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looking for an easy way to store the same files on two USB HDD's and synchronize them

Tags:
  • DVD
  • Storage
  • USB
  • Hard Drives
Last response: in Storage
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April 27, 2013 9:03:09 AM

Hello,

i am currently looking at alternatives to store my video files, as I am currently storing them on DVD's, are the number of DVD's is approaching an unmanageable number.
I was thinking of buying a 2 TB external USB hard disk drive and transferring the data from the DVD's onto this, but then keeping so much data in one place without any backup seems risky to me, so i was thinking of buying a second 2 TB hard disk drive, to back up the storage media.
I was looking to store the files in their native format on both the external hard disks (I wouldn't use some kind of backup software to image one hard disk onto the other one, this feels like a lot of reading and writing to me, when the actual differences may be relatively small between them) and was instead hoping for some kind of software that would be able to differentially identify the differences between the two USB disks, and then transfer just those files over. Does anyone know of any way to do something like this, or if any software offers an option like this? or does someone have another recommendation on a storage strategy that has the redundancy necessary to limit mass loss of data, along with easy access to the data?

More about : easy store files usb hdd synchronize

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a c 954 G Storage
April 27, 2013 9:12:08 AM

I was looking to store the files in their native format on both the external hard disks (I wouldn't use some kind of backup software to image one hard disk onto the other one, this feels like a lot of reading and writing to me, when the actual differences may be relatively small between them) and was instead hoping for some kind of software that would be able to differentially identify the differences between the two USB disks, and then transfer just those files over.

FreeFileSync does this exactly.
Point it at both folders (ex E/Movies and F/Movies), and click to compare the two folders/subfolders. It will tell you exactly what is different between the two. You then have the option to make them the same, in either or both directions.

There are multiple ways to do this automatically, but I prefer the on demand concept. Sync when *I* want to.
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a c 88 G Storage
April 27, 2013 9:24:11 AM

USAFRet said:
I was looking to store the files in their native format on both the external hard disks (I wouldn't use some kind of backup software to image one hard disk onto the other one, this feels like a lot of reading and writing to me, when the actual differences may be relatively small between them) and was instead hoping for some kind of software that would be able to differentially identify the differences between the two USB disks, and then transfer just those files over.

FreeFileSync does this exactly.
Point it at both folders (ex E/Movies and F/Movies), and click to compare the two folders/subfolders. It will tell you exactly what is different between the two. You then have the option to make them the same, in either or both directions.

There are multiple ways to do this automatically, but I prefer the on demand concept. Sync when *I* want to.

Microsofts SyncToy2.1 is another one and also free.
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