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Syncing files between Mac & Windows

K

karstenjensen

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 8, 2013
16
0
Next monht Windows Live Mesh will stop it's services and I will no longer be able to sync my files on LAN / WAN between my MAC and my Windows PC - and I really need that abilty. Cloud services like iCloud, Dropbox, SkyDrive and Google Drive is NOT an option for me.

I need something where I can mark folders and let them syncronise on the fly bewteen my different computers - but I simply can not find another programf for this purpose - a succeeder for Windows Live Mesh.

Can someone please help.
 
I am also looking for an alternative for Windows Live Mesh. I used it as well to keep things synchronized between my Macbook and Windows desktop PC.

I tried Goodsync, but I ran immediately into some persistant syncing problems. The program didn't seem very intuitive either. Read some good things about Cubby, but that seemed complicated as well (at least the part that you have to turn everything into a cubby.)

Did anyone else tried those two? Are there other alternatives?
 
I have not yet tried Cubby but to me it seems like the only alternative to Live Mesh - but to me it is a bit overkill. I don't need all the other features I only want the sync tools and it really don't have to cost the user anything because we don't need the cloud.

And I really can't imagine that there aren't many other people that have the same problem.... :apple:
 
I hope as well someone can chime in. I just need synchronisation over the network (peer to peer sync), not over the Internet or via the cloud.
 
Are these computers on the same network, do you need access remotely?

1. Shared Folder on either Mac or Windows over local network would solve it all surely, and if you wanted to make then accessable, then a webserver with links into said folder.

2. Shared folder on Windows, and use rsync on mac to share them back and forth.
 
Not a cheap solution, but something I have been keeping an eye on is Transporter, from the guy that developed Drobo. Transporter is an online, but off-cloud storage solution for privately sharing, accessing and protecting all of your valuable files.

They got funding from Kickstarter, and due to start shipping at the end of January.
 
rctlr said:
Are these computers on the same network, do you need access remotely?

1. Shared Folder on either Mac or Windows over local network would solve it all surely, and if you wanted to make then accessable, then a webserver with links into said folder.

2. Shared folder on Windows, and use rsync on mac to share them back and forth.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Yes, the computers are on the same network :) But I just realised that my Macbook is of course connected via WiFi, so I guess I would need an internet connection for syncing...
 
It seems I may not be familiar with how Google Drive works - has anyone experinces with this?

And - aren't there some one - besides jinx and me - wh have this problem with two computers? What do other people do?
 
I guess most people, myself included use a cloud solution like Dropbox or Google Drive. Other than that

1. Store your files on a USB Drive.

2. Share your folder, and if you are not on the same network as the shared folder use VPN to create a secure link in, to pull files over.

3. eMail the files you need to yourself before you leave the office.
 
jinxed said:
Hi,

Yes, the computers are on the same network :) But I just realised that my Macbook is of course connected via WiFi, so I guess I would need an internet connection for syncing...
Click to expand...

If it's on wifi at home, then it's on the same network, you do not need the internet to do that.

There is plenty of pages to work out how to share folders across a local network.

using a command on the mac like

rsync -avz localmacfolder /Volumes/windowssharedfolder

would sync the two folders mac to windows
 
James Craner said:
I guess most people, myself included use a cloud solution like Dropbox or Google Drive. Other than that

1. Store your files on a USB Drive.

2. Share your folder, and if you are not on the same network as the shared folder use VPN to create a secure link in, to pull files over.

3. eMail the files you need to yourself before you leave the office.
Click to expand...

I need to sync 6 folders, with a total size of 50/60 GB. So that wouldn't work ;). Dropbox is nice, but pricey. And I would need to change my folderstructure (everything in the Dropbox folder).
Live Mesh just worked like a charm.
 
karstenjensen said:
Jinx - have you looked at Cobby and Goodsync? These are the best I could find.....
Click to expand...

Yes, that was in my original message :) At that time Cubby was free, not anymore now. Goodsync works, but has a strange way of checking a file was changed. It doesn't really look inside the file, only at the date. Now I understand why I got those errors, so this one isn't for me either.

Live drive is expensive, but also a cloud solution, and I don't need the cloud.

Still looking around...
 
So that I understand, you are trying to sync files from an NTFS disk on the PC with files on an HFS+ disk on the Mac (and vice versa)?

I do this with chronosync running on the Mac (also running Tuxerta NTFS) and have MacDrive running on the Windows machine. I have a chronosync job spawned every hour to take care of the sync but you could make it happen more frequently if desired. I use this to keep files on my MacBookPro synced to my Windows home server and my MacPro.
 
tomllama said:
So that I understand, you are trying to sync files from an NTFS disk on the PC with files on an HFS+ disk on the Mac (and vice versa)?
Click to expand...

Yes - from a PC to a Mac - and vise versa....

I do this with chronosync running on the Mac (also running Tuxerta NTFS) and have MacDrive running on the Windows machine. I have a chronosync job spawned every hour to take care of the sync but you could make it happen more frequently if desired. I use this to keep files on my MacBookPro synced to my Windows home server and my MacPro.
Click to expand...

What are you using Tuxerta for?
And why do you need MacDrive installed on Windows? All I want is to sync files :)
 
I wonder if something like git or subversion would work for you. We use those tools to synchronize and track changes among multiple workstations and developers in the software development world.
 
ScoobyMcDoo said:
I wonder if something like git or subversion would work for you. We use those tools to synchronize and track changes among multiple workstations and developers in the software development world.
Click to expand...

I am not quite sure I have googled the right stuff but from what I have read it is quite difficult to operate.....
 
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