hz monitors - 142 FPS, respectively, for 60Hz devices - 58 FPS.

When the limit is set, there will be no delay with the activation of the classic vertical sync and the game will become much more comfortable.

I don't think anyone needs to explain what cloud services are. They are firmly entrenched in our gadgets and will not leave soon. It's very convenient. If you have a good internet connection, you can forget about cables when syncing files. And the flash drives can be thrown out altogether. But they all have one big drawback - all data is stored on servers unknown to us. And if something happens to the campaign server, then we will lose some of our data. In this regard, there is a need to create your own "cloud" for synchronization. “But it’s so difficult!” Many of you will say. In fact, nothing is easier. BitTorrent Sync will help us to set up data exchange between any devices in a couple of clicks.

Far from being cloud storage

The service is somewhat similar to the well-known Dropbox or Google Drive, but this is only at first glance. In fact, BitTorrent Sync has nothing to do with storing data in the clouds. The completely opposite file transfer paradigm is applied here. The exchange takes place directly between different users, without additional storage on a remote server. This does not mean that no server will be used at all during the transfer. It's just that it will only be used to create a connection between devices, and this is where its role ends.

A completely different algorithm of work

At the heart of everything is the P2P (peer-to-peer) protocol, which is used in everyone's favorite torrents. If you do not go into details, the main advantage of this protocol is the simplicity when transferring large files. As a result, BitTorrent Sync will itself check predefined folders for new files and automatically synchronize them with your devices. In addition, there is no limit to the size of files to sync.

Easy to use

Getting started with BitTorrent Sync is ridiculously easy. You go to the company's website and download the client you need. They are available for all popular platforms such as Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Linux.

Let's say you want to sync a specific folder on your PC with your Android tablet. After installing the appropriate applications, you just have to take a couple of steps. After installing the client on a PC, you are taken to the program window. The only thing you need to do is set up the connection between devices once and forget about it forever. To do this, click the "Add a Sync Folder" button. In the window that appears, select the folder that you want to share for the tablet and create a "secret". The service uses a 256-bit key to encrypt data. That is, no one, not knowing this "secret", will be able to access your folder, and your data will be under reliable protection. This completes the setup of your PC for synchronization.

As for the tablet, there is nothing complicated here. By clicking on the "Add folder" button, you will be taken to the synchronization menu. The app will ask you to scan a QR code. In the desktop application, when you right-click, you should select "Connect mobile device". All you have to do is scan the code, select a folder on the device to store data and that's it. Setting up will not take you more than a couple of minutes. But now all your files that appear in the specified folder on the PC will immediately appear on your tablet. And such synchronization can be configured between smartphones, and between PCs, etc. Just do not forget that you need an Internet connection to transfer data.

The service is very simple and straightforward, and will be useful to many. Applications from this service are laconic and functional enough. The most important thing is that you can forget about working with them forever. The service itself will "pull up" the data you need without accessing the program. And the indisputable advantages are security and unlimited amount of transferred files.

In this article, we'll look at how to back up your files and keep them up to date, as well as how to sync files between multiple computers using one of the best FreeFileSync programs.

1. What is the backup for

Backing up your files, such as personal documents, photos and videos, will protect them from loss due to accidental deletion, operating system failure, viruses or hard drive damage.

Remember! If you don't back up your files, sooner or later you will lose them!

Another purpose of backing up could be to keep your files in sync across multiple computers. For example, you might be working on the same files at home and at work, and you want your home and work computers to update files as they are changed, created, or deleted.

Also, regularly backing up your files will make it much easier to recover your computer in case of a failure. You just need to restore the image of the operating system, and all files are already safely stored in a backup copy and you do not have to spend a lot of time and effort to restore them.

2. Installing the FreeFileSync program

You can download the FreeFileSync program in the "" section.

During installation, you can choose "Local" or "Portable" version, which can be carried on a flash drive in case, for example, you cannot install "Local" on a working PC.

After installation, two shortcuts are created: "FreeFileSync" is the main program and "RealTimeSync" is a utility for real-time synchronization.

3. Where is the best place to store backups

Before starting the description of the FreeFileSync program, I want to say a little about where it is better to store backups.

The most reliable and convenient way is to store your backups on an external hard drive.

An external drive can also be used for storage. Not only will you save your valuable documents, photos and videos, but you will also be able to quickly restore the system in case of a failure.

The disadvantages of storing backups on a flash drive are that its volume is very limited, a flash drive is easy to lose, and often it can take up a lot of space to transfer files. In addition, flash drives are highly susceptible to crashes and virus infection.

CD / DVD discs are also unreliable media, as they are prone to damage and, even if they just lie in place, eventually stop being read. In addition, it is problematic to regularly update files on disks.

