deleted files are synchronized back

[dave_m]

Hello FreeFileSync-Community,

at first I would like to thank all people in the FreeFileSync-project for their time and efforts. Unfortunately I have a problem with FreeFileSync and deletion of files. Here it is in detail:

my network situation:

Preview_FFS.jpg (9.91 KiB) Viewed 2073 times

Hardware:
NAS-Server (Synology NAS)
PC1 (Windows 7 64 Bit Pro)
PC2 (Windows 7 64 Bit Pro)
PC3 (Windows 7 64 Bit Pro)

installed software on all Windows-machines:
- ZoneAlarm Free Firewall
- Avira AntiVirus Free
- FreeFileSync 8.5 64-bit

Settings in FFS:
Comparison-method: Date and Size
Synchronization-method: Two Way Sync

my problem:

That‘s what I did
1. my PC1 and PC2 and NAS-Server were equal. They were 1:1 same
2. I sorted and deleted files von PC1
3. I compared and synchronized the changes from PC1 to my NAS-Server via Server Message Block (SMB)
4. I compared again. All files were equal on both sides. Everything was fine.
5. Later I created one new document on PC2 and compared PC2 to my NAS-Server

that was the moment in which FreeFileSync on PC2 wanted to copy back the intentionally deleted files (previously on PC 1) to the NAS-Server. But I wanted to apply the changes of PC1 to PC2.

Additional Info: I tried to open FFS as Admin but with same results.

Can you tell me a solution for my problem please. It's very important for me.

Thank you

[Zenju]

PC2 and NAS have never been synced with FFS before, so no database is yet available to determine sync directions. Solution: Set sync directions manually, required only for the first time.

[dave_m]

sorry I forgot to write this important info but PC1, PC2 and NAS had been synced multiple times in the last few weeks/days.

[Zenju]

PC1, PC2 and NAS had been synced multiple times in the last few weeks/days.

But not with "two way" variant set, so that a sync.ffs_db would be available.

[dave_m]

Sorry for the late response. I have used the "two way" variant from the very beginning till now. I know this very sure. Occasionally I get an “second part missing”-error-message.

I checked your answers on following topic:
Sync between one usb stick and two PCs, sync.ffs_db error
viewtopic.php?t=617

But I don't use any other Synchronisation-Software on my PC's. FreeFileSync is the only one. My NAS-Server turns Hard Disk Spin Off after some time in idle. I don’t know if it’s important to mention. Where is the source of the problem?

[Zenju]

Occasionally I get an “second part missing”-error-message.

This is the real problem causing the symptoms. Are you using the same (latest) FFS version on all of the PCs? Random data corruption aside, this looks as if you've copied the sync.ffs_db manually, which would lead to the exact error message.

[dave_m]

today I got an other error-message (and I think it's not the first time):

File
"\\my_nas_path\folder_on_nas\sync.tmp.ffs_db" can’t be moved to
"\\my_nas_path\folder_on_nas\sync.ffs_db"
errorcode 183: A file can’t be created, if it already exists. (MoveFileEx)

Are you using the same (latest) FFS version on all of the PCs?

I use FFS 8.5 Build Sept 16 2016 - Unicode x64 on all PCs, but i can remember about these problems with earlier versions too

Random data corruption aside, this looks as if you've copied the sync.ffs_db manually, which would lead to the exact error message.

Regarding this it reminds me following situation:
I restored one of my windows-machines (after a crash) and copied the whole FFS-folder from the NAS-Server to my PC. It's the FFS-folder that im syncing with. Is that the source of the problem? Should I delete all sync.ffs_db files in all folders and start clean again to see if the problem is away?

by the way: thank you for your help :D

[Zenju]

File
"\\my_nas_path\folder_on_nas\sync.tmp.ffs_db" can’t be moved to
"\\my_nas_path\folder_on_nas\sync.ffs_db"
errorcode 183: A file can’t be created, if it already exists. (MoveFileEx)

This could also be the explanation for why the two-way sync does not work as expected. Obviously, any error related to the sync.ffs_db files breaks two-way sync.
The question in this case is: Are the network drivers buggy reporting a spurious 183 error, or is the error legit, which means that some other application is also fiddling witht he sync.ffs_db file... but which one? Cannot be another FFS instance, unless FFS's directory locking was disabled...

Should I delete all sync.ffs_db files in all folders and start clean again to see if the problem is away?

That's not needed. When FFS detects an error with the sync.ffs_db files it will overwrite them completely. Usually, this should never be the case... in theory.