ChronoSync

Can I purchase ChronoSync or ChronoAgent from the Mac App Store (MAS)?
No. The reason is because Apple will not permit any applications sold in the MAS to gain Admin Access to your Mac. A backup or sync app requires Admin Access in order to copy all the files on a Mac. So that means any backup or sync app you purchase on MAS is limited.
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Do you have educational or volume pricing?
We do not offer educational pricing, but do offer volume discounts to everyone. Discounts on 5, 10 & 25 packs are available online. For information on larger quantity discounts, email our sales department with your inquiry.
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How do I upgrade ChronoSync version 4 to a newer version?
Download the Installer from the Downloads page and install. That's it.
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How do I upgrade from ChronoSync version 3 to version 4?
ChronoSync 4 is a free upgrade, however you do need a new license key to activate it. Click here to get your new license key.
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How do I install ChronoSync?
Click here for complete installation instructions.
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How do I remove ChronoSync from my system?
To remove ChronoSync from your system, download the Application and run the uninstaller located on the dmg. That's it!
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What are the system requirements?
ChronoSync requires Mac OS X 10.5 or later (Leopard, Snow Leopard, Lion, and Mountain Lion). 50 MB of free disk space is also needed.

If you need an older version that runs on Tiger (Mac OS 10.4) or Panther (Mac OS 10.3) then send us a request.

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Can I synchronize a Power PC (G3,G4,G5) Mac with an Intel (Solo, Duo) Mac?
Yes, but only files and folders under the User and/or Home folders. Fill out our support form if you have any specific concerns.
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I want to synchronize the files between two Macs. Do I need to install ChronoSync on each computer to do this?
No. If you are synchronizing between two computers, you only need to install ChronoSync on one Mac and mount the other Mac. You can connect to the other Mac via File Sharing or install ChronoAgent on the other Mac. ChronoSync will automatically mount the remote computer for you with either option. Learn More...
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I want to install ChronoSync on two Macs. Do I need to buy two License Keys to do this?
Yes. You need to buy a License Key for each Mac you install ChronoSync on. There are discounts available for purchasing 5 or more copies of ChronoSync.
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Can I sync or backup to my iPhone, iPod, or iPad?
You cannot sync data between your Mac and your iDevices. iTunes takes care of all that. You can sync files for storage or transport using ChronoSync. Learn more...
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What can I backup and synchronize?
Backup is when you copy files to a destination so that you have a redundant copy, in case something goes wrong with the original. You can backup anything or everything with ChronoSync.

Synchronization is when you copy and work on files within both targets, like a desktop and a laptop. You can only synchronize files between two Macs or between a Mac and a PC. You cannot synchronize System files and Applications which are outside of your Home folder. In fact, those files should never be synchronized in any circumstance. Learn more...
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Can I do a bi-directional synchronization between two different operating systems?
Yes. You can synchronize certain files, like document files, between any OS that your Mac can copy to. For instance, you can synchronize your Documents between Tiger and Leopard or even Tiger and Windows XP. However, you can only perform a Home-to-Home sync between the same version of Mac OS X, meaning you must sync Tiger to Tiger but not Tiger to Leopard. Furthermore, you need to make sure that your iApps like iPhoto, iTunes and iCal are the same version. If you are unsure if you can synchronize a particular scenario, ask us by filling out our support form describing your situation.
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What is the difference between ChronoSync and Time Machine?
Many people use Time Machine to backup their Mac and, if you do that, you are better off than most who do not even backup at all. However, Time Machine does have some limitations that ChronoSync does not have.

First, it can only back up your Mac. It cannot back up data stored in other locations like external drives. Second, it cannot make a bootable backup. Third, and most notably, Time Machine stores the files it backs up in proprietary format. That means you can only view and restore backed up files using Time Machine. ChronoSync store files exactly in the same way on the destination as on the source. That means you can view and restore backed up files without ChronoSync. So what you see on your Mac is exactly what you see on your backup. In fact, this is the main reason why so many users like ChronoSync for backing up.

ChronoSync does have one limitation that Time Machine does not. Although ChronoSync archives deleted and changed files, it does not have the ability to restore these files by a specific time like Time Machine can. Instead ChronoSync allows you to restore older files by file version. So every time a file gets deleted or changes, ChronoSync archives the older version in case you need it again.
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Does ChronoSync work with Mountain Lion?
Yes, just update to the latest version. All updates are free, forever. Click to update.
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Do I need to update both Macs to Mountain Lion if I am synchronizing?
It depends on what files you are synchronizing. If you are doing a bi-directional synchronization, you should first update to Mountain Lion on both Macs and then sync. The initial sync will take longer than usual and then subsequent syncs will be back to normal.