You can back up your files to another hard drive on your computer. But, if a power breakdown occurs, then all hard drives may fail. Therefore, it is also not recommended.

It is unacceptable to store a backup copy on another partition of the same hard disk, since in the event of a disk failure, the backup copy will also be lost.

In general, do not be stingy and purchase an external hard drive connected via USB (preferably USB 3), over a local area network (Ethernet), or store a backup on another computer or laptop.

If your files are very valuable and their loss will lead to unacceptable damage, then store the backup in another room or on a server on the Internet (cloud storage). Thus, in the event of a fire or other natural disaster, your data will remain intact.

It is better to store sensitive confidential data in a password-encrypted form so that theft or loss of the medium does not entail the disclosure or illegal use of confidential information.

The main condition for the safety of files is the constant availability of their copies. As soon as one of the copies is lost, restore it as soon as possible.

4. Backing up folders

The first backup can be created by simply copying the file folders to an external drive, network folder, or other media of your choice. But it is better to use FreeFileSync right away, as it creates its own database to track file changes.

4.1. Selecting folders for backup

Open the program, in the left pane, add folders with your files, and in the right pane, select the folders where you want to save the backups.

To add another pair of folders, use the plus sign "+", to search for a folder in Explorer, use the "Browse" button. You can also enter paths to folders in whole or in part manually, copy and paste paths and folder names into the required fields. If the folder to which you want to make a backup does not exist yet, it will be created during the first creation of the backup.

For example, I created a folder "Backup" on the disk of the second home computer "HOME-2" and opened access to it over the network for reading and writing. It contains backup copies of my files.

Choose your most important files to back up. It is possible to make backup copies of folders with movies and music, which can always be downloaded from the Internet, but if they take up a large amount of space, this is usually not advisable.

4.2. Selecting a backup mode

Select the backup mode "Mirror" and click "OK".

Make sure the Synchronize button is set to Mirror mode.

In this mode, when backing up, the folders on the right will be matched exactly to the folders on the left. Modified files will be replaced, new ones will be added, deleted ones will be deleted.

4.3. Comparison of reserved folders

Before starting the backup, you must first compare your folders with the backup folders. To do this, click the "Compare" button.

If this is your first backup and you did not create empty folders for backups, a message will appear indicating the folders that were not found.

Please note that these errors can be caused by an error in the path to the main folder with backups (in this example "Backup") or the lack of access to another computer over the network (in this example, "HOME-2").

After comparing the folders, you will see a list of copied, updated and deleted files and their total size.

At the first backup, you will have only the added files, with the next copies, there will be updated and deleted files, depending on the changes you made. The renamed files will be deleted from the backup and the files with the new name will be copied to their place.

4.4. Making a backup

Make sure that the comparison result, expected actions and the size of the copied files look plausible and click the "Synchronize" button that has become active.

A message will appear again warning about the actions being performed, in which you need to confirm the start of the backup with the "Start" button.

Depending on the size of the files, the speed of the external drive or the local network, the backup process may take different time. But the program itself does it as quickly as possible.

The first backup with a large volume of files may take a long time. All subsequent updates to the backup take significantly less time. The backup ends with a success message.

During the backup process, various errors and warnings may appear. Most of them are not essential (for example, some service or temporary file cannot be copied). Make sure that the error is really insignificant and click the "Ignore" button.

5. Synchronization of folders

Synchronizing folders may be necessary if you work with the same files on multiple computers, for example, at home and at work. In this case, in order for the files to be the same everywhere, you can use an external drive or USB flash drive for synchronization.
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5.1. Selecting folders to sync

Open the program on the computer with the latest version of your files. In the left pane, add folders with your files, and in the right pane, select folders on an external drive or flash drive that will be used for synchronization.

When synchronizing files between multiple computers, it doesn't matter which folders are on the right and which are on the left. But, in order to avoid confusion, I recommend that you always select the files on the left that are on your computer, and on the right that are on an external drive or flash drive.

To add another pair of folders, use the plus sign "+", to search for a folder in Explorer, use the "Browse" button. You can also enter paths to folders in whole or in part manually, copy and paste paths and folder names into the required fields. If the folder you want to use for synchronization does not exist, it will be created during the first synchronization.

Store frequently changed files in separate folders (for example, Documents) so that they do not get mixed up with large, unchangeable files (for example, movies). Then synchronization will take much less time and space on an external drive or flash drive.

5.2. Selecting a Sync Mode

Now go to the sync settings using the gear icon next to the Sync button.

Select the synchronization mode "Both Sides" and click "OK".

