New Server - Need to make sure don't reupload to Google Drive

#1

I have been using Insync for a while. I use it to upload (1-way sync) files from my (linux) file server to google drive as a backup (and to make them available remotely for download from google drive).

My old server was a 32-bit machine (hence my username) and it is now time to upgrade that. I have a new server with all the same files, and am about to get insync running on that (buying a new license and everything).

I received help here (Sync computer to separate folder) to get this set up, so my files are synced to “Computer” in Google Drive as seen here:

image

You can see my files are in two directories, corresponding to my server:

image

That screenshot is from the new file server, but the structure was the same on the old server.

I always have trouble with specifying slashes (or not). That’s why you can see I have both /backup and /backup/backup above (I decided to live with that mistake).

I just want to make sure when i start syncing again, I don’t end with insync adding all my files to a new folder under My Drive/backup.

For the setup of the new install, I would just check “backup” after I allow it to contact google drive:

image

And for the folder to sync it to, I select /backup/backup correct?

image

Just wanted someone to confirm before I pull the trigger. I really don’t want to have to reupload all my files, and (for example) find them in My Drive/backup/backup in google drive or something.

Thanks for the help.

#2

Hey @32-bit! Thanks for posting before you pull the trigger. A couple of things I see happening:

If you sync backup to /backup/backup, it’ll create a third backup subfolder. So you’ll likely end up with this locally:
/backup/backup (which has the biggig and jsundqui folders) and inside it is another backup folder (/backup/backup/backup).

And we don’t want that - you’ll essentially have two copies of the same backup folder in different subdirectories.

So I would recommend something else if possible. Upon adding the account, could you choose the default folder that Insync creates? The one that says ~/[username]/Insync/email address? Then, don’t select anything to sync. Just finish the setup by clicking “I’ll do this later” > Next > Finish.

Afterwards, follow the local selective sync section here: https://help.insynchq.com/en/articles/3220036-selective-sync.

  1. Click “LSS: 2-way sync” on the upper right. A pop-up window will appear
  2. Select /backup/backup
  3. Click Merge with a folder and then Choose folder
  4. Select backup from Google Drive

The end result is that you have backup from the cloud syncing to /backup/backup and vice versa. If you need a quick demo to see, let me know!

#3

Correction (in bold text):
Upon adding the account, could you choose the default folder that Insync creates? The one that says ~/[username]/Insync/email address. You can also choose another sync location as long as it is a new and empty folder. Then, don’t select anything to sync. Just finish the setup by clicking “I’ll do this later” > Next > Finish.

#4

Thanks! I am away from my file server for a couple of days but will try this upon my return. I appreciate the prompt response.

1 Like
#5

Sounds like a plan. Feel free to post any follow-up questions here as needed. Thanks very much!

#6

OK, I am back at my server, and I am stuck.

I tried following your instructions, but I screwed up. Upon returning to the computer, I was trying to figure out the part about “Upon adding the account, could you choose the default folder that Insync creates?”. I added the account, but had to click “next” twice. Unfortunately I had already checked the /backup/backup folder in step 1 (5 days ago), which I shouldn’t have based on your advice, but I was going to move on to implementing your suggestions about “the default folder that Insync creates?”. However, as soon as I finished the three steps, it started syncing, creating the /backup/backup/backup directory just as you said it would. I immediately paused it before many files were transfered.

Now, I can’t figure out how to undo what I did.

If I click “unsync” as shown in this screenshot, will that delete anything on my local server (other than the new /backup/backup/backup directory)?

image
image800×189 18.3 KB

Also, I would note I am using insync to backup my server to Google Drive. So just Local Server -> Google Drive. Your recommendations appear to be focused on the other way around, syncing my google drive back to my local server.

Now, I know by using the term “sync” we usually refer to making two separate drives the same, i.e bi-directional. But I actually am not looking to move anything from Google drive onto my server. I have already transferred (locally) all my files from my old server to my new server, so that is done. I just want to continue sending new files (that I add to my server from time to time) to the Google Drive to backup.

It looks like that is what the local selective sync is you link to, and I will look into that. But first I have to figure out how to stop (other than clicking the pause button) insync from downloading my google drive onto my server at /backup/backup/backup.

Thanks for any further help. Sorry I did not follow your original instructions closely enough.

#7

Hi @32-bit, no worries at all!! Here are the steps you need to take to undo the previous ones:

  1. Remove your account. Here’s how: https://help.insynchq.com/en/articles/2967096-removing-your-account. This ensures that you don’t delete anything locally.
  2. Remove the third backup/backup/backup that was created earlier. Check online if there are other items that were created which need to be deleted.
  3. Add your account again, similar to what is shown here. You’ll get the chance to select the default folder that Insync suggests at the start.

From there, follow the steps I shared above. If I understood correctly, you only need a local server --> cloud sync but not the other way around? If so, choose LSS: 1-way sync instead of 2-way sync. :slight_smile: What that does is to push all the local changes to the cloud only. It will not pull any changes from the cloud.

#9

Just a quick note to mention this all worked. I had to re-try a few times to get it to merge into the right directory, but it worked. Thanks for your help.

#10

Thank you, @32-bit! Could you let me know what steps I wasn’t able to cover, if any? One that led you to retry to get it to merge into the right dir.

That way, I can make sure to cover all bases if another user experiences something similar. :slight_smile: Thank you!