Btsync Acting Like A Virus - How Do I Completely Disable/uninstall Until A Later Version?

[BtSyriously?]

This ongoing (looked back in history on google) reappearing-files/folders bug is ridiculous. I understand that there is supposedly a "fixed" version on the way (it took over 1.5years for this serious bug?), but until then, how do I completely erase every trace of BtSync from my PC?

 

All I did was install it and test it out. It was failing right from the beginning...it was creating an infinite loop file structure where it would fill up the designated folder with 0 byte files then repeat itself within the folder (folderA/folderA/folderA/folderA/folderA) using up all my PC's power until I finally had to terminate the process after I realized what it was doing.

 

I recently tried to delete the folder, multiple times, but it kept reappearing. Manually disabled the read-only attribute to all folders and sub-folders/files, deleted, came back. Uninstalled BTSync, removed read-only attribute to folder and all sub-folder/files, deleted, it comes back. I cannot remove this folder no matter what I try.

 

How do i shut this thing down permanently when even uninstalling does nothing? Yes, I have restarted the computer since uninstalling. 

[GreatMarko]

The behavior you describe sounds very much like you're either somehow running two parallel instances of Sync which are acting on the same set of data, or you have Sync and another file synchronization app operating on the same set of data at the same time.

Ensuring that:

1) You only have one copy of Sync running at any one time (i.e. multiple user accounts are not logged in to your computer at the same time, each of which are running a copy of Sync, and acting on the same set of folders), and

2) No other file synchronization-type software is running at the same time of Sync will likely solve your issue.

However, if you're unable to resolve your issue, then in answer to your question..

 

how do I completely erase every trace of BtSync from my PC?

Start Menu -> Control Panel -> Programs & Features -> BitTorrent Sync -> Uninstall.

 

During uninstall you'll be asked whether you wish to delete all settings, select this option.

 

Finally, once uninstall is complete, remove the folder %appdata%\Roaming\BitTorrent Sync

[BtSyriously?]

Thanks for the reply. I am not sure how the situations you described are possible. To my knowledge, I am not actively using any other programs that "sync." I never enable cloud or automatic backup options as I prefer to routinely manually backup important files, exactly because I have had bad experiences with programs that automatically do things like that. I created the folder strictly to try out BTSync and used it for nothing else since then. It instantly re-appears as soon as I close and refresh, even if I am unplugged from the internet. I never used BTSync on any other accounts or devices, I simply installed it on my PC and tried running it on my PC.

 

Furthermore, when I originally uninstalled BTSync, I did it as you described, including checking that checkbox to remove everything. When that did not stop the folder from re-appearing, I restarted. After restarting and the folder still kept re-appearing, I checked for any location remaining BTSync files/folders could be at and deleted any remaining folders (including the one you mentioned). I then went into the Registry Editor and searched for all remaining registry entries that references "BTSync" or the folder that I am trying to delete, and erased those as well. The folder is still re-appearing.

[Helen]

Is it possible that the first (or second, it depends on your initial setup) /folderA/ - is symlinked from its parent folder. Check it in Command Prompt with command 

dir D:\..\Some folder\ 

where 'Some folder' - is the parent folder to 'folderA',

 

or dir D:\..\Some folder\folderA

 

see what is written for 'folderA'.

 

If you see <Junction> - you may remove is by 

cd D:\..\Some folder (or D:\..\Some folder\folderA, again it depends on your initial setup)rmdir folderA

Actually, by rmdir you may remove all those recursive folders if they are junctions. 

 

If you see <DIR>, you may delete them by command del, if they are actually empty

[BtSyriously?]

I did as you said in the Command Prompt. No "<junction>" listed anywhere. FolderA is was listed as "<DIR>". I used "del folderA", it deleted the folder, and then promptly re-appeared when I re-opened the parent folder.

 

Edit:

Just for further information, the only processes active in Task Manager (at least when I do not have "Show processes from all users" active) is basic windows, antivirus, video/display, and sound processes. I have nothing else running.

[Helen]

Ok, did you set it as default location for any other app, e.g. for downloads, etc? 

What is the exact full path of folderA? Is it possible for you to capture a video of all this and send it to sycnapp@bittorrent.com? 

Is the recreated folder empty or files with 0 byte files? Which ones exactly?  

 

Trace it with ProcMon - set filter "path contains <parent folder>" and see which processes are using it.