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RHMMMM

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 9, 2005
88
0
I have several folders backed up on an external firewire drive that is not always connected. Is there software or a way within OS X or Automator, etc. to easily synchronize the folder on my PowerBook with the one on the external drive without re-rewriting the entire folder and subfolders?
 
Great! Thanks, I appreciate it - I'll have to try it when I get home.
 
RHMMMM said:
Is there software or a way within OS X or Automator, etc. to easily synchronize the folder on my PowerBook with the one on the external drive without re-rewriting the entire folder and subfolders?

If you aren't afraid of the command-line, you can try rsync:
Enter
man rsync
in Terminal to read the manual and decide if it's for you.
-lex
 
Software that can clone/synchronize folders?

I'm also looking for a software that can clone/synchronize folders, including incremental synchronizations after the initial backup is made. I've been using Retrospect 6.1 for years, but apparently the latest version 8 does not have this "Duplicate Folders" function, or the incremental backup function doesn't work very well. And with 10.7 approaching, I need to look for an alternative.

I sometimes use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone full disks, but I haven't found a way to make it clone folders. CCC would work if it could do the same thing for folders as for full disks. Maybe I just haven't been able to figure out how to do it?

Also, I need the ability to save used paths so that I can easily switch between the many folder synchronization backups that I perform regularly.

I'm not comfortable with using command line.

Someone recommended Synchronize Pro, but I don't want to spend $100. $50 is more reasonable.
 
Intego Backup Express

I hadn't looked in the App Store for a while, but after searching again today, I found a brand new software from Intego called Intego Backup Express. It's only $9.99 and does exactly what I was looking for. You can synchronize any two folders and easily save your own 'Preset' scripts. You can also do backups, where you save multiple version of a file as well as set up scheduling. It also has plenty of options and the interface is very Mac like, i.e. clean and intuitive.

The only thing I haven't figured out if it can do yet, is how to set criteria for what constitutes a changed file, i.e. date, name, attributes etc.

I feel very lucky today to have found this app. I have been looking for a replacement to Retrospect 6.1 for a couple of years now. And today I found it!!
 
If you aren't afraid of the command-line, you can try rsync:
Enter
man rsync
in Terminal to read the manual and decide if it's for you.
-lex

I use rsync also, probably not advised for those who don't do well with the command line.
I have mine setup pretty nice actually, I used an rsync script and it is set to run every hour through lanunchd. My plist file also has it set to Low Priority Mode as to not effect any of my user processes.
Like Time Machine now that I have done my work on the front end, I never have to do anything for my remote backups.
 
Second that vote for Silverkeeper. Make sure you have the "Copy set to folder" option checked. Then set the source folder in the left pane and the destination as one level above the destination folder on the Destination disk. That should synk the folders. Look at the options for deleting files not in the source folder too!
Silverkeeper is powerful software, but if you are not careful you can be at risk for data loss.
 
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