In some instances you can synchronize certain files, like document files, between any OS that your Mac can copy to. If you are unsure if you can synchronize a particular scenario, ask us by filling out our support form describing your situation.
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Where is the "Library" folder in Lion and Mountain Lion?
The "Library" folder still exists for every user but you can't see it because Apple made it invisible. However, ChronoSync can still see it. Read the tip "Locating an Invisible Folder or File" to find out how to select and view invisible folders and files in ChronoSync.
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Why are my Sync documents automatically opening when I launch ChronoSync?
That's the new "Resume" feature in Lion and Mountain Lion. "Resume" records what windows and documents were open when you quit an application and it does its best to re-open and re-position them when you relaunch an application. If you don't like this feature you can disable it.

• To disable this feature, go to ChronoSync "Preferences" and click on "General". Next, uncheck "Resume document windows".
• To disable this feature for all applications, go to "System Preferences" and click on "General". Next, uncheck "Restore windows when quitting and re-opening apps".

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Why are my Sync documents automatically opening when a scheduled sync runs?
That's the new "Resume" feature in Lion and Mountain Lion. "Resume" records what windows and documents were open when you quit an application and it does its best to re-open and re-position them when you relaunch an application. It's a great feature but not when you have scheduled syncs.

If you schedule syncs you have some solutions:

• To disable this feature, go to ChronoSync "Preferences" and click on "General". Next, uncheck "Resume document windows".
• To disable this feature for all applications, go to "System Preferences" and click on "General". Next, uncheck "Restore windows when quitting and re-opening apps".
• When you quit ChronoSync, make sure all windows are manually closed prior to quitting or hold the OPTION key down when choosing "Quit" from the menu (or simply type OPTION-COMMAND-Q). This disables the recording of open windows and quits the app like all previous OS's.
• Lastly, when you Restart or Shutdown, you are presented with the option to "Reopen windows when logging back in". This is another variant of "Resume". If ChronoSync is running when you do this, you should either NOT "Reopen windows..." or you should manually quit ChronoSync before the restart/shutdown so that it is not automatically launched/restored when logging back in.
  

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After I run a synchronization I end up with a duplicate file containing a "~" in the filename?
ChronoSync creates a duplicate of your Synchronizer document in case the original becomes corrupt. To turn this feature off, go to Preferences and uncheck "Keep backup copy of my documents".
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I've renamed some files and moved some others to different folders. Why are my old files still in my backup target?
You must have "Sync. Deletions" turned on in the Setup panel in order for renamed or moved files to synchronize properly. This instructs ChronoSync to delete the file from the old location and synchronize it to the new location.
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I've setup a synchronizer document and have been using it to sync my files. Is it safe to change one of my targets to another hard disk?
Generally, no. Once you set up a ChronoSync document it is important to always run your synchronizations from the same document and not switch targets. This is because ChronoSync takes a "snapshot" of all your files and their various properties. If you switch targets, ChronoSync may behave in an unexpected way. For instance, if synchronize deletions was enabled, and you switched targets, ChronoSync may think you deleted all the files in one target and proceed to delete all the files in the other target!

In some cases, it IS safe to change targets - such as when doing a unidirectional synchronization. However, if you need to start synchronizing files to another location, we strongly suggest creating another synchronizer document from scratch.
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I've just configured a synchronization and want to schedule it, but the "Schedule..." button is dimmed and won't work.
You must first save your ChronoSync document before you can schedule it. Be sure to choose a meaningful file name!
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I followed the instructions for scheduling a daily backup but whenever I click on the "Schedule..." button, the schedule dialogue box indicates that I am scheduled for a weekly backup. What gives?
The Scheduled Documents Manager window is a list of all your scheduled Synchronization Documents. Double click any scheduled entry to edit it. Clicking the "Schedule..." button on the toolbar simply adds a NEW schedule time to the Synchronization Document. It does not change existing scheduled times.
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My scheduled syncs are not running. What gives?

1. Verify that your Scheduler is active. Open the "Scheduled Documents Manager" and verify the status at the bottom. If the "Scheduler is suspended" then choose "Resume scheduler" from the Actions menu.
2. Verify that your scheduled sync is checked in Scheduled Documents Manager.
   
3. Verify that the sync will run by selecting the scheduled sync from Scheduled Documents Manager and then click on the "Synchronize Now" button.
4. Verify that you've scheduled the synchronization correctly. Double click the scheduled sync from Scheduled Documents Manager and correct the time if needed. Make sure your Mac and the device you are synchronizing with are available at the time of the scheduled synchronization. For example, if you've set up a Synchronizer document that mounts a file server automatically, but have saved the synchronizer document on the file server, ChronoSync won't be able to load the Synchronizer document to mount the file server for you!
5. Last, check to see if your computer is scheduled to fall asleep at the intended time of synchronization. If your Mac is asleep during the scheduled time, it won't synchronize, but should attempt a synchronization immediately upon waking up. You can have ChronoSync automatically wake your computer at the scheduled time by turning on the "Wake system to synchronize" feature in the ChronoSync Preferences dialog.

