Database file "...\sync.ffs_db'' is incompatible.

[bevhoward]

I had not updated ffs for several years, and following the review on Steve Gibson's "Security Now" podcast, I decided to update so that I could address a couple of misunderstandings in that podcast.

However, when I ran the next sync, I received the following error message

Database file "...\sync.ffs_db'' is incompatible.
...Old files will be overwritten with newer files.

I eventually decided to "ignore" (3 dialog boxes) but, when I did, the resulting comparison had no relation to to the files that I knew that I had added and edited.

So, how should i proceed? It appears that there is no way to address this that I have been able to find. I'm nervous about allowing ffs to proceed. Should I just wipe all of the config files and start over as if ffs was a brand new install?

Thanks in advance,
Beverly Howard

[Plerry]

If your left- and right-location(s) were in sync just before you updated to the (much) newer FFS version, there should be no problem ignoring the above warning and proceeding with the sync.

If those locations were not in sync just before you updated to the (much) newer FFS version, there are two "risks":

- any files you had purposely deleted (from just the left- or just the right-location) since running the last sync will be restored (from the location where they were not deleted)
So, no risk of loosing files here; just the risk that a file you had deleted re-appears.

- Any files in your left- or right-location(s) where you had purposely replaced a newer file by an older file (e.g. a previous version) since running the last sync, the newer file still residing in the other of the left- or right-location will overwrite the older version you had purposely restored.
Here you run the risk of "loosing" the purposely restored previous version of a given file.

[bevhoward]

Thanks for the comprehensive and clear explanation... I can now comfortably sync again!

One final question... re the sync.ffs_db file.

When I proceed with the sync, will the above file be replaced/corrected or do I have to take some action such as deleting it to force it's recreation?

Again, thanks,
Beverly Howard

[Plerry]

I don't know for sure. Perhaps Zenju can answer this.

But, you can run an FFS sync with the newer version, ignoring the above warning.
When done you can run the same sync again.

- If the the warning re-appears you should probably delete the sync.ffs_db files.
- If the warning does not re-appear FFS has apparently re-created new sync.ffs_db files, and you should be

OK for future FFS sync sessions.

[bevhoward]

Will do.

fwiw, life circumstances have precluded running any syncs for several months, so, this will give me the incentive to take some precautions and do so... perhaps later today.

Will report back.

Thanks again,
Beverly