Merk7

This problem is still occurring in 2.7.2, over 5 years after these prior posts. I installed Resilio on a new computer and "remote peer" is deleting tens of thousands of files that literally don't exist. For all I know, I am really losing some of these files permanently. But what is clear is that something is very very wrong.

SOLUTION: Can I Connect Two Pre-Populated Pre-Existing Folders? This explains how to change the folder on the destination device. However, why Sync chooses a random folder on its own is beyond me. Their should be an option for the sync to not begin until the user is asked to select a folder on the destination machine. And finding this information should not be so difficult!!

UPDATE: Unable to get this working, I decided to delete the existing folder syncs and start over. Why is starting from scratch so hard?? As it stands, I have two computers with Documents folders that are 98% duplicates. How do I get Sync to sync these two folders without creating new folders and recreating the files? When I create a folder Standard Folder on either computer, it is immediately recreated on the other computer. But on the second computer, Resilio automatically sticks everything in C:\User\Resilio Sync\Documents. Why? In addition to that folder, I know have a second and identical Documents entry in File Explorer on Computer B. And why is there no way to change the folder easily?? I can find none. The user should be able to pick the folder on Computer A to be synced and the folder on Computer B that should be synced with it. That seems simple and obvious to me, but it obviously is not. Sorry if my frustration is spilling through, but this should not be that difficult. Thank you for any help you can provide.

How do I get Sync to sync the correct folders? Here's the situation: Sync has run beautifully for a long time on two computers, A & B. Computer B recently had a BSOD problem and windows was reinstalled. After the Windows reinstallation, I successfully resinstalled Sync and transferred the Sync license key from Computer A to Computer B. Sync started immediately, but using the wrong folder on Computer B! It started copying everything from Computer A's correct Documents folder to Computer B's wrong location (C:\User\Resilio Sync\Documents). I'm not sure why it created the Resilio Sync directory, but I need Sync to sync documents to a different folder (the original Documents folder, which was on a different hard drive than Windows and is still intact). How do I get Sync to point to a different folder? Thanks.

+1 @GreatMarko: while a user can disable all notifications, only the 'file locked' notifications are exceedingly annoying. I, and presumably the other posters, would prefer to enable notifications but disable only the 'file locked' notifications. How about adding a checkbox to the notification that says "ignore this notification" or "prevent this notification from repeating?"

The sync mode settings seems to be "sticking" in the new version. Thanks for the tip.

I will install the new version and see if that makes a difference. Thanks for the heads up.

Apparently, I spoke too soon. When I returned ti this computer today, the sync mode had reverted to Connected. Any more ideas? This is becoming intolerable as I was unable to acess needed files and had to travel across town to obtain the access I needed. Many thaink for any suggestions. Merk

Mkrazz, thanks for your help. That fix seems to have done the trick and the existing .bts files have all synced properly. Thank you for suggesting that alternate method. That said, I am not sure why there are two methods that on their face would not seem to accomplish the same result. One refers to "Selective Sync" and the other refers to the terms Synced, Connected and Disconnected. The use of different terminology is confusing and the inconsistency should be eliminated. Also, while I am on a roll , I will add that the term Connected is not particularly descriptive. Being Synced is also being Connected. I would propose changing the terms to: Full Sync Limited Sync OR Placeholder Sync Disconnected Finally, there needs to be better FAQs on how to change from Sync to Connected as I was unable to find an article by searching for what I though were obvious terms (e.g., "change sync mode"). Thanks again for your help! Merk

Proving that no good deed goes unpunished, this week I paid for a Pro subscription under the new pricing model. Almost immediately, I started noticing these problems. The problem appears to be that while I had all my devices set to Sync all folders (and it was working beautifully for months), the implentation of the Pro license changed the synchronization mode on one computer to Connected. In a nutshell, I need to know how to change the synchronization mode back to Sync from Connected. Because others might be having similar problems, I am recounting the details below. Certain files (mostly .docx and .pdf) on Computer 1 (C1) are not syncing to Computer 2 (C2). On the latter, I find .bts placeholders only. Clicking on hte .bts files causes them to open and resolve so that the .bts designation disappears. Other files seem to sync fine. I have 6 files in one directory on C1 that behaved in this manner. As a test, I created a subdirectory on C1, copied the 6 files to it. Immediately, the subdirectory was created on C2, but all 6 files were shown only as .bts placeholders. The files did not copy over. Having now done a search for .bts files on C2, I have found that there are dozens of files with .bts placeholders rather than full files spread across my computer in various folders. Not all of them will open. Any ideas as to how I can (1) change the Connected mode to Sync, and (2) get rid of the .bts files and replace them with full file versions? Thanks for your help. Merk UPDATE: I found the option to "Turn off Selective Sync" by right clicking on the folder from within Sync. But when I do this on C2, the folder becomes black (signifying that it is now if Sync mode) but, after a few minutes, selective sync is mysteriously turned on and the folders become white (signifying that they are now in Connected mode). All assistance is appreciated.

