Frequently asked Questions

Read the answers on questions that we receive from time to time!

What is so special with ECSync!?

Working with computers lets you learn painfully how important backups are. Anyway, most of the time it costs valuable working time and attention. We are developing high quality software since many years. Looking for an ergonomic and easy to handle software I found no program that met our requirements. That's why I developed ECSync!

This program can be adapted to serve your specific needs. You can let it do backups in the background while you are doing your real important work. This saves your and your employees' time. By the way, you can test ECSync! for 60 days without any restriction. Only if you are satisfied you register the program for as low as 20 Euro. You don't risk anything!

In fact I use ECSync! myself everyday and I really don't want to miss it anymore!

Can I synchronize the content of a database with ECSync!?

ECSync! always copies whole files. It cannot update a file's or database's content.

I very often use my notebook when I'm away and I want to move the changed data to my desktop computer. How does ECSync! support this?

ECSync! synchronizes the data on your notebook with those on your desktop. There is an example.

Does ECSync! support backups onto tape or DAT streamers?

To backup data with ECSync!, it is required to use a data carrier that can be accessed by a logical drive letter. Most of the cases the manufacturer of the tape unit makes a driver available that lets you access the drive this way. If necessary, please ask the manufacturer.

What happens when I changed a file on two computers?

If this is the case, ECSync! would overwrite the old file with the new one. You can avoid this by manually marking the corresponding file within ECSync!.

Can I save data on a FTP server?

ECSync! itself cannot access a FTP server via the FTP protocol. This can be accomplished with utilities that let you access a FTP server's directory by a drive letter.

How does ECSync! determine, which files it has to synchronize?

Windows keeps a file's changed date and time up to date on every write access. ECSync! compares these data and determines which file is the newer one.

The changed date of source and destination differs a few seconds. Nevertheless ECSync! does not copy the file.

If the computers to synchronize are using different file systems, Windows updates the changed date with different precision. With NTFS the precision is below a second. With FAT it is exactly 2 seconds. ECSync! takes this tolerance into consideration. You can change the tolerance's value within ECSync!'s options.

Which operating system does ECSync! require?

ECSync! itself can be run with any current Windows version (98, Me, 2000, XP, Vista). It is irrelevant, which OS is running on a remote computer, as long as you have access to it's files with Windows' own utilities. Two computers running different operating systems can easily be synchronized.

If I use ECSync! in a network, do I have to install it on both computers?

This is definitely not necessary. ECSync! must be running on one computer only, as long as you have access to it.

How do 2 computers have to be connected to synchronize their data?

Basically the physical connection between does not matter to ECSync!. They can be connected via LAN (local area network), WAN (wide area network), Internet, VPN (virtual private Network) or with a direct cable. You can assume, if you can access another computer's files with the Windows explorer, you normally can use ECSync! for synchronization and backup between these systems.

Must ECSync! be running if I use the Windows Task Scheduler?

No, the Windows Task Scheduler will run ECSync! at the right moment.

Can I use ECSync! with command line parameters to run it from within a batch file for instance?

Yes this can be done and is useful in many cases. There is a description of possible parameters.

How do I get information about the data ECSync! processed when it was running automated?

ECSync! writes a log file about its activities. In these files you can discover, which files ECSync! processed. If problems occurred, they will be logged here, too. You normally find these files in the folder C:/Documents and Settings/Properties/Username/Application Data/ECSync.

I'd like to use ECSync!'s profiles, but to be sure I'd like to check everything before the task is starting.

This is one of ECSync!'s basic settings. Only if you create a profile with the options Don't ask for user intervention and Automatic synchronization after start, ECSync! will run automatically without any safety question. In all other cases you start the task manually and/or you will be asked a safety question.

Is there a way to run a backup automatically, when I interrupt my work on the computer?

Sure, using the Windows Task Scheduler you can define that a task with an ECSync! profile is started if the computer is idle for a specified time interval.

Are there programs that complement ECSync! usefully?

Yes, there are some programs available for download that extend and complement ECSync!'s powerful functions. Some examples:

Remote Desktop Connection

With the Remote Desktop technology in Windows XP Professional, 2003 or Vista you can connect to your office computer from home and work with files, programs, and resources as though you were in front of your computer at work.

TightVNC

TightVNC is a free remote control package derived from the popular VNC software. With TightVNC, you can see the desktop of a remote machine and control it with your local mouse and keyboard, just like you would do it sitting in the front of that computer. The possibilities of TightVNC are by far not as comfortable and fast as those of the Remote Desktop technology. But they are available freely for a broad range of operating systems.

ExamDiff

ExamDiff is a freeware Windows tool for visual file comparison. It has a number of simple and convenient features that many users have been asking for a long time from a file comparison tool.

Attribute Changer

This application acts as a Windows shell extension and simplifies changing file and folder attributes by adding itself to the context menus for drives, folders and files. Filters and exceptions can be used to fine tune the update process.

SetACL.exe

SetACL.exe is a free program for setting permissions on Windows NT/2000/XP systems. It lets you change permissions of folders, files, printers, the registry, services and other system resources.

PsExec

PsExec is a light-weight telnet-replacement that lets you execute processes on other systems, complete with full interactivity for console applications, without having to manually install client software. PsExec's most powerful uses include launching interactive command-prompts on remote systems and remote-enabling tools like IpConfig that otherwise do not have the ability to show information about remote systems.

These functions may be very useful to you if you use ECSync! to distribute software updates in your network and want to start the installation remotely (i.e. virus protection software etc.).

I still do have a question, where do I get an answer?

Look for your question in the forum or write a new topic there.