Synchronization between computers fail
Both computers are running Windows 7 x64bit, upgraded from ATI 2011 to 2012. When attempting to initiate a sync between two computers, I receive a message that the folder is already in use and the sync can't be established. Specific actions were:
- I am using a single Acronis account to establish a sync between two computers
- Testing the new PC synchronization feature, I created a sync on PC 1, went to PC 2 and joined successfully.
- Removed the sync from both computers
- Attempted to re-create the sync, initiating from PC 1 and attempted to join from PC 2...receive message that destination folder is already in use and it does not allow me to join.
- Deleted the sync from PC 1 and tried to initiate from PC 2...receive message that folder is already in use.
- Went back to PC 1 and tried to re-create the sync and I now get the same message that the folder is already in use.
- Neither PC shows any syncs and going online to Manage Shared Syncs confirms that no syncs are present.
- The log file on the joining computer shows "Join to feed" along with the message that the destination folder is already in use.
It appears that the application is retaining sync information that precludes recreating a sync of the same folders if you delete the original sync. Is there a way to flush ATI 2012's sync information so it doesn't think a folder is already part of a sync that was deleted?...short of uninstalling and re-installing the app on both computers?
Thank you.
Colin,
Thank you for responding to my post. I did as suggested, but still receive the same error. Do you know of anywhere else, in addition to the SyncCertificates directory, that this config info is stored?
Confirmed problem using another directory...can initially create sync for a specific directory, but unable to re-create it if the sync is deleted.
Thank you,
Stacy
Sync feature seems useless currently. The sync feature does NOT work period. I cannot sync locally and the program hangs. I setup sync between a home PC and a work PC. I was able to join the sync but nothing syncs. When I go online to check status (through Manage My Syncs), it shows only one computer name is is not the name of either PCs and shows no active share!! I created a sample text file on one PC and it would not sync.
I have screen shots of all and have already submitted to support. But, so far they have ignored me and still waiting for a response. The sync feature seems a like a gimmick at this point.
Sas123,
If the computer name in your account isn't correct sync won't work!
Pat,
I receive an access denied message when clicking on the link...is there another location for the information?
Thanks,
Stacy
To remove such a Sync plate from GUI you may open command prompt (Start -> Run -> cmd), change the directory to the program installation folder, for example "cd C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImageHome" and issue the clear command for your account within the Feed Storage Test utility, for example "feed_storage_test.exe /account:mytestingaccount@mymailserver.com /password:mypassword /clear". This command will wipe all the Syncs out of your account. After that please restart the Acronis Sync Agent service (Start -> Run -> services.msc, right click on the service -> Restart) and relogin to your account within the program GUI.
Pat...is the syntax "feed_storage_test.exe..." the actual syntax, or do I need to replace feed_storage_test.exe with something else? When using the exact syntax from your example, using my account name and password, I get the error "The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect." If I simply just type in the executable (feed_storage_test.exe) I get the message that it is not recognized as an internal or external command, operarable program or batch file and a search of my entire C: drive doesn't turn up any executable with that name. Doing a Google search turns up nothing on that executable either. I appreciate any information you can provide to help resolve my issue with sync between computers, but my level of knowledge on ATI 2012 is low and I'm probably missing something simple here with your recommended solution.
The instructions above were for the beta version. Maybe that utility is not shipping with the final product, or maybe it has a different name in the released version.
Do you see any similarly named exe file in your C:\program files\Acronis\TrueImageHome directory?
Colin B stated "If the computer name in your account isn't correct sync won't work!" I think that is a priori and everyone understands that. Here is the issue once again.
Let's call my first PC as IntelPC1 and my second PC as IntelPC2. What is happening is both PCs show that are in fact linked. But, in reality nothing syncs. Under Acronis online interface for managing syncs, it shows "0" shared synchronization. Under Computers, it only show one PC with the name of say something like "Intel" which is similar to the actual PC names but is not the name of either PC. It seems something is not being linked/transmitted to Acronis servers or servers can't translate the information being sent. I shall post further if I ever hear back from support staff to whom I have submitted detailed information and screen captures of what's going on.
Pat,
I don't think that'll work in the release version none of the debugging tools are included in the install package.
I thought deleting the sync certificates info file might help, but another user says it hasn't. Maybe the only reason it's working for me is because 2012 found the sync folders I used during testing and whatever is causing the problem for others has been overcome on mine previously.
Just out of interest for those who are having sync problems, do you have certificates showing in:
C:\Users\All Users\Acronis\TrueImageHome\SyncCertificates
What has suddenly stopped working is my ability to Manage shared syncs, clicking the button now does nothing.
Sas,
When you mention the computer name, is this the computer name shown in the GUI or in your Microsoft account?
Colin,
The computer name shown on Acronis site (managing syncs) is a combination of my user ID that I log into the windows and the name given to the home PC in windows (computer name under system in control panel). This is NOT the name that I chose on ATI GUI. It is similar but not the same. Also, the work PC does not show on Acronis site at all. The site only shows one computer linked to the account with no shares and the name shown is not even the name of either PC as assigned in ATI GUI.