As noted to you privately, Roman, this is not personal. You have been excellent in trying to assist me, but Sync appears designed to make it difficult, if not impossible, for a user to continue using the free version after the pro trial expires. I was not and have not ever used any of the Pro features you list. I simply sync two folders across three devices, nothing more. Twice now, I have had the Pro trial expire and twice the result has been disruption of my syncing ability through unlinking devices and folders. (The second trial was initiated after I had to uninstall and reinstall sync while trying to cure prior problems.) I don't mind the nag screens asking me to upgrade but I do object to Sync stopping entirely my ability to use the software without jumping through difficult and time-consuming hoops if I seek to continue using it. That is exactly what has happened twice, as this thread, started on June 15, attests. When combined with the firestorm of criticism Sync generated by the way it implemented its paid version, I can only conclude that Sync had made the 'corporate' decision to disfavor free users and make it difficult for them to continue using Sync after a trial expires. It could be bugs / interoperability issues / misconfiguration, but at this point I am exhausted from dealing with the problems. I have sought help in this forum and previously by creating a support ticket, as you suggest. None of this has changed the misery that is the transition from trial to free. Maybe my experiences are unique, but that would surprise me. If Sync is losing many users after the trial period expires, I am guessing that most, unlike me, are walking away when they encounter the hurdles that Sync erects. Merk

I want to update this thread because, as predicted, I am having problems now that my trials have expired. First, as background, as was recommended in an effort to avoid this mess, I created separate identies on my 3 devices, as suggested, and I deleted all the license folders to 'stop' the trial early. Despite that, the trials were either recreated or that solution did not work. Now my trials have expired and all of my BTS setups are telling me that I have no linked devices. HOW CAN THE DEFAULT BE THAT THE PRODUCT STOPS WORKING WHEN THE CUSTOMER SEEKS TO CONTINUE USING THE FREE VERSION??? This is poor coding and punitive customer service, especially when applied to long-time beta users. To add insult to injury, my devices are having trouble linking with one another. Despite trying to link via a QR code, my Andoid device has been unable to complete the link. Although I am sure this will eventually work, it is causing me untold annoyance presently, not to mention interruption and time. I am really at a loss to understand why the system is designed this way. I have never seen another app or piece of software act so vindictively once a user chooses to continue with a free version. The leadership of bittorrent really needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror and figure out if this is really the right way to treat people. If they continue with the status quo, a more detailed explanation of their mean-spirited policies and effect of choosing the free version should be provided. People need to be told upfront what they are getting into. Merk

@RomanZ That sounds like great advice! If I do that, are you sure I will not run into any of the problems that have plagued me here? Or will Sync act as if my trial has stopped and require me to change my folders, etc.?

@RomanZ I decided that the simplest means of getting this running again was to uninstall/reinstall on all my devices. So there is no need to set up a separate support ticket. I used Revo Uninstaller to purge all files and settings, then reinstalled. It is still a mess. After linking all devices and my 2 folders, BTS on my computer and laptop froze multiple times (spinning circle > 10 minutes). After restarting and rebooting several times, it looks like things may finally be working. But even though I linked and am syncing the same folders that have already been synced on these machines, BTS reports that it is transferring hundreds of files. That makes no sense and I am not seeing that the files are being duplicated or copied to a new location. Hopefully, it is really just indexing the files from both computers. Time will tell whether this ends up being more of a mess or whether I finally got it working again. My worry now is that I am back in the 30-day trial period, so I am guessing I will have to go through this again next month. Or maybe you will have fixed it on your end by then. We'll see. Thank you for your help. @RomanZ One positive . . . I was able to add a folder to Android without a problem and without creating a separate identity!