Make sure the "Synchronize" button is set to "Both Sides" mode.

In this mode, during synchronization, the folders on the left and right will be brought into exact correspondence. In this case, all changes will be taken into account both from one side and from the other. Changed files will be replaced, new ones will be added, deleted ones will be deleted. For this, a database is used, which consists of special service files that the program creates in each synchronized folder.

Thanks to the database, you can make changes on several computers independently of each other and even on the external disk or flash drive itself, using some other computer that is not involved in synchronization. With the next synchronization, the program will automatically determine which changes are the last and gracefully bring the folders with files to the final version, even if you missed the previous synchronization and have already forgotten on which computer and which files you changed. The program will accurately determine this by itself using the database.

5.3. Comparison of synced folders

Before starting synchronization, you must first compare the folders on the computer disk with the folders on an external drive or flash drive. To do this, click the "Compare" button.

If this is your first synchronization and you did not create empty folders for synchronization on an external drive or flash drive, then a message will appear indicating the folders that were not found.

Click the Ignore button.

Please note that these errors can be caused by an incorrect drive letter (in this example "F"), as the letters can sometimes change, or problems with connecting an external drive or flash drive (for example, a bad cable or lack of power).

After comparing the folders, you will see a list of copied, updated and deleted files on both sides and their total size.

At the first synchronization, you will have only the files to be added, at the next synchronization there will be updated and deleted files, depending on the changes you made. The renamed files will be deleted and the files with the new name will be copied to their place.

5.4. Synchronization start

Make sure that the comparison result, expected actions and the size of the files to be synced look plausible and click the "Synchronize" button that has become active.

A message will appear again warning about the actions being performed, in which you need to confirm the start of synchronization with the "Start" button.

Depending on the size of the files, the speed of the external drive or flash drive, the synchronization process may take different time. But the program itself does it as quickly as possible.

The first synchronization with a large volume of files may take a long time. All subsequent synchronizations take significantly less time. Synchronization ends with a success message.

During the synchronization process, various errors and warnings may appear. Most of them are not essential (for example, some service or temporary file cannot be copied). Make sure that the error is really insignificant and click the "Ignore" button.

5.5. Synchronizing on another computer

To synchronize folders on another computer with an external drive or flash drive, you need to install the FreeFileSync program on it, configure and synchronize on it in the same way (paragraphs 5.1-5.4).

Also, when installing the program, you can select the "Portable" version and install the program on an external drive or flash drive, which will be used for synchronization. It is recommended to use this method if it is not possible to install the program on another computer (for example, at work).

6. FreeFileSync program settings

The program has a few settings and they are all pretty clear and useful.

The program remembers the last folders for synchronization. It is still better to save the sync settings to a file using the File / Save menu.

Using the "File" menu, you can create a new configuration or open an existing one. Thus, you can create several different configurations, for example, separately for backing up files to a second home computer and separately for synchronizing documents using a flash drive with a work computer.

If you select "Save as Batch Job", then this file can be used to manually start a backup, synchronize folders, or specify it in the scheduler for automatic scheduled backups.

If you plan to start the batch job automatically on a schedule, then when saving, you can set error handling to "Ignore", the "Run minimized" checkbox, and the completion action "Close the process window" or "Turn off the computer" (for backing up at the end days).

The settings file and the batch job have corresponding icons and can be started without opening the main program.

6.2. Compare, filter and sync settings

From the “Actions” menu, you can go to “Comparison Settings”, “Filter Settings” and “Synchronization Settings”.

In the comparison settings, instead of the "Date and file size" mode, you can set "File content", but this is not recommended, as it will greatly slow down the program's performance.

In the left panel, you can select folders and set the comparison settings for each of them individually. It is also possible to enable copying of symbolic links, if you know why you need it.

In the filter settings, you can exclude individual files and folders from backup.

For example, if your folder "D: \ Documents" contains a folder "Videos" with large files that you have already copied somewhere, then to exclude it from synchronization, add the line "D: \ Documents \ Video \ ". If you want to exclude from the backup copy all program installers that can be downloaded from the Internet, add the line “* .exe” to the “Exclude” section.

In the left panel, you can select folders and set filter settings for each of them individually.

Using the fields on the right, you can filter files that are not needed for synchronization by the time interval from their last change and size. Thus, you can filter out, for example, files that are too old and too large.

Synchronization settings

Synchronization settings are the most important, most useful, and give you flexible control over the process of backing up or synchronizing folders.

The following synchronization options are available.

In all modes, except for "Both directions" synchronization, you can set your own rules for new, updated and deleted files.

There is also an option "Detect moved files", which is useful if you often put things in order in folders. In this case, the files will not be copied again, but simply moved to the copies.

