File Synchronization and Data Backup with Microsoft SyncToys

Written by:  • Edited by: Rebecca Scudder
Updated Jun 18, 2009
• Related Guides: Microsoft | Data Backup

Microsoft SyncToy is a user-friendly application to backup data on different storage devices, and it helps to copy, delete, rename and move the files from one folder or computer to the other. This is feasible with its great synchronization features

SyncToy (ST) is free file synchronization software designed by Microsoft to aid the user to synchronize, copy, backup and maintain folders of files on computers. Unlike most other methods, ST acts very fast in synchronizing the files in folders by copying, renaming and deleting files. ST is much simpler to configure and user-friendly.

SyncToy features

  • In a synchronization process it can simultaneously handle multiple sets of folders and amalgamate files from two different folders.
  • Again, for synchronizing multiple folders one click is sufficient with SyncToys.
  • Can be installed on as many computers as you want with great flexibility.
  • All file changes and deletions are stored in a well manageable database system.
  • Supports all types of file systems
  • Synchronizes data between desktop PC and laptop without duplication
  • Capable of updating and creating backup files over both intranet and internet
  • Facility to synchronize removable devices with local drive

Need for backup

Computers are prone to sudden crashes like corruption of your hard drive, unanticipated virus attacks or system failures. So there is an real necessity for backing up data. If a user either forgets or ignores the need to backup data, then such data will be irretrievably lost when a computer crash occurs. Fortunately, with the availability of external hard drives, shared network drives, flash drives and other similar devices, there are now many possibilities for creating backups. But keep in mind one thing - whatever version you download, the common back up process enables you synchronize multiple files and folders effectively. In fact this is the main idea behind all the versions of SyncToys.

The data backup process

SyncToys Screenshot
click to enlarge
The obvious first step is to download Microsoft SyncToy and save it to your preferred location on your PC (mostly desktop). Latest version 2.0 can downloaded here. It will be saved with the name “setup.msi". Double click this downloaded “setup.msi" file to complete the installation program. After this the program will be installed in the "All Programs" menu. Now back up the files to an external hard drive, a flash drive or any other storage device. (The older version is no longer available from the Microsoft site, but it is possible to find earlier version 1.4 on Google.)

So to create a backup for this particular system, open "My Computer" and locate the storage device connected to the PC. Next go to the Programs menu, open SyncToy and click on "Create New Folder Pair" to back up the files and folders. The left folder is the source folder and the right folder is the receptacle for the information to be backed up. Click on "Browse" to locate the file or folder from which the backup has to be done. Next click "Browse" for the right side folder, to choose the location for backup.

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Peter Bowers Jan 23, 2010 3:54 AM
no versioning
I too use synctoy for backups, but the fact that it keeps only the most recent version is a big disadvantage for this purpose. If I overwrite a file on one platform and don't discover it until after the next sync then my bad change gets propogated to all other platforms and I have no backup to go back to...
 
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