@RomanZ Here is how the problem is playing out: because my laptop is "connected" and not "synced," I am getting .bts placeholder files on my desktop machine. When I try to open those files, a BTS dialog opens that says, "File already in queue. [File Name] is already in the transfer queue." Clearly it is not in the transfer queue, nothing is being transferred and I cannot open the file on any device other than the one where it was last modified.

@RomanZ With respect to my inability to switch from "connected" to "synced," that is precisely what is occurring. In addition, I cannot add folders to sync on my Android phone. When I try to add a folder using the QR code, the app crashes and no folder is added. I have unlinked and relinked the phone to my computer repeatedly because after the folder adding crash, in my list of devices, my computer reports my phone as being offline and the phone reports the computer as being offline. There is little doubt that the transition from pro trial to free is filled with bugs. I am spending hours on something that should have been seamless. I am at the point where either need to find another software solution or start over. Any idea how I can wipe the slate completely clean with BTS and start again??

I also cannot change my laptop computer device settings from "connected" to "synced," so my desktop computer is only getting teh .bts version of the file instead of the entire file. When I try to make that change, it does not stick.

Thank you for those thoughts. However, I was only syncing two folders, so the folder limit was not the issue. The folder modes were unchanged. Here's the bottom line: when a user who is syncing less than 10 foldes is downgraded from a PRO license that they didn't want and that they had no choice but to accept, BTS should not wreck their entire file system and force them to create duplicate directories with different names. Just for kicks, check out these new developments: After unlinking, disconnecting, etc. etc., I was able to get my first folder to sync as it had previously. BUT now my laptop says "Sync | 29 days left" in the title bar. Apparently I have managed (without any intention to do so) to fool BTS into giving me another trial PRO license and this will occur all over again in 29 days! Yikes.On my Android phone, I am not able to sync the second folder. When I try to add it using a QR code, it sometimes adds, then disappears. Other times, it says "Destination folder cannot be identified. Would you like to reset ownership?" If I select Yes, the warning repeats overa and over. If I Cancel, it returns to the Add Folder dialog and the process repeats ad infinitum.

I appreciate your response. But from what I have found, once a pro license expires (even one I had no idea I was using), the user is prevented from syncing the same folders. For instance, in my original setup, I sync ONE folder: "My Documents" on Computer 1 ====> "My Documents" on Computer 2 That worked fine until my license expired. Now BTS will not allow that sync to occur. Instead, BTS wants to do this: "My Documents" on Computer 1 ====> "My Documents (1)" on Computer 2 By changing the folder name, BTS is requiring me to re-sync all files and duplicate my directories on Computer 2. This is just nuts. Every time I try to change the folder name back to the original (using the technique you suggest), BTS flashes the "expired license" notification. This is simply nasty behavior, as if BT is trying to punish those who dare not sign up for pro. This is immensely user-unfriendly and indicative of the huge debacle that has occurred as BT has transitioned users to 2.0. Why the organization seems bent on making life miserable for longtime and free users is simply unfathomable.

I have been using BTS for some time and went through the whole 2.0 upgrade mess and thought I finally had BTS working as it should. Then, today, my laptop refuses to sync, giving me a big 'ole dialog that says "Your license has expired." I have been using 2.0 since March, am not a pro user but now I am being told that my pro license is expired. The biggest problem is that BTS will not allow me to sync my existing folders. I sync only one folder (Documents) and its subfolders. But now BTS will only sync my folders to my laptop if I create an entirely new "Documents(1)" folder, duplicating everything on my machine. It will not allow me to sync to the existing "Documents" folder unless I upgrade my pro license. Can anybody help me get around this so that my sync will work as it was set up and as it has been working for the past few months? Please forgive my frustrated tone. Thanks for your help.

Helen, Thank you for your help. It took a while for me to find the time to troubleshoot this further but I finally got it working by removing the existing folders and adding 'new' folders. The re-indexing of the folders on my various devices took a long time, but once that was done, all seemed to be working properly. As you understated, the upgrade was "not smooth enough." While the new cost model has drawn most of existing users' ire, I personally think BT's biggest failing was in not making the upgrade seemless and doing a very poor job of communicating with existing users about the technical portions of the upgrade. Nevertheless, I appreciate your help.