Slightly below you can configure the settings for deleting files - "Delete permanently", "To trash" or "Archive".

By default, files on hard drives are removed to the trash. If you make a mistake with the synchronization settings and some necessary files are deleted, then they can be restored.

Files on flash drives and in network folders are not deleted to the trash. You can restore them only with the help of special file recovery programs. If you make a mistake, then do nothing with the flash drive or disk until you have restored the necessary files from them.

If you select the "Archive" option, the files will not be deleted, but will be moved to the folder specified by the user.

If you need to synchronize a large amount of data and there is no way to control the process, then it is recommended to set the "Error handling" option to "Ignore". You can also choose the desired action to complete the synchronization, for example, turn off your computer.

Synchronization settings can also be set for each individual folder by selecting it in the left panel.

6.3. Other settings and tools

From the "Tools" menu, you can go to the "Settings" of the program itself, change the "Language" of the interface, "Find" files and folders in the comparison results, "Reset the location" of all folders and "Export the list of files" to a text document.

By default, "Fail-safe file copying" is enabled in the program settings, which makes backup or synchronization more reliable.

You can turn on Copy Locked Files if you experience such problems. The "Copy DACL, SACL, owner, group" option allows you to copy the access rights to files if you have set such restrictions and want to save them in a backup copy to restrict access to them or later restore files along with security settings.

I do not recommend experimenting with security settings, especially file encryption, for inexperienced users. This can lead to permanent loss of access to files in the event of a system failure or user error.

"Automatic retry on errors" allows you to set the number of attempts to copy files and the interval between attempts in case of temporary problems with the network or media.

Below are the rules for customizing the context menu for advanced users with a link to examples of their use.

The "Show hidden windows again" button restores the displays that you previously disabled with the "Ignore subsequent errors" checkbox.

The "Default" button returns all program settings to their original state. Use it when you are not sure that you have configured everything correctly.

Well, do not forget to confirm all changes made with the "OK" button.

7. Real-time backup

Here we will look at the additional utility RealTimeSync, which is installed along with the main program and is used for automatic synchronization.

Open the utility using the RealTimeSync shortcut on the desktop or in the START menu, go to the File menu and select Open.

Leave in the "Folders for monitoring" section only the folders with files on the computer disk, and delete the folders with the backup on an external drive, flash drive or in the local network.

Set the time in seconds after which you would like to check folders for changed files. For example, by setting 3600 seconds, folders will be scanned every hour from the start of monitoring. It remains only to press the "Start" button, the program will be minimized to the system tray (in the icon next to the clock) and will start monitoring the folders.

If, during the next scan, the files are changed in the specified folders, the program will start the synchronization process, which will end with the display of the corresponding window.

If the "Run minimized" checkbox is selected in the batch job settings, then this message will not be displayed and synchronization will be performed in quiet mode.

If, at the moment of detecting changes in folders, the utility cannot access an external drive, flash drive or network folder with backups, a corresponding message will appear.

If the "Error handling" option is set to "Ignore" in the batch job settings, then this message will not be displayed and synchronization will occur when access to the device with backups is resumed.

Of the advantages of the RealTimeSync utility, we can note the simplicity of its configuration and use, but it also has several disadvantages. Firstly, you need to start it manually or set up autorun yourself together with Windows (for example, by copying the shortcut to the Startup folder in the START menu). Secondly, it does not allow you to set a flexible schedule for synchronization. And third, sometimes sync doesn't work.

8. Scheduled backup

As an alternative to the RealTimeSync utility, you can use the Windows Task Scheduler, which does not have all the disadvantages listed and has more flexibility.

Go to "Control Panel \ System and Security \ Administrative Tools" and select "Task Scheduler" or "Task Schedule".

Select Create Simple Task.

Enter a meaningful name for the task and click on the "Next" button.

Choose how often you would like to back up.

Then determine more precisely the day and time at which the computer is likely to be turned on for synchronization. For example, every Friday at 17:00.

Select an action for the "Run the program" task.

Click the Browse button.

Select the batch file created in FreeFileSync.

Click the Finish button.

Now the files will be backed up accurately on the appointed day and time. If the computer is turned off at this time, the task will be performed the next time it is turned on. Just make sure the backup media is available at the right time.

You can delete or change backup settings at any time in the Task Scheduler Library.

The batch file itself can also be changed at any time, regardless of the scheduler, using the FreeFileSync program.

You can also create an unlimited number of batch sync jobs and scheduler jobs with a wide variety of backup settings and plans.

That's all, keep your files on secure media and don't neglect backups.

9. Links

Below you can download the full version of the program for backup and file synchronization.

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