Changing folder for Insync - duplicates files and folders

Bugs and issues
#1

I had to change the insync folder on my machine. I moved the folder, started insync and tried to relocate the sync-path in the account settings. It complained that the folder already existed and wouldn’t start to sync. Also tried to change the folders name without success. Finally I logged out and logged in and then I could choose the right folder. BUT now it duplicates and resyncs files and folders that are already there. This is not the first time insync does that. Have also happened when setting up insync on a new installation.

I am using Ubuntu Xenial but the problem has also happened on Mac OSX Yosemite.

#2

Similar issue here.
Running with Ubuntu (now Xenial) on my main laptop and Win 10 on failing old laptop.
I fresh-installed Ubuntu 16.04 wiping Ubuntu 15.10 and then copied all the directories (previously saved to usb drive) I was syncing on the Ubuntu machine, including the special Insync directory, which contained the links to my synced folders (I imaginatively (!) call it GDrive) over to the new installation, and finally reinstalled and logged in to Insync with same settings as before. But Insync insisted on re-uploading everything to Google Drive, with some of the directories duplicated (followed by (2) or whatever). Took for ages, natch.
I’ve cleaned it all up - but is there any way of stopping this inconvenient behaviour, should I need to reinstall Insync again some time - as I inevitably will at some stage?
David

#3

Sorry - perhaps I should have said - could we have an additional setting which causes it it to sync ‘newer’ files and directories only?
Otherwise I think Insync is bloody brilliant! And thank you very much for providing such a neat alternative to the now defunct Copy.com
David

1 Like
#4

This seems like a great option, will be bringing this up to our engineers :slight_smile:

#5

Hi @David_Oser and @riwid can you send in your log files along with the link to this post to support@inysnchq.com so we can look into this?

cc: @lpugoy and @jimperio

#6

@David_Oser: Apologies for the trouble. Did you copy the ~/.config/Insync folder from Ubuntu 15.10 to Ubuntu 16.04? Also could you elaborate more on what folders you copied from the old installation to the new one?

#7

I’m sorry - for some reason I did not see your response. I can no longer recall exactly what I did, most likely simply reinstalled insync with same username and copied the synced Home folders over from 15.10 to 16.04. Your response tells me that if I had also copied the ~/.config/Insync folder I would not have encountered the duplication issue. Is that correct?
Can you also let me know what I should do in a similar instance with a Windows10 machine which is being synced with my Linux machine and shared to the same Google Drive folders?
Best
David

#8

@David_Oser: Yes, if you also copied the ~/.config/Insync folder then Insync should have started from where it left off on your previous machine. This requires that all paths that you used remain the same though. For example, if your Insync folder is located in /home/username/insync, then it should also be copied to the same path in the new install. This also applies to any folders that you used “Add to Insync” on or added a symlink to.

Could you give more details about your Windows setup? How is it synced with your Linux machine?

#9

Hi, I have the same problem.

I had installed insync on my ubuntu 16.04 two weeks ago
long story short, my computer crashed and I had a hard bakcup of my files
I reformated my computer drive and freshly reinstalled ubuntu 16.04, my files and insync.

but now that I’ve launched insync, I have - both on my google drive and on my computer :

  • the orginal folder
  • the original folder (2)

and the second folder is empty

#10

@Thomas: Please send your logs to support@insynchq.com for investigation: How to find the log files.

#11

Same issue here. Its duplicating everything as of now. If I delete the duplicates later from my InSync folder on my network drive, will it (hopefully) delete from my Google Drive on the web too, and get back to normal? Or maybe, it would be easier to delete from my Google Drive on the web? Also, how can I find the _/home/username/insync, since my NAS is networked through its IP? I am using a Mac OS Sierra. Thanks in advance guys!!

#13

@Lucas_Acurcio You can either delete duplicates on Google Drive, or try using Finder as outlined here: How to look for and remove duplicate items using Finder

#14

But how do I do in case I format my iMac? Because when I did that before, it was a disaster. It kept duplicating everything. Thanks again!

#15

I am a new Insync user and find the program excellent like other users except for the creation of duplicate files which seems spasmodic, rampant, somewhat irrationally created and very alarming.

Until you find a fix for this serious bug please provide some information as to how to deal with it!

Can I for example use a search tool like SearchMyFile by Nirsoft to find all the * (2)* etc. files and just delete them locally?

So far they are not infiltrating my actual google drive when I look at it online. (i.e on the cloud). Will deleting them locally be a useless idea and use up my band width as they are recreated?

Please be honest and cut the “please send us your log files” nonsense and admit you are no closer to developing a better algorithm for file matching if that be the case. You cannot stuff up your users hard drives without some liability so please come clean and state where you are with a fix on an urgent basis