RAMDISK Error

[eaglescale]

Hello, I encountered an error when attempting to use RealTimeSync.

I am using Windows 7, Primo Ramdisk Ultimate Edition.

The Primo program creates a drive that is based on RAM it reserves for this purpose. This makes the RAMdisk extremely fast. The problem is that sometimes I turn off the computer and forget to save the RAMdisk and my data is lost. I want to use RealTimeSync to prevent this loss.

The problem is that RealTimeSync is unable to register device notifications for my "RAMDISK (Z:)" drive. The error is as follows:

Unable to register device notifications for "Z:\".

Error Code 1168: Element not found. [RegisterDeviceNotification]

Note that FreeFileSync works perfectly when I run the batch file but RealTimeSync gives the error shown. Also note that I tried to use [RAMDISK]\ as the device name in the batch file. Is RealTimeSync just incompatible with RAMdisk drives? The ramdisk is not much different than a flash drive so theoretically it should work.

Am I doing something wrong or is the nature of a RAMdisk to blame?

Thank you for any help you can give.

Here is a copy of the .ffs_batch file used in RealTimeSync:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<FreeFileSync XmlFormat="7" XmlType="BATCH">
    <MainConfig>
        <Comparison>
            <Variant>TimeAndSize</Variant>
            <Symlinks>Exclude</Symlinks>
            <IgnoreTimeShift/>
        </Comparison>
        <SyncConfig>
            <Variant>Update</Variant>
            <CustomDirections>
                <LeftOnly>right</LeftOnly>
                <RightOnly>left</RightOnly>
                <LeftNewer>right</LeftNewer>
                <RightNewer>left</RightNewer>
                <Different>none</Different>
                <Conflict>none</Conflict>
            </CustomDirections>
            <DetectMovedFiles>false</DetectMovedFiles>
            <DeletionPolicy>Versioning</DeletionPolicy>
            <VersioningFolder Style="TimeStamp">C:\Users\gaming\Desktop\backup trash</VersioningFolder>
        </SyncConfig>
        <GlobalFilter>
            <Include>
                <Item>*</Item>
            </Include>
            <Exclude>
                <Item>\System Volume Information\</Item>
                <Item>\$Recycle.Bin\</Item>
                <Item>\RECYCLER\</Item>
                <Item>\RECYCLED\</Item>
                <Item>*\desktop.ini</Item>
                <Item>*\thumbs.db</Item>
            </Exclude>
            <TimeSpan Type="None">0</TimeSpan>
            <SizeMin Unit="None">0</SizeMin>
            <SizeMax Unit="None">0</SizeMax>
        </GlobalFilter>
        <FolderPairs>
            <Pair>
                <Left>[RAMDISK]\</Left>
                <Right>C:\Users\gaming\Desktop\backup</Right>
            </Pair>
        </FolderPairs>
        <OnCompletion/>
    </MainConfig>
    <BatchConfig>
        <HandleError>Popup</HandleError>
        <RunMinimized>false</RunMinimized>
        <LogfileFolder Limit="-1">C:\Users\gaming\Desktop\log</LogfileFolder>
    </BatchConfig>
</FreeFileSync>


[Radish]

I think it might be your ramdisk software that is at fault - or there is some configuration element of your ramdisk that is causing the problem. For years I've used SoftPerfect Free ramdisk (it recently went pay-ware). I've just tested on my system with SoftPerfect v3.4.8 what you were trying to do and it worked absolutely fine. You can try this test yourself with the SoftPerfect last freeware version (which is the version I still use) here: http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/softperfect_ram_disk.html

The batch file for the test I did is as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<FreeFileSync XmlFormat="7" XmlType="BATCH">
    <MainConfig>
        <Comparison>
            <Variant>TimeAndSize</Variant>
            <Symlinks>Exclude</Symlinks>
            <IgnoreTimeShift/>
        </Comparison>
        <SyncConfig>
            <Variant>Mirror</Variant>
            <CustomDirections>
                <LeftOnly>right</LeftOnly>
                <RightOnly>left</RightOnly>
                <LeftNewer>right</LeftNewer>
                <RightNewer>left</RightNewer>
                <Different>none</Different>
                <Conflict>none</Conflict>
            </CustomDirections>
            <DetectMovedFiles>true</DetectMovedFiles>
            <DeletionPolicy>Versioning</DeletionPolicy>
            <VersioningFolder Style="TimeStamp">D:\TEST VERSIONS</VersioningFolder>
        </SyncConfig>
        <GlobalFilter>
            <Include>
                <Item>*</Item>
            </Include>
            <Exclude>
                <Item>\System Volume Information\</Item>
                <Item>\$Recycle.Bin\</Item>
                <Item>\RECYCLER\</Item>
                <Item>\RECYCLED\</Item>
                <Item>*\desktop.ini</Item>
                <Item>*\thumbs.db</Item>
            </Exclude>
            <TimeSpan Type="None">0</TimeSpan>
            <SizeMin Unit="None">0</SizeMin>
            <SizeMax Unit="None">0</SizeMax>
        </GlobalFilter>
        <FolderPairs>
            <Pair>
                <Left>[RAMDISK]\TMP</Left>
                <Right>D:\TEST</Right>
            </Pair>
        </FolderPairs>
        <OnCompletion/>
    </MainConfig>
    <BatchConfig>
        <HandleError>Popup</HandleError>
        <RunMinimized>false</RunMinimized>
        <LogfileFolder Limit="-1"/>
    </BatchConfig>
</FreeFileSync>


Here are the settings I used for the Softperfect ramdisk.

(1) Install SP ramdisk, reboot if necessary, and the launch SP Ramdisk.
(2) Click the big green "Add Ramdisk" button.
(3) Enter a size for the ramdisk. (I don't use an Image file - but that is up to you).
(4) Mount Options: Enter a Drive Letter - I used "W:". Do not tick "Hard Disk Emulation". Do not tick "Mount as Removable".
(5) File system: Set to NTFS

Now click on the "Advanced" button and enter a "Volume Label" e.g. RAMDISK. Do not tick "Disk Compression".

Once you've done all that you will have the ramdisk configured in the same way I did when I did my test of what you were trying to do. As said that test went fine on my system. If it doesn't do so on yours then you might be looking at some problem with the way you have Windows configured.

Hope this helps.

P.S. I use Windows 7 Pro. x64 SP1

EDIT: I just noticed that you were using the "Update" variant for what the sync was to do. My own test was with "Mirror" variant. I have now fully tested what you were trying to do by copying and pasting your code into an ".ffs_batch" file and then amending the right-side paths to suit my own system (I just left the left-side path as being [RAMDISK]\). At first it didn't work but then I noticed that I had to create the right-side folders on the destination (right-side) drive first. Once I did that the test ran completely fine.

[Zenju]

Unable to register device notifications for "Z:\".

Error Code 1168: Element not found. [RegisterDeviceNotification]

Is this error reproducible? I just installed "Primo Ramdisk Standard Edition 5.7.0 Trial" but couldn't find any issues, i.e. RealTimeSync starts up fine and notifies the changes received on "Z:\".

[eaglescale]

I believe I fixed the problem. I was using the direct I/O option (faster access speed) instead of SCSI disk option (works like real physical disk).