External Hard Drive Sync Software

stain

I recently bought a WD Passport hard drive and want to use it to work on files between home and work. The pre-installed software that came on the drive works on Windows but not on a Mac. It uses a proprietary file system, so you must use the software to access the files.



Rather than manually backup/sync files, I was wondering if there was a software solution that allows you to sync files on an external hard drive, for both Windows and Mac? The software should be able to run from the drive, as I cannot install anything on the work computer.



Thanks

lfe2211

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stain


I recently bought a WD Passport hard drive and want to use it to work on files between home and work. The pre-installed software that came on the drive works on Windows but not on a Mac. It uses a proprietary file system, so you must use the software to access the files.



Rather than manually backup/sync files, I was wondering if there was a software solution that allows you to sync files on an external hard drive, for both Windows and Mac? The software should be able to run from the drive, as I cannot install anything on the work computer.



Thanks

Check out the Feb., 2007 edition of Macworld which has a special review of backup/syncing software.



http://www.macworld.com/2007/01/maga...2007/index.php



Look particularly at Retrospective Backup which excels at network (pcs and macs) backups/syncing. This may be the best for your problem.



http://www.macworld.com/2006/12/revi...ct61/index.php



Backing up and syncing can also be done using commercial websites. You can Google this topic to see the available options and prices.



Note that Time Machine is coming in Leopard. We don't know all the features yet to come with this built-in backup/syncing app in OSX. Keep that in mind as you review the currently availbale software packages.

kickaha

Actually, avoid Retrospect like the plague. Their customer support is a joke, and they have habitually gone out of their way to screw over the home user. You can't access the files except through their program, and the UI just plain sucks. Hard to use, prone to problems, and much more expensive than other simpler solutions. Decent if you have a network you need to manage, particularly if you're backing up to tape (where it excels), but they're a 16# sledge for the finishing nail that is home backup.



I'd stick with something simple like Carbon Copy Cloner. Does the job, the backup drive is readable without the software, and it'll get you through until we see what Time Machine offers. (My guess is that it won't solve your problem of needing to share the files.) Any chance you could work directly on the external drive from the work machine, and eliminate the need to sync to it from there? (Actually, any chance you could work directly on the drive from *both* machines?)

lfe2211

I use CCC also (waiting for Time Machine before I spend money). It's very good and cheap (Donate-ware). But it has no inherent sync funtionality. The app Psync that is recommended by the CCC publisher is pretty buggy in my experience. I've had lots of problems with it. Do you use CCC with Psync, Kickaha? If so, how does it work for you?

kickaha

Naw, I use rsync at the command line for sync. You're right, I forgot that CCC does not currently have sync capabilities. Go grab the 3.0beta though, and it does... through rsync no less. Looks like it's time for me to pony up another $5 for a license...



Stain, if you're comfy in the command line at all, check out rsync - it's already included, and while arcane and filled with more options than a Word menu bar, it's quite powerful. There are a few tutorials out there that will help you set up a basic stripped down sync system without too much pain.

lfe2211

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kickaha


Naw, I use rsync at the command line for sync. You're right, I forgot that CCC does not currently have sync capabilities. Go grab the 3.0beta though, and it does... through rsync no less. Looks like it's time for me to pony up another $5 for a license...



Stain, if you're comfy in the command line at all, check out rsync - it's already included, and while arcane and filled with more options than a Word menu bar, it's quite powerful. There are a few tutorials out there that will help you set up a basic stripped down sync system without too much pain.

K,



Tthanks for the info on CCC 3.0 beta and rsync. I'll check them out while waiting for Leopard/TM.

toxotes

You might want to look into ChronoSync too (http://www.econtechnologies.com/site..._overview.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by lfe2211


K,



Tthanks for the info on CCC 3.0 beta and rsync. I'll check them out while waiting for Leopard/TM.

stain

Thanks for the recommendations. I can't wait for leopard's time machine.



I would run everything off of the hard drive, but i have heard bad things about running the WD 2.5 externals full time.

angus mccallum

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kickaha


Actually, avoid Retrospect like the plague. ... You can't access the files except through their program, and the UI just plain sucks. Hard to use, prone to problems, and much more expensive than other simpler solutions. ....



I'd stick with something simple like Carbon Copy Cloner. ...

I've just had a very bad experience with Retrospect Express 5-point-something. Having finally learned how to use the thing properly, I had got to the point where I had forgiven it for being less that 100% user-friendly on the grounds that i was getting industrial-grade backup originally designed for much bigger and more complex systems than mine. If it works for them, etc..... I had 'rehearsed' a disaster and successfully recovered my boot disk, backed up daily onto an external FW HD.



What I hadn't rehearsed was the contingency where the disk on which Retrospect was installed failed, and the backup sets needed to be recovered using a fresh installation of retrospect somewhere else. But hey, if it works as advertised in situation A, it'll be fine in situation B, right? Wrong.



So the rainy day arrived and I congratulated myself for being fully backed up. I install Retrospect on a brand new hard disk and confidently tell it to restore. It refuses to recognize the 'catalog' created by the previous installation. It cannot, as it's supposed to, create a new catalog by parsing the backup file. In other words, i might as well not have bothered backing up at all.



And they want $67 to pick up the phone. Thanks.



So moving right along to CCC: does it reasonably easily permit the user to back up, for example, certain files or folders only from a volume? For example, experience teaches me that all I really need saved from a boot disk implosion are my Mailboxes folder from Library and my Address Book. Backing up those two files would be much quicker and space-economical than backing up the whole drive. With Retrospect, it could be done, although as you say, the interface was ridiculous and made it as difficult as it could humanly be. And when the solids hit the air conditioning of course, it was a waste of time....

__________________

guillaumeb

Well i downloaded Backup 3 during my .Mac subscription... It works great even after i cancelled my membership... the day before! I can very easily set up backup to external hard drive with one or two clicks



People say that backup three is worth 99 bucks because it is listed in the .Mac subscription but it really is free and powerful... you just wont be able to backup stuff to the iDisk that's all

kishan

I have had great success using Chronosync for the purposes of keeping my douments and iTunes folders synced between my iMac and my iBook. I also use it to make nightly backups to an external drive. It's reasonably priced and not too difficult for beginners to set-up. As you get more advanced, it has some powerful features to exert more control over exactly how you want to sync or backup.