BT Cloud

[normanburton]

I've just downloaded cloud onto a new laptop that has a lot of photos and videos on it that need to be backed up.

I logged into the web version and used the upload files option to upload all the files on the laptop.

I also downloaded the app. When I open the app it opens in Sync view and appears to be synching all the files. After each one the file then says uploaded to cloud x minutes ago. As I have already uploaded the files to the cloud, what is actually happening, please?

[Les-Gibson]

When using the app, the cloud is synchronized to your machine. So if you have a folder within the synchronised folder on your machine the cloud will replicate it.

My guess is that by uploading them though your browser you have placed them in an area which is not synchronized to your machine, in other words you have duplicated them but in two different folders.

[normanburton]

Thanks Les. That would make sense. When I go back into the web version and select all files, I can see two top level folders - one named after the laptop and the other as BT Cloud. It looks like the BT Cloud folder contains everything I uploaded directly and the other is slowly being built from the Sync process.

I guess when the sync process completes, I can delete the BT Cloud folder. In the meantime, I do at least have a full copy of all the files.

[pddco]

My understanding and the way it’s always worked for me, you would install the BT Cloud app on your laptop (downloaded from the link on the BT Cloud website). And then initiate the backup from the laptop through the newly installed app.  There are settings within the app so you can set which folders to backup. 

I would suggest steering clear of the BTCloud folder on the laptop for now. It’ll only confuse.

It’s there for syncing files across multiple devices (rather than purely backup). And as you’ve found,  if  it’s used for ‘backup’ you might end up with multiple copies of all your laptop files both on your  laptop (in the BTCloud folder using up double storage) and the BTCloud folder on the website. Take care. 

[normanburton]

Thank you pddco

I've just found a video of someone setting up BTcloud online. It may be an older version but his desktop app has a 'Backup' option in it and mine doesn't. It automatically opens in Synch mode. In the app settings, there is a Backup tab that lets you set up the folders and files you want to back up but no other Backup options to 'initiate a backup from the laptop through the newly installed app', please? I've attached a photo of my desktop app.

[pddco]

Sorry, when I said “initialise backup from the laptop” I was just trying to point you to the app on the laptop rather than uploading from the website. Once you’ve downloaded the app and selected the folders that you want to backup (from the settings cog), the process just runs itself. The ‘sync’ window you’ve shown here is basically  showing the progress of files being  uploaded ( during the initial large backup).

From my experience, there shouldn’t be any files being downloaded to the laptop during the initial backup.

If files are  being downloaded to your laptop there must be some content in the BT Cloud folder that you can see on the website. This may be from other devices (mobiles/tablets that you’ve installed the app on ) And what’s happening is that the BT Cloud folder on your laptop is now being filled up with that content too. 

Hope this makes some sort of sense. It confused me at first. But once I got round to the fact that there’s two ‘features’ to BTCloud - One is a straight backup of your PC. And the other is the ability to synchronise folders/ content across devices (The BTCloud folder), it started to make sense. 

[normanburton]

Hi pddco and many thanks again. I understood that Synch and Backup were separate functions and that's what was confusing me i.e. the initial large backup is showing up as 'Synching'. So, Once this has completed (some 40GB and taking a lot of time), I will be able to delete the files I originally uploaded to the cloud directly (so that I don't have duplicates taking up space) and all should be fine. Thanks again, much appreciated.

[pddco]

Hi @normanburton 

Yes, 40GB will take a while. Something like 5hrs or so @ 20Mbps upload. 

Once it’s done you’ll see your laptop’s backed up files and folder structure on the BTCloud website under the laptop name within the ‘All My Files’ Folder icon. 

[normanburton]

Thanks again for all your help.