he folder is deleted without warning

[fujimoto2005]

When the destination folder does not exist, FreeFileSync creates the folder and copies the files there. However, when RealTimeSync is running, the folder is deleted without warning, causing an error stating that the destination folder is missing. Upon investigation in File Explorer, the folder and its contents are found to have been deleted entirely. The deleted folder is located within the `user` folder, and the entire `user` folder is removed. Are there any solutions to this issue?

[Plerry]

It sounds like you have RealTimeSync (RTS) launch a FreeFileSync (FFS) *.ffs_batch file sync configuration, with "Ignore errors" checkmarked when saving that *.ffs_batch file.

It is only safe to run syncs with "Igonore errors" checkmarked once you are sure your sync configuration is tested, robust and safe to use. Which apparently is presently not (yet) the case.

Your problem description is quite unclear.
RealTimeSync does not perform any file or folder operations, so certainly does not delete folders.
RTS only registers at the OS to be informed if any changes in the monitored folder occur, and upon receiving any such notification executes its command line, normally launching FFS to run a specified sync.
You say the folder is deleted (without warning), causing an (FFS?) error stating that the destination folder is missing. If FFS notices the folder is missing (already before running the actual sync) how could FFS be to blame?

[fujimoto2005]

” If FFS notices the folder is missing (already before running the actual sync) how could FFS be to blame?”

The FFS process uses the "Mirror" option to back up parts of the user folder on the C drive and parts of the D drive to the J drive.
The issue occurs following the same pattern every time.
1．When RTS displays a warning that a folder is missing, checking the J drive reveals that folders like `J\user\picture` have disappeared.
2．I then run FFS once. This creates some parts of the user folder from the C drive on the J drive, and the process completes successfully.
3．Afterward, I launch RTS. After a while, RTS shows a warning, and when I check the folders on the J drive, the user folder on the J drive, which was there earlier, has disappeared.

I have the screen shot of the each stages. But I can't attach thenm on this page.

[therube]

I have the screen shot of the each stages. But I can't attach them

Post a link or hotlink to the screenshots - hosted elsewhere.
(from elsewhere, but...) Posting a screenshot on the forum

[Plerry]

> I have the screen shot of the each stages. But I can't attach thenm on this page.

You can, by entering the "Editor & preview" mode and there going to the Attachment tab and adding screenshot picture files.

[fujimoto2005]

‘The FFS process uses the "Mirror" option to back up parts of the user folder on the C drive and parts of the D drive to the J drive.’
⇒See ’mirror wt sedai_20250101.ffs_batch’．

‘1．When RTS displays a warning that a folder is missing, checking the J drive reveals that folders like `J\user\picture` have disappeared.’
⇒See ‘01_after no_folders_warnig.png’ and the log file’ 01_after no_folders_warnig.html‘.

‘2．I then run FFS once. This creates some parts of the user folder from the C drive on the J drive, and the process completes successfully.’
⇒See ‘02_user_generated.png’.
I coud not attache the log file ‘02_user_generated.html‘ since the big size


‘3．Afterward, I launch RTS. After a while, RTS shows a warning, and when I check the folders on the J drive, the user folder on the J drive, which was there earlier, has disappeared.’
⇒See ‘03_after no_folders_warnig.png’ and the log file ‘03_after no_folders_warnig.html‘.

Best regards,

Masahiro Fujimoto

[fujimoto2005]

I attached '02_user_generated.html' in the compressed form.

[xCSxXenon]

Two things I can input:
1 - Backing up the entire Users directory is an awful idea outside of retaining a fully-restorable image
2 - Based on the "Some files are synced as part of multiple folder pairs" warnings, I'm betting your configuration/locations are the root cause of the issues. Open FFS, load you config, and post a screenshot of the entire FFS window, including the paths at the top

[fujimoto2005]

xCSxXenon,
Thank you for your response.
1. In practice, I am not backing up the entire Users folder but only certain subfolders. However all the subfolders contained within the Users folder are disappearing.
I will send screenshots of the entire FFS window as well as the two folders with their local settings.
Thank you in advance.
Masahiro Fujimoto

[Plerry]

Your problem seems to be caused by your first left-right pair D:\ => J:\
The right side of this left-right pair creates an overlap with all consecutive pairs.
Because you mirror-sync D to the root of J, anything that is not on D will be removed from J, so potentially also any J:\Users\fujim folders.
You can easily solve this by adding \User\fujim to your local Exclude Filter of your first left-right pair, D:\ => J:\ .

[fujimoto2005]

Dear Plerry,
Thank you for your response.

As you pointed out, the first pair seems to be the cause of J:\Users\fujim being deleted. However, even after adding \User\fujim to the local exclude folder for D:\ => J:\, \User\fujim was still deleted. It appears that the exclude folder rule applies as an exclusion rule for the backup source.

In the end, I was able to resolve the issue by replacing D:\ => J:\ with pairs for every folder in D:\ and the corresponding folder in J:\.
Setting up pairs for all the folders in D:\ one by one was a tedious process. Unfortunately, drag-and-drop didn’t work for multiple folders. I really hope this operation can be made easier in the future.

Thank you very much.

Masahiro Fujimoto

[Plerry]

Remarkable, because adding \User\fujim or \User\fujim\ to your Exclude Filter, either your global Exclude Filter or the local Exclude Filter of your D:\ => J:\ pair should work.

However, the easiest way to overcome potential overlap in your setup is to create a folder J:\D (or have FFS create it for you), and sync D:\ to J:\D instead of to the root of J:\, by changing your first left right folder pair from D:\ => J:\ into D:\ => J:\D .
Then you completely avoid any overlap between your folder pairs.
Obviously, you would need to delete (once) all files previously synced from D:\ to the root of J:\, or move those manually from the root of J:\ into J:\D .

[fujimoto2005]

Dear Plerry，

However, the easiest way to overcome potential overlap in your setup is to create a folder J:\D (or have FFS create it for you), and sync D:\ to J:\D instead of to the root of J:\, by changing your first left right folder pair from D:\ => J:\ into D:\ => J:\D .

Thank you for your wonderfull idea.
I never imagined such a simple solution existed. I will implement it immediately.

Thank you very much!

Masahiro Fujimoto