FreeFileSync Forum

The problem seems to be that you created an overlap between your two folder pairs. Your first right location is D:\ , your second one D:\Photos . But D:\Photos is obviously part of D:\ , so there is your overlap. I would expect FreeFileSync (FFS) gave you a warning to that extent. There are (at leas...

There is no reason to expect that the FFS estimate would be more accurate than what e.g. Windows (File) Explorer predicts.

Correct. Any Excluded or not Included files and folders are simply not considered for any sync actions. The deletion of all not \202?\ folders and their content from your backup seems a one-time action and should be not too hard to do manually. If you want, you could also use FFS: Leave your Include...

After running a Compare:
Tools / Export File List

You could consider using Versioning. That will retain all files deleted or overwritten (updated) by FFS, in a self-selected location, for as many versions as you select and for as long as you select.

In- and Exclude Filter definitions are relative to the root of your base locations.
If Main is one of your base-locations, you need to exclude
\FolderA\A_Exclude\
not just
\A_Exclude\

In- and Exclusion Filter rules are relative to the root of your base-locations. Because your base-locations are D:\ and E:\Backup (and not D:\Dropbox and E:\Backup\Dropbox ), you need to exclude \Dropbox\.dropbox.cache\ Your present exclude rule \.dropbox.cache\ would exclude the folder .dropbox.cac...

> If I drag a folder drop on the + icon, will automatic add another new path. If I drop on the address bar, then replace the exist path. Could make sense. The location dropped onto the "+"-icon would then obviously become the left-side location of the new pair. On the other hand, it saves ...

Assuming your Exclude Filter rule is setup and working correctly, said "marker_file" likely already pre-existed in your backup location. Excluding a file (or a folder that a file is in) from your sync will make FFS ignore that file; it will not make FFS delete any such file from your backu...

From the fair understanding of RAID that I have, the fact that you have your backup disks setup as a RIAD array should never cause the problem(s) you describe. RAID simply spreads your (unmodified) data across multiple disks, potentially, depending on the type of RAID (e.g. 0, 1 or 5) you use allowi...

> REQUEST: have FFS keep a central DB of files synced in a sync set including source and destination. FFS uses a database in each of its left and right base locations, not a central database. The reasons why are clear, and explained several times in this forum, upon the request of others to have a s...

Your video is exactly as I understood your feature request the second time. For your very specific case this may make sense. However, even then my consideration remains that the left- and right-side would need to behave differently for the same dragging action. When dragging multiple folders into th...

You can also just click the MINUS symbol to remove folder pairs from a sync. Reload the configuration without saving and it will be back to the original xCSxXenon, 08 Dec 2023, 18:55

That's what I wrote in item 1) in my initial reply.

That is the part I (already) understood the second time. But, assuming that feature would be added, then after creating your 10 left base-locations by dragging/dropping or copy/pasting your 10 folders (in one go) you would still need to define your 10 right-side base-locations one-by-one. That is, b...

If you use scenario 1) above: Simply make two copies of your sync configuration(s), a "work" version and a "backup" version. If you inadvertently would overwrite your "work" version, you can restore the correct configuration from your "backup" version. In scen...

Ah, now I get it!
But how do you imagine that?
You drag/drop 10 folders into your left-side base-location, and FFS magically invents the 10 right-side base locations for you?

That feature is already there:
https://freefilesync.org/manual.php?topic=tips-and-tricks#sync-multiple-folders

> I have quite a few sync configurations that contain multiple (e.g.8+) folder pairs. > ... if there was a way to temporarily disable folder pairs ... It seems there are two options: 1) Make sure you have saved your 8+ folder pairs sync-configuration under a self-selected name. Then open that saved ...

By default, the FFS Compare results window only shows files for which sync actions (in any form) are required, and hides files it thinks are equal.
If you click the "="-icon mid below the Compare results, you can toggle the visibility of equal files.

> I haven't been able to find the directory looking option. Where is it?

Look into LockDirectoriesDuringSync

If only more recent files need to be compared and synced, you could try the time-span filter-option, which can be found in the Filter Settings (F7).

Is there a simple way to exclude from C:\users\Me\appdata\roaming, any folders that have cache as part of the folder name? What would be the best way to exclude those folders? If you want to exclude all folders and files comprising "cache" in their name, simply add a line *cache* to your ...

Be aware that the location the %AppData% variable points to is computer-user specific

Some NAS's have tools to connect directly to other NAS's (e.g. Synology). And, if available, that may be the fastest approach for your initial copy. Once you have your initial copy, it is a matter of just applying the modifications you made to your source to your backups. And that is what FFS is per...

First of all a warning: Your FFS Compare result screenshot shows you are using the Mirror (Spiegeln) sync variant. Apparently your left-location comprises 339 files that FFS (thinks) do not exist in your right-location, but conversely, that you right-location comprises 48350 files that (FFS thinks) ...

For the location of the GlobalSettings.xml file, see here.

> ... AND I can't delete the sync.ffs_lock manually
Perhaps this can help

Normally one installs the portable version on a USB-stick or -drive
(hence the name "portable" ...)
So, installing the portable version on a computer on which a previous (non-portable) version is installed, is normally not at stake, and defies the purpose of "portable".

> I don't see the delete on Left option anywhere to execute :) FreeFileSync (FFS) is a synchronization tool that (as the name suggests) makes your left- and right-side location (more) equal to each. The function you describe is does make the left- and right-side less equal and thus is sort of a de-s...

FFS does not spontaneously open (one or more) Windows Explorer windows (unless you explicitly tell it to do so).