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I have a Shared Folder with about 5TB of files in it and I would like to have those files automatically copied to another computer without changing the file/structures/format at all.

If, in the Shared Folder I had a file structure like this:

+---Documents
|   |   plot.log
|   |   UserPreferences.xml
|   |   
|   +---Custom Office Templates
|   +---My Received Files
|   |       Material List.xls
|   |       
|   +---RSLogix500
|   |   \---Project
|   |           Readme.txt
|   |           
|   \---Studio 5000
|       \---Projects
|               Sample.ACD
|               SAMPLE2.ACD
|               sample3.ACD
|               sample4.ACD
|               
+---Downloads
|   |   AutoCAD_LT_2017_NWL_English_Win_64bit_dlm.sfx.exe
|   | ...

I want the second computer to look exactly the same. I want to be able to open up the second computer and use the files as I would in the Shared Folder.

If the files are modified in the Shared Folder, I would like for them to be replaced on the second.

Essentially I am looking for a program that can track changes and then copy the changes to a new location. Typical backup programs don't work because they compress/encrypt/reformat the files so that they have to be 'imported' by that program again in order to use them.

Any ideas? Please let me know if I am being unclear.

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3 Answers 3

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Resilio Sync (formerly called BitTorrent Sync) is perfect for this. It's easy to set up, and only copies modified parts of files, and it encrypts data in transit. It works in near real time, with computers as peers. The home standard version is free.

Note that this isn't a backup. If you delete or encrypt files on one computer they're deleted or encrypted on the other computer.

I use this program for many things:

  • To copy new photos off my Android phone, on my LAN only
  • To keep a collection of photos on my phone up to date, on my LAN only
  • To keep copies of family photos and data, including family on the other side of the world. This feeds into my backup system.
  • To move files generally between systems, including virtual machine images
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  • "It's also free" No it isn't. "Sync Home pro $59.99 / One-time "
    – DavidPostill
    Jun 8, 2017 at 23:33
  • @DavidPostill It is free unless you get the Pro version. Jun 8, 2017 at 23:44
  • Standard version is free for personal use. I have it running on around eight devices and I've never paid for it.
    – Tim
    Jun 9, 2017 at 0:27
  • This program is pretty nifty as well. github.com/canton7/SyncTrayzor @Tim Jun 13, 2017 at 22:06
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I am looking for a program that can track changes and copy to a new location.

robocopy will handle this.

See the following script:

Backup a Server

The script below copies data from FileServ1 to FileServ2, the destination holds a full mirror along with file security info. When run regularly to synchronize the source and destination, robocopy will only copy those files that have changed (change in time stamp or size.)

@ECHO OFF
SETLOCAL

SET _source=\\FileServ1\e$\users

SET _dest=\\FileServ2\e$\BackupUsers

SET _what=/COPYALL /B /MIR
:: /COPYALL :: COPY ALL file info
:: /B :: copy files in Backup mode.
:: /MIR :: MIRror a directory tree

SET _options=/R:0 /W:0 /LOG:C:\batch\RoboLog.txt /NFL /NDL
:: /R:n :: number of Retries
:: /W:n :: Wait time between retries
:: /LOG :: Output log file
:: /NFL :: No file logging
:: /NDL :: No dir logging

ROBOCOPY %_source% %_dest% %_what% %_options%

You might also want to consider using the following options in addition:

Repeated Copy Options

/MON:n : MONitor source; run again when more than n changes seen.
/MOT:m : MOnitor source; run again in m minutes Time, if changed.

Source robocopy


Further Reading

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To make the copied file the same with the original won't be an issue as most backup software can achieve this, though the files will be handled, but they still can be returned to the state where they are by the recovering function. And the other point that you mention-showing the changed files is about increment backup, which is to say, only the changed files will be backed up on the base of a full backup. It's a backup method preferred for quick and speedy backup. And actually, many main backup software can achieve this. You can search on lifewire where listed a plenty of them.

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