Run a profile automatically when external media is connected

[valjah]

This feature (see subject) works only sporadically on my laptop when I plug in my external USB hard drive. Sometimes the appropriate backup profile will run automatically, sometimes nothing happens. The USB drive always has the same name and drive letter. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Val

[Dave Wilkins]

At a guess, Windows is only notifying SE of the insertion sporadically (we instruct a Windows API to alert us of such events, and we have to rely on it to do so).

First step is maybe to de-select that setting, close SE, then re-open SE and re-enable that setting. This will refresh the profile. Or, delete and re-create the profile.

Next, you can try updating SE by re-installing the latest - or same - version again (a re-install will delete & replace all working components: do not uninstall first or you will lose your profiles and settings - unless you want to, in which case go for it).

Last alternative is to re-install Windows...

Note that no-one here at 2BS has ever managed to replicate this in any install of any version of Windows since the facility was introduced.

[valjah]

Okay, your first suggestion ("de-select that setting, close SE, then re-open SE and re-enable that setting") did work for the moment. I'll have to see if the problem appears again... BTW: I'm using the latest version of SyncBackSE on Windows 7 64-bit. Thanks, Val

[valjah]

After I ran into the same problem again, I tested a couple of scenarios and have come to this preliminary conclusion: when I set up SyncBackSE so that it will run the profile on USB connect, this will work fine until I restart my computer. SyncBack will start on Windows startup, but now the automatic profile run doesn't work anymore. Again I have to disable and reenable that function to make it work.
Why don't I run into this problem more often? I use a laptop computer (ThinkPad Edge) and usually only close the lid to put it into stand-by. Every once a while I actually do shut it down (or have to reboot for some updates) - this is when SyncBackSE apparently fails.
This issue matters because it was the main reason for me to go from SyncBack Free to SE. Not much use if it doesn't work reliably, though.
In the settings for the automatic profile run, I've specified a drive label, with no specific serial number or drive letter. Again: disabling and reenabling the same setting (by clicking the checkbox) will make it work again.
I'm running SyncBackSE 5.9.4.0 on Windows 7 64-bit. (And I DON'T want to reinstall Windows...)

[Dave Wilkins]

Have you considered it might well be Windows dropping - or corrupting - its note of the request from SE to notify it of insertions on rebooting (or on closing down, whenever)? Thus, unsetting/re-setting that option works fine till Windows closes, then not thereafter, until you force it to erase (if still there) and re-write the setting again - and it then remains in force again until a restart...(repeat)

Anything that breaks when you restart Windows and works again when you delete then re-instate the setting is a bit of a giveaway - especially if it continues to work fine if you close and restart the application that made the request.

[valjah]

So if indeed Windows causes this problem - what do I do to fix it? Windows never "drops" any settings I make in other applications...

[Dave Wilkins]

That setting is rarely used by other software, so it's likely you'd never notice anything else having a problem with it.

The only potential cure I'm aware of is to re-install Windows.

[valjah]

I just tried this out on my other computer which runs Windows Vista: I have the same problem there! SyncBackSE loses the ability to autorun after a reboot. This doesn't give me a lot of confidence in re-installing windows to solve the problem...

[Dave Wilkins]

Coincidence? It's hard to get away from the fact that

a) you set it in SE,and it works
b) you reboot and it stops working - note that SE hasn't changed anything because you've not told it to, and nothing in SE has changed that we can trace
c) you unset and reset the option in SE (thus delete and re-create the API request in Windows) and it starts working again...

In any case, as stated before,we can't replicate, so can't prove it one way or the other. We also don't have hundreds of people complaining, so it does look like it's specific to certain systems.

If you have had the software for less than a year*, and would like a refund because of this, simply ask via our Contact Form with details (serial, order number, etc - do not send card details)

* if over a year, no can do, sorry. The mechanism in our eStore only permits 'up to 12 months'. SO based on the date of your original post (when I guess you were evaluating) I wouldn't hang around if you plan to