Thank you, Helen, for your help. I have a very simple Windows network. Two computers, no server. I am syncing between a Win7 desktop and a Win8 notebook (and an Android device, but it is not having any issues). Both computers are running BTS version 2.0.93. History says "remote peer added file ....." for many, many files that have not been changed and are already on the recipient computer. History shows that hundreds of files have been synced this morning, although right now nothing is syncing. Files that have been changed show only as .bts files on each computer or do not show (i.e., new file not synced at all). (I know that I originally said 3-4 hours, but further investigation shows that many files are only showing as .bts and never syncing.) I have read (here) about .bts files being used as 'placeholders' in 2.0 but do not think that is what is going on here because I am not using those settings (e.g. Sync ALL is enabled on both of my machines). I have no idea what symlinks are, so assume I am not using them. I am syncing only one folder with many subfolders. (The folder has a 1.4 icon next to it.) This setup has worked for a long time, long before the 2.0 "upgrade." I have not added any new folders since upgrading to 2.0. It has been a problem ever since the new version arrived. I have rebooted both machines many times and restarted Sync many times without any change. This morning, for the first time an as I am typing this, "database error" is now shown under status next to the folder name on my notebook. (Desktop has no such error.) BTS became unsponsive and I restarted it, but the db error remains, although is also says "indexing" and, under 'date synced,' "a minute ago." Thanks again for your help. From what I have read, this 'upgrade' has been a major headache for many users and I am sure you are working overtime to assist. Much appreciated!

Since upgrading to 2.0, even though BTSync says all files are synced, my files seem to sync continuously. Files that are already on all devices keep showing up as syncing in sync history. As if that is not bad enough, changed files sync very slowly. For instance, a small file I change on Computer 1 may not sync on Computer 2 for 3-4 hours, even though other unchanged files are showing up as being synced in the sync history. I should also add that I have many .bts files populating my directories. The .bts extensions disappear once the files sync, but they are present for hours (and sometimes days) before syncing actually occurs. Any ideas about what is going on here or how I fix it? As far as I can tell, the upgrade is a mess. Should I toss my entire set-up and start all over again?

I tried to turn my .bts links into actual files by double-clicking on the placeholder files. Imagine my surprise when I got this message: File is already in the queue. The file is in queue to be Synced. You may want to pause other folders to prioritize syncing this one. So apparently, a bts file is not simply a placeholder that "represent the contents of a shared folder in your file browser without copying the actual data to your device" as the help article says. Apparently, it is also a markers for files that will be synced at some point. I now have documents that have been in the queue to be synced for over a day. Can anybody shed light on why this is happening and what might be preventing my files from syncing? This all worked fine prior to my "upgrade" to 2.0. Thanks for your help.

Marko, Thank you for your help. Unfortunately, the documentation to which you referred only makes the switch from 1.4 to 2.0 all the more frustrating and creates more questions than it answers. Taking the issues as numbered above: 2 - As I understand it from the link you provided, the 1.4 folders cannot be 'upgraded' to 2.0 folders. I have never heard of an "upgrade" that did not upgrade all data! Please tell me I missed something. 3 - The article you linked indicates that the .bts (placeholder) files I am seeing are intentional behavior. What is confounding is that this is new behavior in version 2.0, and I was neither notified of the change nor given an opportunity to opt in or out of them. The document says that "BTS files appear in the Connected synchronization mode." That links to another document which tells me that I can have three modes, disconnected, connected and synced. I am told that Connected folders are "also known as 'Sync all' off folders." Since I have my folder settings set to 'Sync all' on, I am apparently not using Connected mode. so if I am NOT using Connected mode, I must be using Sync mode. Despite this, I am still gettting .bts placeholder files instead of fully synced files. To add a new wrinkle, I have previously synced files that I've changed but which are NOT syncing to my other devices. Finally, I still have no answer to #1 and my fully-synced files continue to sync continuously according to the History among my devices. I have never been part of an "upgrade" that was so user-unfriendly and requires the user to follow the bouncing trail of numerous Help documents just to figure out what is going on. It is beyond me how this made sense to anyone. Despite my frustration and the exorbitant time I am spending trying to get a handle on how to fix this, I greatly appreciate your help.