If you are still experiencing problems, contact support.
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I want to keep the data files on my work computer synchronized with my home computer. How can I do this?
Connecting and synchronizing two Macs is easy if they are both on the same network. However, if the two Macs cannot be connected, you can still keep them synchronized. How? Use an external hard drive. Read the tip Syncing using an Intermediary for all the details.
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How can I connect my laptop to my desktop so I can synchronize files?
If you have a network (either wired or wireless) you can connect to another Mac using built-in file sharing. To do this, open the "System Preferences" on the computer you want to share files with and enable "File Sharing" in the "Sharing" preference pane (you only need to do this on ONE of your computers). Then, on the other computer, you can use Finder's "Network" browser to locate the shared computer. Double click it to login. Once connected, the shared computer appears as just another hard drive on your desktop and it can be specified as a target in ChronoSync.
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I don't want some of the files and folders in my targets to synchronize. How can I get ChronoSync to skip them?
From the Analyze panel, select the file or folder pair you wish to skip and then invoke the "Exclude" command from the "Actions" menu. If you exclude a folder, all the files and folders contained within it are likewise excluded.

To undo an exclusion, select an excluded file/folder pair and choose "Include" from the actions menu.

Note: A contextual menu will appear if you hold the CONTROL key down while selecting a file/folder pair (or right-click if you have a two button mouse). This menu contains all the actions available to you. Also, shortcuts to the "Exclude" and "Include" actions can be placed on your toolbar. Customizing the toolbar is discussed elsewhere in the online help as well as in the ChronoSync manual.
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I want to synchronize multiple folders but I can only select one folder as my target. How can I do this?
ChronoSync is a very flexible application so there are lots of ways to handle multiple folders.

Option 1: Select a root folder above all of the folders you want to sync and then use the "Exclude" action to skip the folders you do not want to sync.

Option 2: Create multiple ChronoSync documents for each folder you want to synchronize and combine them as one in a container document.

Option 3: Create rules to exclude folders you don't want to sync or rules to include only the folders you do want to sync. The Finder Labels rule is very useful for this because you can control what gets synchronized by changing its color label in the Finder.

Option 4: Use a combination of the above concepts. For instance, suppose you want to synchronize your entire Home folder but want to skip everything inside your Library folder with the exception of Mail (located inside Library). You could create a synchronizer document to sync your entire Home folder but exclude your entire Library folder. Then you would create a second synchronizer document to sync just your Mail folder. Finally you would combine both synchronizer documents into a single container document.
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What is the Archive panel and how do I activate this feature?
Archiving is when ChronoSync retains old versions of files instead of trashing them. You can turn this feature on by clicking on the Options panel, displaying the "Archive Handling" options and enabling the "Archive when replacing existing files" option. The other two options in the group limit the number of old files you retain. Remember keeping older files requires extra disk space.
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How can I get a copy of an archived file without restoring it and copying over the existing file?
Select the file you want from the Archive panel list. Control-click and choose "Restore...". Once the Single Item Restore sheet appears, choose "Specific Folder" and then browse to find the folder you would like to use. Doing this retains the original file name.
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Can I synchronize my two iPhoto libraries into one?
ChronoSync can keep iPhoto or any Apple program on two Macs in sync but it can not merge data together. What's the difference? ChronoSync can replace the newer data files with the older data files but not merge two files together. Why? Because most of the iApps or Apple programs store their data in a unique way that can only be created by importing data using the application. For more information, read our tip Syncing your Pictures folder.
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Can I synchronize iApps with ChronoSync?
You can synchronize some iApps with ChronoSync. Read the tip Syncing your Home folder for all the details.
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Why does my CS document always require I input my password, every time I open it, in order to have Admin access?
Security. We do not want any user to have root access to your Mac. However, scheduled Synchronizer documents will bypass the password requirement, running without input. Furthermore, any scheduled Synchronizer document that is manually launched from the Scheduled Documents Manager will get around the password requirement, too. To learn how to do this click on the link and read the tip Using the Scheduled Documents Window as a Document Manager.
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I've setup some rules but they don't give me the desired results. What gives?
Four important points to remember about rules:

1. Rules determine what files are and are not considered for synchronization. Even if a file passes the rules, ChronoSync must detect that it has changed for that file to be synchronized.

2. Simple and Intermediate-mode rules are inclusion rules. They determine what files are included for consideration. Advanced-mode rules can be either inclusion or exclusion rules and thus can exclude a file from consideration.

