Combine related folder hierarchies.
Combine related folder hierarchies.
Hello, I need a method to combine similar folder hierarchies on Windows 11 Pro. The 6TB of data resides on a Synology 218+ NAS with the following layout: Backup 2014 >User >Documents >Project 1 >File A >File B >Downloads >Pictures >... Backup 2015 >User >Documents >Project 1 >File B Version 2 >File C >Project 2 >File X >Downloads >Pictures >... Backup 2016 >User >User2. While merging individual folders is possible, the sheer number makes it challenging. There are duplicates, but tools like Gemini for macOS have helped remove many over time. The aim is to consolidate everything into a single tree, like merging Project 1 to include A, B, B2 and C. Could you suggest a solution? Thanks, Flo32
Ensure the main layout remains consistent, then drag "User" from Backup 2014 to Backup 2015 and instruct Windows to combine the outputs. It’s advisable to use a fresh HDD for this process just in case any data is lost. In short, gather all folders from Backup 2014, move them elsewhere, repeat the same for Backup 2015, and so on until you reach Backup 2016.
The structure is comparable enough for humans to understand, though not identical. Up to now, this approach didn't work when handling the data through the network—both the source and destination of the merge were on a NAS with HDDs. I think using an external SSD (NTFS) might help; hopefully, issues like file paths, Windows incompatibilities, permissions, etc., will be fixed during the transfer before the merge. I’ll give it a shot. Thanks!