Not creating an exact copy on full sync

[hfc3]

Just downloaded FFS. Was testing it because I've had problems with BitTorrent not syncing all the files, and deleting originals in the process.

Seems to work very nicely. HOWEVER; After doing a clean sync (full sync from original drive to a new (blank) drive, I simply cannot get an exact copy! Comparing properties of the source/destination drives, I get from 50 to 150 different file counts (not bits - files). I see that FFs adds a sync DB (cannot tell when, as not every folder has one), but those files are only a few KB.

On the orginal PC (Used to create the "original" used here (a USB hard drive), the difference was even larger - around 150 files and almost 100MB. I ended up manually copying the drive content to the USB drive so that I was absolutely sure I had everything (and, in the hopes it was a FFS setting issue).

On the 3nd PC (copying from the USB drive to the new PC);
Original drive: 0 41,280 files, 4,465 folders, 279,032,599,989 bytes
New drive (synchronized TO): 41,210 files, 4,465 Folder, 279,021,768,246 bytes

That's a 10,831,743 bytes difference, or 10.33 MB. Out of this, I have 841.4kb in sync.ffs_db files (3 of them) and only 401kb (only 1 on this drive) on the destination drive. That still leaves 10,380,773 bytes in miscellaneous real files missing on the destination drive.

I've run a COMPARE using Date/Time and File Content - and, according to FFS, they drives are an exact match.

When I do a manual compare, I find two folders with difference file and bit counts, but no visual differences (I have show hidden and system files ON). If I manually copy from the original drive to the drive, there are still no visual differences, but the file count's now match.

Help ???

[wm-sf]

Presuming you're using Win there are some files that don't sensibly copy from one PC to another that could easily account for this. If you want to make a copy of a drive I wouldn't start with FFS.

[hfc3]

I cannot fathom why any "sync" program would exclude any files - that would, but definition, not be a complete sync!

What files are you saying are omitted from FFS sync?

[wm-sf]

It isn't just a case of exclusion, there are a number of files that only make sense on one system and not another unless you are attempting to replicate a drive which is a different goal to synchronisation. Take for example ntuser files, you may copy these to another physical disk but they are unlikely to be valid unless the remote drive is passive and will be out of sync immediately as te *sync itself* may alter the source file. FFS is better suited to "keep a copy of my WP files, etc" i.e. a *logical* sync, it is *not* a disk replication tool and doesn't claim to be.

[hfc3]

I thought FreeFileSync was a backup, as well as sync, tool?

That's true. But, my understanding is that the files you're speaking of are C (OS) drive specific. And, if the files aren't valid, they just won't work - IMO they should still sync. FreeFileSync seems to be copying system files such as Thumbnail.?? and desktop.ini.

It also, as I'd hope, copies hidden files.

I'm not looking for a replication tool; at least, not by that name. I am looking for a tool that will copy/sync every file from one location to another, even if it doesn't recognize an extension. The problem I've had with other sync tools that it syncs the "common" files such as jpg, bmp, word spreadsheets, etc. But they don't copy uncommon files such as .jam or .pth. They ignore them. FFS is NOT ignoring them (whew!).

But, if anything is not copied/sync'd, it invalidates the entire sync, copy, or whatever. With FFS not syncing up 100+- MB, I have no idea what wasn't copied - and therefore cannot tell if the missing data is needed or not (as you explained).

Thanks.

[Zenju]

For the record: FreeFilesync copies and displays all files, no matter the extension, with a single exception: "sync.ffs_db", which is a FFS-internal database file, which shouldn't be copied anyway.