New user: trying to eliminate a couple of error messages

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Posts: 6
Joined: 9 Apr 2021

TonyP

Only recently discovered FFS, so much better and more friendly than my previous program. I'm using Version 11.9

One use is to backup to an external USB stick (I:\) certain files and folders. In particular one pair seems to give a couple of error messages.
Source folder: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
Destination folder: I:\PCs - key folders\Tower PC\Start Menu

Warning Cannot set directory locks for the following folders:
Cannot write file "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\sync.ffs_lock".
ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED: Access is denied. [CreateFile]

Error Cannot write file "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\sync.ffs_db.d425.ffs_tmp".
ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED: Access is denied. [CreateFile]

It seems as if it's trying to write to the Start Menu folder on C:\ to create lock and database files - presumably temporary. Does this mean it temporarily creates such files in each of the source folders its copying from? Presumably to stop the folder changing while being copied. And of course this folder is Read Only.

Is there anyway of stopping this behaviour, or at least stopping the message being produced for this folder?
User avatar
Posts: 3551
Joined: 11 Jun 2019

xCSxXenon

Yes, you can disable locking and the tmp files.
Disable lock files: https://freefilesync.org/manual.php?topic=expert-settings
tmp files is controlled from Tools->Options->Fail-safe file copy

Disabling the lock files is unfortunately a global FFS setting, not per config. It is a setting to prevent multiple FFS sessions from using the same directories at the same time. If that is not a concern for you, don't worry about it
Posts: 6
Joined: 9 Apr 2021

TonyP

Thank you :-)

I can now run all my syncs without any error messages.
Posts: 6
Joined: 9 Apr 2021

TonyP

For some reason this problem has come back. It seems to have started when I got back form a few days away. I used my laptop for activities while away and when back used FFS on the laptop to sync things back to my desktop PC. Now I get this message

Cannot write file "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\sync.ffs_db".
ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED: Access is denied. [CreateFile]

Looking at GlobalSettings.XML the key lines for this (I think) read
<RunWithBackgroundPriority Enabled="false"/>
<LockDirectoriesDuringSync Enabled="false"/>
In Tools/Options
Fail-safe file copy is NOT ticked.

I really don't know how to sort this.
User avatar
Posts: 3551
Joined: 11 Jun 2019

xCSxXenon

Ah, you must being using a two-way sync or mirroring with the option to "detect moved/renamed files" selected. There is a check box just under your sync method that you can disable. The consequence being anything you move/rename will be deleted and re-copied to the destination instead of the equal move or rename.
Posts: 6
Joined: 9 Apr 2021

TonyP

Bingo! Changed to Mirror and all ran ok.

Many thanks.