Why synchronize local files to NAS?
In our lives, there are various reasons that require us to synchronize folders to shared folders (network drives) or NAS. For example, if you want to view previously available folders offline. The function of synchronizing folders: Automatically saves two or more identical folders and preserves all changed folders from the source directory to the target directory.
How to synchronize local folders to network drives without losing modification status?
There is a situation where you want to synchronize all changes in a folder, including new folders, changed folders, deleted folders, etc., but what should you do without checking?
Some users are trying to use SyncToy launched by Microsoft, but can only manually or set schedules. Others have also tried using Dsynchronize, which, although effective, still has some drawbacks. For example, if a large number of folders are changed after a few minutes, synchronization cannot be done correctly.
This article will introduce two other tools: Sync Center and Aomei Easy Backup
Because they can all synchronize folders in real-time to network drives. With this feature, if any changes occur to your folder, the program will immediately synchronize the changes, modifications, and newly added files. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about losing any changes in the folder.
Use Sync Center to synchronize folders to network drives
Sync Center is a built-in synchronization tool that was initially introduced in Windows 7 and inherited in later versions (such as Windows 8/8.1/10). When you disconnect from the network, it allows you to access files or folders on the network drive. In addition, it also allows you to synchronize offline files to network drives.
The entire process is divided into two parts. The first part is to synchronize the network drive to the local drive and then enable offline files, as this is the only way to use the synchronization center.
The second part is to use Sync Center to synchronize the folder to the network drive. Please continue reading the following content for detailed steps.
Part 1: Synchronize network drives to local drives and enable offline files
Step 1. Create a shared folder on a network drive and map it to your computer. Click on the shared folder, and then select “Map Network Drive” from the context menu.
Step 2. Then, go to the mapped network drive, right-click on it, and select “Always available offline” from the context menu. If you do not want to take the entire mapped network drive offline, you can select a specific file or folder, right-click it, and select “Always available offline”.
Step 3. Wait for the result until you receive a message informing you that “your file will be available offline.”.
Step 4. Enter the control panel, then select “Small Icon” from the drop-down menu of the “View By” tab, and then select “Sync Center” from this window.
Note: You will see the folder list from the mapped network drive as it has already cached the folder list. However, you can only access files that are available for offline use. If you try to open a folder that cannot be used offline, the folder will appear empty until you connect to the network again.
Step 5. Click on “Manage Offline Files” in the left panel of this window.
Step 6. In the “General” tab of the following window, click “Enable Offline Files”, and then restart the computer to activate it. If the computer is not restarted, the offline files folder on the computer cannot be activated.
Part 2: Using Sync Center to synchronize folders to network drives in Windows 10
Step 1. Go to the synchronization center.
Step 2. Right click on “Offline Files”, then select “Synchronize Offline Files” or “Offline File Schedule” from the context menu, and follow the prompts to complete the remaining steps.
How to synchronize folders to network drives in Windows 8/8.1/10/11? You can follow the steps below as all the steps are almost identical. The specific difference is the interface.
Use Aomei to easily backup and automatically synchronize folders to network drives
In Window 7/8/10, local folders can be synchronized to network drives through the Sync Center. However, if you want a simpler method or enjoy more advanced features, you can choose file and folder synchronization software – Aomei Easy Backup. With it, tasks can be completed with just a few mouse clicks, making it perfect for beginners.
Upgrading to Aomei Easy Backup VIP allows you to synchronize files or folders to various types of storage devices, including network drives, internal hard drives, portable hard drives, USB drives, and more. In addition, you can set scheduled tasks, including daily backups, event triggering, USB insertion, real-time synchronization, etc. Next, let’s take a look at how to use this software to automatically synchronize folders to network drives on a scheduled basis.
Step 1. Click the button below to download Aomei Easy Backup, install and run it. In the main interface, click “Sync”, then right-click to select “Basic Sync”.
Free download
Win 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP
Step 2. In this window, you need to perform two steps in order. Firstly, you should click “Add Directory” to select the folder to synchronize. Then, you should choose the network drive as the target path.
Step 3. Click on “Schedule Tasks” at the bottom of this window, or directly select “Real time synchronization”. Then, check “When deleting the source file, the target file will also be deleted”, and click “Start Sync”.
During the file synchronization process, you can manually select “when completed” to check its integrity. In addition, you can also choose “Turn off computer”. If selected, the computer will automatically shut down after the backup task is completed.
Note: This software is suitable for personal Windows systems, so if you are running a server system, you can consider using Aomei Enterprise Backup Standard Edition to synchronize local folders. By using the built-in Aomei image deployment, images can also be deployed to multiple computers through the network.
summary
Through this article, you have learned how to synchronize folders to network drives. Both software can help you synchronize files. However, if you want to use a simpler method, you should use Aomei Easy Backup Professional Edition. If you set a scheduled task, it will automatically mirror the folder to the network drive at the specified time.
