Comparison problems

[kherbst]

I am a long time user of Beyonf Compare, but have recently started to experience the following problem with Beyond Compare:
I am synchronising files over a LAN between two PCs running XP Pro. A number of files would show up on PC A as not present on PC B. I would synchronise in the normal manner and the display would show no difference between the two PCs. If I then exit Beyond Compare and restart it, the very same files I have just synchronised from A to B will again show up as not present on B. It turns out that these files have always been present on B.

The only thing I can think of that at more or less at the same time I have set the following registry flags (in an attempt to optimise):

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\FileSystem]
"NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation"=dword:00000001
"Win31FileSystem"=dword:00000000
"Win95TruncatedExtensions"=dword:00000001
"NtfsMftZoneReservation"=dword:00000002
"NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate"=dword:00000001

Thanks

[Chris]

Re: Comparison problems

Are you using any file filters? Some of the files might be filtered out of the display. To check, select View|Suppress Filters. Any files that are filtered out should display in green.

If that isn't the problem please let me know.

[kherbst]

Re: Comparison problems

Chris,

I am using filters and when supressing the filter and I can see the other files in green (the filter simply excludes files older thana certain date). My problem is not with those files, but with the files in blue. The problem in simple terms is that according to Beyond Compare there exist a number of files on PC A that do not exist on PC B. If I look on PC B the files in fact do exist. Further more if I then go ahead and synchronise from A to B it appears that the files in blue are copied across in the usual manner and at the end of this process BC show no discrepancies between A and B for the selected session. I then exit BC and start it again, opening the session I have just synchronised and the very same files I have just synchronised are back again in blue. Having a filter or not do not seem to make a difference. I have the standard comparison criteria of date/time and file size.

Some more information. If in a particular folder I have, let's say 5 of these files that appears to be on A but not on PC B and I select a single one of these files, then use the Copy button to copy just this file across, the display will then change and all of a sudden show the other 4 files now also to be present on PC B.

Thank you

Kobus Herbst

[Chris]

Re: Comparison problems

I tested with the registry settings you are using and I didn't get any strange behavior to show up.

Please send me a screen shot showing the display with the missing files and with the files displayed after a sync. Also, please send me a zip of your BC settings using Help|Support and the Export button. Send them to [email protected] I'll try to determine what is causing the problem.

[kherbst]

Re: Comparison problems

I sent the information as requested.

Thanks

Kobus Herbst

[kherbst]

Re: Comparison problems

For the benefit of other forum members, the outcome of this:

Problem solved. Running BC with default settings made no difference. Changing the file system registry settings back to the default on both machines did the trick. The relevant settings are: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\FileSystem]
"NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation"=dword:00000001
"NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate"=dword:00000001

changed to: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\FileSystem]
"NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation"=dword:00000000
"NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate"=dword:00000000

I don't know which one of the two or in which combination caused the problem. You may want to look into this, because changing these settings are commonly recommended as a performance tweak: (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1845189,00.asp)
Thank you for the great support. BC remains my all time favourite utility.
Regards
Kobus Herbst