Duplicate Folders displaying like "(2)" and "(3)"

Bugs and issues
#1

The phenomena below may be a bug of insync, or one of Google Drive, but I will tell this as a bug report.

Recently, I moved my mail folder (mh-style) with 150,000 files to Google Drive. Syncing is mostly perfect, but it caused some troubles several times.
Most prominent bug is folder duplication. For example, the folder structure below

Mails — settings —±-- imapcache
|
±-- mimetmp
|
±-- newscache
|
±-- plugins
|
±-- templates
|
±-- tmp
|
±-- uidl

there is (are) several duplicate folders like

Mails — settings —±-- imapcache
|
±-- mimetmp
|
±-- mimetmp (2)
|
±-- newscache
|
±-- plugins
|
±-- templates
|
±-- templates (2)
|
±-- tmp
|
±-- uidl
|
±-- uidl (2)

This phenomena arbitrarily happens and cannot detect before syncing (Everytiime I noticed after syncing is starting and mail software shows abnormal behavior). Actually, I can see two (or more) folders with the same name are created in Google Drive (This is why Insync cannnot handle folders with same name and handle as adding “(2)” or “(3)” as a temporary measure).

However, I always use Insync to access to Google Drive from Linux (Ubuntu 16.04) and Windows (Windows 10 mostly, one Windows 7), and this phenomena is likely caused by some improper folder identification between Google Drive and Insync.

I checked many threads describing similar issues, and could not find the solution. It is really grateful if somebody show some tips or technique to avoid this folder duplication, or at least explain why this phenomena occurs.

Thank you.

2 Likes
#2

I have the same issue on multiple computers running macos.

#3

hi @terakin, are you using the native Google Drive app alongside Insync in any of your machines? That causes duplication issues at times. You should log out of the native Google Drive app in this case.

If not, please send your log files to support@insynchq.com for investigation: How to find the log files

#4

Hi gio,

2017-06-27 15:14 GMT+09:00 Gio Tiongson support-notification@insynchq.com:

hi @terakin, are you using the native Google Drive app alongside Insync in any of your machines? That >causes duplication issues at times. You should log out of the native Google Drive app in this case.

In this case, I don’t use native Google Drive app in any computer because I love Insync: )
Anyway, there is no client for Google Drive for Linux, and Insync can handle multiple accounts, and I am using Insync on all computers.

Aside from computers, I am using native Google Drive apps on my tablets and smartphone. Will this usage induce bad effect for Google Drive?
Also, I am using Web version of Google Drive to remove duplicated directories.

If not, please send your log files to support@insynchq.com for investigation: How to find the log files

OK, I am ready to send a log to support@insynchq.com soon.

Thanks,

#5

If anything, the appearance of these numbers is a GOOD thing. Helps you to know when you have duplicate copies that you do not need.

#6

Yes, I understand the mechanism of Google Drive. Unlike other online data sharing service like Dropbox, Google Drive manages their files and folders on unique ID (maybe not UUID). And so it is a reasonable result that there maybe multiple folders (or files) with the same name in the Drive. The question (or To Be Fixed) is why this situation occurs and how to avoid it in Insync.

This is just my speculation that file/folder syncing between different OS (such as Ubuntu and Windows) confuses Insync or Google Drive. However, we can only rely on Insync log to understand what happens inside syncing.

#7

Hi just have this same issue with files and folders don’t know if there a solution somewhere for this, if it is one please let me know thanks
also use insync in windows/linux and google drive app in the phone

#8

Hi @Sebastian_Zapata,

Could you walk me through the duplication issue, starting with how you set up Insync on your Windows/Linux machine? Did you use an existing folder as your sync location, and did that folder contain files that mirror your cloud drive?

Are the duplicates happening locally, in the cloud, or both?

#9

As a follow up for @Sebastian_Zapata, one of the most common workarounds for duplication is to pause Insync and remove them (ie locally), then resume Insync and let the app pick up the changes.

#10

the folder with the error was a folder initially created in the windows machine, later added to the linux machine with selective sync
have been working with that folder without issues for some time .
the only thing i did diferently is i made a security copy of the folder from my windows machine(other times i have made the copy from the linux machine), later when i checkerd the folder/files were duplicated, i did not check if the files/folders were duplicated in the google drive page.
thanks for the tip will try to remember that solution. (this time i just restore from git what i had and made as loss the changes that didn-t make to the last commit)

1 Like
#11

Hi @Sebastian_Zapata,

Thank you for walking me through the issue. What I’m also understanding is that you have two separate Windows and Linux machines, not a dual-boot setup, correct?

#12

you’re correct two separate machines

#13

Gotcha. If you want us to investigate what may have happened, please do send your logs.db and out.txt from both machines to support@insynchq.com :slight_smile: Do include the link to this Forums post so I can easily trace the email. Thank you!

#14

I was having this kind of issue too, but with individual files. Between macOS and a Linux machine and a few Linux VM’s.
I have a folder with a few thousand desktop wallpapers in it. Syncing them via Onedrive, which is installed on the Mac. I had them set up 2-way sync in the Linux machines and would constantly have duplicates. When I deleted the duplicates, it would also remove the originals from the web.
What I ended up doing for now, is changing the sync to One way, down from the web on the Linux machines. That solved the duplicate issue.
I run Variety on the Linux machines, a Wallpaper slideshow app, or use the slideshow function with KDE. I browse Wallhaven a lot for some cool nature backgrounds. My goal was to have everything in sync, and have the ability to add pics to the folder from any machine. Not a big deal. I have plenty enough. Just couldn’t figure out why it was happening. I do have Insync installed on the Mac, but only for Google drive at present.
And that will be my next step, removing Onedrive app from the Mac. It’s slow and clunky anyway.
Then going all InSync. Not anytime soon though.

1 Like
#15

Hi @Scott_Maurin! We’d be happy to check that out for you to see what’s causing the duplicates as well as why it’s removing the original copy in the web.

Please do send your logs.db and out.txt files to support@insynchq.com. Do let me know if you’ve already sent them earlier so we can trace it :slight_smile:

#16

Thanks Mia.
This is likely caused by PEBKAC :slight_smile: or Onedrive itself.
I have a Windows VM with only Onedrive on it and it does the same thing.
Never had that happen with Google drive. Insync is doing what I want now, so I’m OK.
But I do want to eliminate OneDrive from the picture, redo some things, and see how it goes.
After the Holidays sometime.

1 Like
#17

@Scott_Maurin Gotcha. We’ll be ready to look into this when you get the time to sort it out further :slight_smile:
Happy holidays!