myCloud Computer Backup overwrites files with the same name

Today I backed up a folder xxx using the myCloud desktop app using Computer Backup.

It is a folder xxx with various subfolders.

I have now noticed that myCloud Computer Backup marks files with the same name in various subfolders as “overwritten” and puts them in the archive. Example: the file DSC_0227.JPG appears several times over the course of many years of use of a camera. As long as the files are in different subdirectories, this shouldn’t be a problem.

But when I read about “overwritten” and “archived” files as a result of a backup, alarm bells ring for me.

When I subsequently “restore” the so-called “overwritten” files, copies of the files are made on my PC with a timestamp in the name. After several restore actions, there is finally a lot of chaos in the folder that I just wanted to backup using a computer backup.

I don’t need this non-transparent behavior of the myCloud desktop app and the computer backup.

Automatic “overwriting” of files with the same name in different subdirectories is unacceptable to me. I DON’T WANT TO LOSE ANY DATA.

Does anyone have a solution or explanation for my situation, or should I just delete myCloud?

Backup action, not backup dation. In the excitement frets.

It might be a little late at night for breathless and bold statements, but this much: I certainly won’t be subscribing to another 100GB of myCloud storage if the above problem isn’t solved (and I don’t mean my typo).

Chaziosse19

Please don’t answer all at once (:-))

I have to add that the main problem with this is the rather incomprehensible and minimalist interface to the “Computer Backup” function.

- The last flaw that I noticed is that you can’t cut and paste text so that you can easily paste it here to document the situation. OK - I just make an entire screen section into an image file every time and upload it…

- The main defect is that you can’t clearly see what happened to which file:

It is not clear which file in which subdirectory is affected (but in the entire backup there are only 20,000 files in around 1000 subfolders). In addition, you don’t immediately understand that “overwritten” means that a new file version was saved in myCloud and the old file version is saved in the archive.

If you click on the three dots, these possible actions appear: “Restore” or “Permanently delete”. First of all, you have to be very brave, because no one can guarantee that things won’t start irreversibly straight away - yes, with what actually?

With “Restore” all (!) listed older file versions are restored. With “Delete permanently” all (!!) older file versions in the archive are deleted. I would just like to be able to retrieve or delete exactly one version of a file from a specific subdirectory.

But the main question remains: Why did “Computer Backup” immediately start an “overwrite” action, that is, create a new file version, when backing up a folder with subdirectories for the first time, e.g. for the file DSC_0227.JPG, which occurs several times? Unfortunately, I can’t even check whether a new file version has been created for all of, for example, three files with the same name or whether only for one of the three files.

If anyone were to recommend that I create unique file names, with a time stamp at the back or at the front, I would answer that there have been subdirectories in the DOS operating system for around 40 years so that we don’t have to do exactly that. A README.TXT file as an example has the purpose of recording certain frequently searched information in a subdirectory. And if my camera produces images like DSC_0227.JPG multiple times over the course of its life, then I don’t want to have to change all of those DSC filenames (even if there are clever tools that could do this).

In summary: the matter is extremely opaque to me. How would it work according to the software design in a case like this with files of the same name? Is it simply a bug?

As an attempt to explain: What actually happens in cases where the Internet connection to myCloud is suddenly interrupted? Could myCloud not be set up cleanly and thus perhaps create unnecessary file versions?

Yes, I could of course test such cases myself: stop myCloud, create a few test files, create test subdirectories, start myCloud again and then perhaps stall the Internet connection and reconnect it - but is that my job as a user?

Sorry, my keyboard is on automatic again because it was working so well…

In my haste, the keyboard misplaced itself: there are only 4300 files in 540 folders. Because with currently 10 GB of storage space you can’t store that much. Just so that the problem solver can grasp the magnitudes.

@hed

Thank you for the feedback and assessment of the case.

Of course, it is also useful information for me if no one comes forward who knows the problem described. Apparently it’s not a serious case. It could well be that I’m particularly clumsy again in a situation where others elegantly skip over it. It could also be that others are quite satisfied with the operation of the interface. (But it could also be that the people who tested the tool for ergonomics, comprehensibility, etc. were quickly satisfied.)

Based on the experiences I have had with the Swisscom hotline, I don’t expect a straightforward solution and will therefore let my problem simmer for a bit. I leave the myCloud computer backup turned on and watch what happens with the file versioning.

I’ll continue to backup to external hard drives and the NAS anyway.

Merci and goodnight!