2-Way Synch Over Private Wi-Fi Net, WIN10 Machines

[SavedByThe]

I have 2 WIN10 computers.

One is my primary computer (C1) and the second is maintained as both a hot backup and a travel PC (C2).

I keep my data in folders/subfolders within the Desktop system folder on both C1 and C2.

Both C1 and C2 are on the private Wi-Fi network in my home office. The Desktop folders on each are set up for read/write sharing via WIN10 Settings. I have also gone through all the other network file-sharing setup items in WIN10 Settings. I have Syncovery 9.18f (64 Bit) installed on C1 only.

Before setting up a Syncovery 2-way profile between the Desktop folders on C1 and C2, I perform a readiness check as follows. I determine if I can see the C1 Desktop folder over the network from C2 and vice versa in WIN10 File Explorer.

The readiness check fails as follows. I can see the C1 Desktop from C2, but I cannot see the C2 Desktop from C1. I can see many other C2 folders from C1, but not the Desktop.

I recognize that this is a WIN10 issue and not a Syncovery issue. Nonetheless, it is preventing me from using Syncovery as intended.

Can anyone help me with this issue, please?

[tobias]

Hello,
if you scroll to "Desktop" in the directory tree in Windows Explorer, you can right-click it and choose Properties and then choose the "Sharing" tab sheet. If the simple sharing doesn't work, just choose Advanced Sharing. You also need to edit the permissions to allow read/write access.

But in terms of Syncovery, it's entirely sufficient if one PC can see the other. Then you can run Syncovery on the PC that can see the other one. You only need to run Syncovery on one machine.

[SavedByThe]

Tobias,

I’ve checked all the WIN10 sharing setup boxes and double-checked them. They’re all set.

I’m finding file sharing via WIN10 networking to be unstable. Whereas I could see things previously as described above, I can’t now. The Network doesn’t show up at all in File Explorer now.

I thought of using Syncovery from C2 as you suggest, since, as I described above, it could (past tense) see the Desktop folder on C1.

I have no idea what’s going on and I must move on to other work. I’ll try again tomorrow.

Everything else I’ve done with Syncovery has been easy. This isn’t and I blame Microsoft.

Thanks very much.

[tobias]

Hello,
please forget the network in Windows Explorer.

You need to know the machine name and then type a UNC path in the address bar, such as

\\MyOtherPC

That will show the available network shares from "MyOtherPC".

If you don't see the address bar in Windows Explorer, you can enable it via the View menu.

If you already know the share name, you can type

\\MyOtherPC\Documents

If the name is Documents.

[SavedByThe]

Tobias,

Thanks for the suggestion. It helped me and I now have the 2-way sync working over the Wi-Fi network as intended.

In the Syncovery setup dialog, running from C2 as the Left side, I used the following Left and Right folders.

Left (C2): C:\Users\MyName\OneDrive\Desktop
Right (C1): \\C1_Actual_Machine_Name\Users\MyName\Desktop

I don't quite understand why 'OneDrive' ended up in the Left pathname, since I had disconnected C2 from One Drive before I set up the Syncovery profile. It got there "automatically" when I selected 'Desktop' from Syncovery profile setup menu (Left side).

On the Right, I just typed in the pathname for the distant machine (C1) as you suggested.

Does this all seem consistent with your experience?

All the best.

[tobias]

Hello,
it's possible that the Desktop folder got moved below the OneDrive folder, but I'm not sure.

If you right-click the Desktop folder in Windows Explorer and choose "Properties", it will show the path to the parent folder.

For example, my Desktop folder's parent is simply:
C:\Users\Tobias

So I would probably check if your Desktop's parent folder is actually
C:\Users\MyName\OneDrive
rather than
C:\Users\MyName

It really doesn't belong in OneDrive, I think. But if it's there I guess it could be OK. If it does what you need.

[SavedByThe]

Tobias,

I checked the Properties of the Desktop folder as you suggested and it is indeed under OneDrive.

Since the 2-way synch works, I don't plan to make any changes in the near future.

But I agree that it doesn't make sense for a system folder like Desktop to under OneDrive.

Anyway, thanks again for your help.

Best regards.