3 Device Setup?

[bevhoward]

Disaster and Recovery...

...while I was away from my home in Texas for almost two months a lightning strike during one of the unbelievable spring storms took out my network, destroying multiple devices and one of the two computers I sync with FFS. It has taken almost a week to repair and try to recover and one of the last steps was to install FFS on a temporary computer and get it populated with my synced files.

When I started FFS to check the files (I had already copied them manually using file explorer) FFS popped up a dialog that stated that it was set up for three computers (my two primary computers, and the laptop I travel with) and showed a link (which I failed to copy and cannot find in the interface)

So, first question... one of the "3" computers no longer exists... how do I remove it from FFS's assumptions?

next question... the current computer I will be using for a while is temporary, so, how will I handle the transition when I am able to purchase a permanent replacement for the original computer that was destroyed?

finally, am I limited to syncing to only 3 "computers?" This is confusing since in addition to my primary two computers, I was also syncing to two SD cards and to an SD card in my android phone.

fwiw, while I had installed FFS on my travel laptop before Covid forced abandoning it 2,500 miles away, when I attempted to sync from one of the SD cards when I was finally able to return, too many file and directory changes had taken place since it's last sync that I was unable to use FFS because I didn't have the time or information necessary to rebuild the travel laptop's file and directories, so, I just worked off of the SD card.

Confusing, I know, but thanks in advance for any pointers in continuing on.
Beverly Howard

[Plerry]

Regarding your 3 licenses: (answer to your 1st and 2nd question)
If you open (donation version) FFS on one of your remaining/functional computers, and go to
Help / Check for updates now / Home Page
Then your personal donation version's support web-page opens.
Next to available downloads, it will also show
"FreeFileSync is currently installed on X device(s).", followed by a "Show" button.
By clicking the Show button, it will show on which X machine(s) the donation edition of FFS is presently installed, give you the option to select one of those installs and remove it from the registered installations.
This will free up that FFS install for installation on another computer (there may be a delay of 24 or 48 hours).

Regarding your 3rd question:
Installation of the donation edition is limited to 3 computers.
However, either of those 3 computers may run unlimited syncs to/from unlimited arbitrary locations.

[bevhoward]

Thanks for the response... I'm still in recovery mode from this year's weather (both inside and outside) so have not had time to respond.

Installation of the donation edition is limited to 3 computers.
However, either of those 3 computers may run unlimited syncs to/from unlimited arbitrary locations

That's excellent information... When I installed the donation version on the fourth computer, thinks got very confusing.

Regarding your 3 licenses: If you open (donation version) FFS on one of your remaining/functional computers, and go to; Help / Check for updates now / Home Page ..."Show" button.

That's a start, but the list isn't helpful since it simply shows the FFS version number and a windows flag.

I assume that the list is in order of installation, but I cannot remember which computer I installed first... is there any way to determine that before I "remove" one other than trial and error?

Thanks in advance,
Beverly Howard

[Plerry]

That persional donation webpage also shows an "Extend" button, which after depressing,
• gives you the option to extend you update interval by making a further payment,
and
• gives you an option to change (increase) the number devices (at the "expense" of your update interval)

[bevhoward]

So, there is no way to determine which install to remove without paying for it?

I have made at least two, possibly three payments for ffs in the past, and facing my first serious disaster recovery need, it is disappointing to find that while a helping hand is available, that hand is extended palm up.

I don't know the order in which I installed ffs, and, since I obviously don't know how the donation system works, I am reluctant to delete one of the entries because of the fear that doing so will delete or corrupt the setup that I have on my primary computer.

I hope you can understand the basis for my frustration and that frustration is mixed in with the fear that the donation system is making the situation even worse.

The third remote computer should be here this week, so, that might offer some additional options.

Thanks for all of the information... I will continue to review it and try to better understand where I stand.

[Plerry]

> So, there is no way to determine which install to remove without paying for it?
In my 1st reply I indicate how you can have the webpage show on which machines the FFS donation edition is installed.
It will list the installations based on the computer name, which should enable you to recognize the computer to be deregistered.

It may be (but I do not know) that when your donation update interval has expired, the deregistration (and thus installation on another computer) is no longer available.

[xCSxXenon]

Also, don't worry about deactivating causing an issue. You would just have to reinstall the donation edition again

[bevhoward]

I just donated $20, (14.40 pounds) looked at the details and the information page shows that the donation edition was only activated for the next 10 months.

Looks like I have been forced to extend from the date that I elected to not extend over a year ago even though I elected to forego the benefits of updating for more than the past year.

I also looked at the donation edition "differences" chart... as far as I can tell, I do not need any of those additional features.

The "computer name" is now visible... only shows the oem brand... no <computer name> ...the same as other computer that I synced to.

Enjoy the 20... as you can imagine, I'm feeling like I am involved in a scam with many blind alleys and misleading documentation.

Very sincerely,
Beverly Howard

[xCSxXenon]

https://freefilesync.org/faq.php#donation-edition
The 20 'dollars' is not in USD, which is why you only got 10 months. You didn't look at the donation features before donation? It would be better if the computer name wasn't just the OEM or board manufacturer though.

[bevhoward]

Thanks...

Know that serious medical issues hammered me during these difficulties complicated by a PC total failure when lightning hit, and it has taken me months to finally recover and rebuild a working and synced system which happened only yesterday.

I'll now be quiet and make my payments ;-)
Beverly Howard

[bevhoward]

Looks like my recovery is not over. I'm slowly making progress, but users might want to know that once you get behind the 8 ball, things are difficult. My donation expires in April of next year for 3 devices

As mentioned I lost a PC to lightning and finally have only two PC's

This afternoon, after syncing, using FFS's "About" I upgraded to 11.14 donation edition on my main PC

This "About" page showed two devices (which included "Lenovo" in the name (not the only "computer name" which I know about) plus an unnamed device running FFS ver 10.x

When the main computer was updated, I went to the second PC which was running FFS ver 10.x and ran a test comparison.

Took a while, but I was finally able to get the 11.14 donation edition from my main pc since from the backup computer, FFS insisted on a donation firs.

When I downloaded it and ran the install on the second pc, FFS reported that I had 3 PC's and would not run.

I then went back to the main PC and deleted the unnamed device in FFS's "About" Ran FFS on the backup computer again and it balked again.

Went back to the main computer, checked again and the 10.x version was gone from the "About"

Went back to the backup, tried again, and FFS finally loaded. Three flights of stairs between the computers ...<sigh>

So, questions;

Are there any instructions available for when this happens next time?

Where are the computer names coming from and how do I edit them? (They are not the Windows computer name)

My name is in script to the left of the computer names... looks like these were derived from user names... do the user logins also restrict the use of FFS?

Thanks in advance,
Beverly Howard