How to setup Synch of folders on Windows 7 or Vista

[NIM]

If you would like to setup up synchronization between two folders (local or network), but you're not sure on how to do this, this is the right tutorial for you.

For this purpose I will setup a folder synchronization of my local folder with my network folder on Popcorn Hour device. I am using Windows 7 x64 and for the synchronization I will use Microsoft's SyncToy 2.1

Synctoy is a free application and can be downloaded from Microsoft Web site on THIS link. If you find provided link invalid, please Google for Synctoy and download the appropriate installation package (x86 or x64 version)

Once you install the Synctoy you'll find it very easy to set up the synch.

Run the SycToy and click on the 'Create New Folder Pair' button

Select 'Left (source)' and 'Right (destination)' folders by clicking on the Browse buttons

I have selected F:\_System Tools as the Left folder and Z:\_System Tools as the Right folder. (Popcorn network drive is mapped under Z: letter)

On the next screen choose one of the desired options:

Synchronize; Echo or Contribute (check each of this settings in Short Explanation Box on the right). This can also be changed later on.

For this purpose I will use Synchronize option

Now, you should only name your folder pair. For instance System Tools Synch

On the main screen click RUN to run folder synchronization on the pair you've created

As you can see, my two folders were synchronized without errors. If you receive errors, you might want to check for write permissions on both folders.

Ok, now we can setup a scheduled task in Task Scheduler, so this synch can run automatically.

Hit Win ORB and type Task Scheduler | on the Start Menu click on the Task Scheduler.

Click on the Action | Create Basic Task | Name: System Tools Synch | Trigger: Choose when the task should start | Action: Start a program | Browse for the SynctoyCmd.exe (default path is "C:\Program Files\SyncToy 2.1\") | Under Add arguments type -R to run synchronization of all folder pairs configured in Synctoy | Under Start in please copy/paste the path to SyncToy folder: "C:\Program Files\SyncToy 2.1\"

Note: If the folder pair name contains a space, surround it with quotation marks as in the picture below for the Program/Script window, but REMOVE the quotation marks in Start in box or your task won't work.

Click Finish twice.

In the Task Scheduler, on the left pane highlight Task Scheduler Library and in the right pane mark System Tools Synch. Right click on the scheduled task that we've just created and click Run

For some reason I've received an error 0x8007010B error and I've discovered that quotation marks has to bee removed in the Start in box.

After that change, my scheduled task was run without errors.

If you experience issues, please post below.

Update: One of our users reported that he receives the following error when trying to run the scheduled task:

SCHED_E_TASK_ATTEMPTED

0x80041324

The Task Scheduler service attempted to run the task, but the task did not run due to one of the constraints in the task definition.

Solution:

The problem was in the Conditions tab of the scheduled task where he had enabled setting 'Start the task only if the computer is on AC power' and his laptop was on the battery power.

Either plug-in the laptop or remove disable that setting in the Conditions tab.

[nrvl]

good one mate. thanks.