BTW, I deleted the existing link from the Acronis online account, logged off of the site, deleted the existing sync (even though nothing was synced) on both PCs, and logged off of both ATI on both PCs. I then logged back in the home PC under the same account, checked Acronis site and confirmed there was no computer linked. I recreated the folder sync and this time with a password option. I then logged back in ATI on the work PC. It recognized the the other sync job from home PC and I joined it. I confirmed on the home PC that the sync is now active and both PCs with proper names are shown to be linked under ATI GUI. However to my dismay nothing synced when I created a test text file, and yet again on Acronis online page, it showed only one computer on the account with name described above which is not even the name of either PC chosen under ATI GUI and the account shows no shares!
Update:
So I have been going at this sync thing for a while (as you see my posts here) and don't want to just give up. So here is the latest. I did everything over yet again (log off accounts, delete syncs, unlink computer, reboot, etc) but this time I also deleted some security certificates that had the date of the day of the original install and probably related to my first attempts to start a sync (in Win 7, program data/Acronis/TrueImageHome/SyncCertificates)
Now, I can setup sync jobs and I can confirm sync does indeed take place. Don't pop the champagne yet. The online account still shows only one computer linked which is not the name in ATI interface even though ATIs on each computer recognize each other. The other problem was that I could not setup a sync to a folder to which I had attempted to establish a sync earlier. It would say "destination is already in use". I tried multiple things to no avail. I finally gave up on that and renamed the folder and setup a new sync. Another annoying thing is now every few minutes I get a pop up on the bottom right of the screen advising me of sync status (this has already been mentioned by another person).
I hope the next release is soon and can address what seem to be these authentication issues. No more testing until this release.
Cheers,
Pat,
Still no success on this end, posting here just to let you, Colin, and SAS know what I've tried...
Yes, I have certificates in the SynCertificates directory. Based on your previous post referencing command syntax to try to flush syncs, I did the following: (All steps below completed back to back, in order, on both comptuers)...
1. Opened Acronis and logged out of my Acronis account (again, shared account for both PCs)
2. Shut down the TrueImage Sync Agent Service (it's executable is syncagentsrv.exe located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Acronis\SyncAgent directory
3. Deleted all certificates and child directories located in the C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\SyncCertificates directory
4. Opened a command prompt as administrator and went to the C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Acronis\SyncAgent directory, and used the syntax of your command with the syncagentsrv.exe program....command ran successfully on both computers.
5. Started the Sync Agent Service
6. Confirmed that there were no certificates in the SyncCertificates directory
7. Started ATIH, and reconfirmed that there were still no certificates int the SyncCertificates directory
8. Logged back into my Acronis account within ATIH...and here come the sync certificates again...they are apparently being stored online(??).
9. Confirmed online that neither of my computers have active syncs.
10. Attempted to create a sync using a directory that I had previously used in a sync (original sync subsequently removed) and I get the same error...the directory is already in use.
11. Tried, per another poster's comments, to create a sync using the same directory but setting a password...still same error.
Note: I do not have any problems creating a sync and getting it to work...as long as I'm using a directory that has not been the root of a previous sync.
Questions to all:
- For anyone with a fresh install of ATIH 2012 who has not yet created a sync...can you log into your Acronis account within ATIH 2012 (on the Sync tab) and then check your C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\SyncCertificates directory to see if you have any certificates there?
- I'm convinced that Acronis maintains sync certificates online and retains them even after a sync is terminated. Anyone know this to be the case?...or is there another location on the computer that maintains sync config information / certificates that is used to re-populate certificates to the SyncCertificates directory? Just find it interesting that certs don't reappear in the SyncCerts directory until after logging back into my Acronis account within ATIH.
Thanks,
Stacy
I give up. I've spent hours on this and have finally come to the conclusion Synch breaks once you remove the Synch. "The Destination folder is already in use" It's not my destination folder; it's my source folder that I want to synch with a destination folder.
I hope they fix this before my trial version expires. Synch looks promising but just isn't there yet.
For those of you with Win7 I think the PEM files are here: C:\ProgramData\Acronis\TrueImageHome\SyncCertificates\3193073
So I deleted them all, rebooted and tried to restart a synch. 2 of the PEMs appear once you start Acronis which appear to be getting information from somewhere else. Still get the same error message.
I'm done.
This 2012 version is really disappointing, I am going to ask my money back
The latest update to the software corrected all of the sync problems I was having...excellent job Acronis. While it appears that ATIH 2012 was released slightly prematurely (full testing not done), I'm happy that their programmers jumped on the sync problems and corrected them. Additionally, it appears that slight changes were made as to how the syncs are managed...you no longer have to go online and all management is done at the client level. For my situation: I have one Acronis account used across three computers. When I create a sync on any one of the three computers, it is seen on all...users on the other two computers decide if they want to join the sync. If they do, they join and information is then synchronized. I have not yet fully experimented with creating a sync on one, having the other two computers join, and then seeing if any one of the computers removing the sync also removes it from the other two...hopefully this isn't the case. Bottom line, glad to see Acronis responding to customer feedback and providing improvements to their product.
Thanks for the follow up Stacy.