3. Inclusion rules will only consider files that pass all the stated rules. Files that fail will be skipped.

4. If you use a rule to exclude a folder, ChronoSync will not examine ANY of the files or folders within it.
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I've setup some rules but I don't want to synchronize to see if they're correct. How can I check my rules?
You can visibly see the results of a synchronization before it occurs by checking the status of the file-pairs in the Analyze panel. You can also run a Trial Synchronization to see all the files that ChronoSync intends to synchronize, and Cancel the operation if you aren't satisfied.
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Why am I getting permission errors when I synchronize?
This is the most common error you're likely to encounter. Mac OS X, given its UNIX heritage, enforces ownership and access permissions on every file it manages. Most of the files that you normally access are owned by you and you have no problem synchronizing. Some files, however, are owned by other users of your system and some are owned by the operating system itself. You may not have the ability to see and/or modify these types of files.

When you get a permission error, It simply means that you do not have permission to copy the file. It may be because you don't "own" the file or perhaps it's just because you don't have read-access to the file. There are typically three solutions:

Solution #1: Ignore the error. When you encounter such a file, you should ask yourself if this is really a file that you need to be synchronizing? This is especially true if it is owned by the system. If you choose to ignore the error, we recommend that you Exclude the file from synchronization so you don't see the error again.

Solution #2: Grant yourself access to the file. Locate the file in question using the Finder and then use the "Get Info" command to raise the permissions of the file to the point that you can access it. If the file is not owned by you, you'll have to provide administrative authorization before doing so. Again, you should ask yourself if this really is a file you need to synchronize before doing this.

Solution #3: In the Setup Panel for each Target change "Connect to" to "Local Volumes (Admin Access)" to gain access to all files in Target regardless of permissions. This will only work for drives connected directly to your Mac. To gain access to a files on a mounted Mac you can use the ChronoAgent. Click to learn more about ChronoAgent.
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Can I run ChronoSync as root or in Administrative mode to synchronize files?
YES. In the Setup panel for each target, change "Connect to" to "Local Volumes (Admin Access)" to gain access to all files in the target regardless of permissions. This will only work for drives connected directly to your Mac. To gain access to files on a mounted Mac you can use the ChronoAgent. Click to learn more about ChronoAgent.
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Can I create a bootable backup with ChronoSync?
Yes. In fact ChronoSync is the only app that will maintain a bootable backup over a network. Click here to learn how to set up your Synchronizer document correctly.
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I backup to an external hard drive. How do I format the drive?
Most external drives you purchase are formatted for PCs. If you are only going to use it with your Mac then you should reformat the drive by using "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)". If you are going to use it with your Mac and a PC then use "MS-DOS file system" format.

There are some limitations to "MS-DOS" file system:
- File naming limitations (lack of support for many special characters).
- Lack of support for file metadata such as type/creator code, Finder labels, creation date, etc.
- Lack of support for resource forks (they are 'faked' by creating an invisible counterpart).

To format or reformat a drive you will have to erase it. So before you erase the drive, copy your files to another drive.

To find out how your drive is formatted:

1. Open Disk Utility and select the drive.

2. Click on the Info button.

To re-format a drive:

1. Open Disk Utility and select the drive.

2. Click on the Erase panel.

3. Choose a format from the Volume Format pop-up menu.

4. Type a name for the volume.

5. Click Erase.
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Can ChronoSync protect and encrypt the data that I am backing up?
Yes. Take a look at how to Synchronize with a Disk Image to see how you can protect and encrypt your data.
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What are the extra files on the Windows Drive?
Some files on the Mac contain supplemental information that is associated with the file. While the Mac can keep these associations intact, other operating systems (such as Windows) cannot since they are not built to understand such supplemental information. In an attempt to make sure that a file that is copied to another operating system and then back to a Mac, doesn't lose that supplemental information, Apple added a feature to the operating system whereby the supplemental information is split out of the file and saved to a separate file with the same name but with a "._" added to the beginning of the filename. When the file is copied back to the Mac, the "._" file is automatically merged back into its associated file. This automatic splitting and merging is done by the Mac operating system itself, and is not something that ChronoSync has control over. These "._" files originally contained just the resource fork of files on the Mac. However, with Mac OS X 10.4 came the addition of all sorts of new types of supplemental information (metadata, extended attributes, access control lists, etc.) that also gets stored in the "._" files. If the user is annoyed by having all of those extra "._" files on their Windows drive, then the user may wish to delete them. Keep in mind, that none of the data in the associated files will be affected by deleting the "._" files, only the supplemental information will be lost. However, the "._" files should only be deleted if the user is never going to copy the files back to a Mac. This is because the supplemental information would no longer be available when the files were copied back to the Mac, and the Mac may depend on the supplemental information in order to properly make use of the file. Also, the "._" files should not be deleted if the user wishes to use a Mac to directly edit or view the files on the Windows drive. Again, this is because the supplemental information would no longer be available, and the Mac may depend on the supplemental information in order to properly make use of the file.
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