Copyright: BigDisk Help 1.0                                                    Copyright 1997 Syncronys Corp.                          Monday, March 09, 1998 17:56:14


Glossary

BigDisk Space

Extend

Physical Space

Protected

Redirect

Relocate

Secondary Drive

Secondary Space

Primary Drive

Primary Space

Virtual Space


Extend

The process of creating one large virtual drive by automatically relocating files from the primary drive to a secondary drive. This task is accomplished using the BigDisk Extender.


Secondary drive

Any drive to which BigDisk will move files in an attempt to free disk space on your primary drive. This drive may be your secondary hard drive or hard disk partition, removable drive, or mapped network drive, and may have any drive letter designation.


Secondary Space

Group in the Status properties page that graphically displays the amount of disk space on your secondary drive that may be made available to your primary drive. The display includes a breakdown of the amount of free disk space, used disk space, and loaned disk space. Loaned disk space is disk space that contains files that have been relocated from the primary drive to the secondary drive.


Physical Space

Group in the Status properties page that displays the amount of free and used disk space available on your primary drive.


Primary Space

The physical amount of disk space available on your primary drive.


Protected

Directories and files that will not be automatically relocated by BigDisk. These directories are specified in the Safety page of the BigDisk Properties dialog box.


Redirect

The process of using SmartSpace to create new files and directories on a secondary drive, while allowing Windows to read and write to the directories and files as if they existed in your primary drive. If you have more than one secondary drive selected, BigDisk redirects files to the drive with the most free disk space.


Relocate

The process of moving files from your primary drive to your secondary drive to free disk space on your primary drive. Note that all relocated files will still appear to reside on your primary drive in Windows and in all your applications, even though they physically reside on your secondary drive.


Primary drive

The drive from which BigDisk is going to attempt to free disk space. This drive is usually your primary hard drive and is labeled with the letter C.


Virtual Space (BigDisk Virtual Space)

The amount of disk space that may be made available as your primary drive. This measurement is generally calculated by adding the total space on your primary drive and all your secondary drives combined


Introducing to Syncronys BigDisk
Introducing Syncronys BigDisk

Welcome to Syncronys BigDisk, the easiest and quickest way to get better use of the disk space you already have.

It does not matter how many extra disks you purchase, or how many times you try to partition it to make better use of your disk space, managing your hard disk space and performance and installing new software is a constant maintenance problem. You install a new hard disk, but your software still wants to install on your original hard drive, so you try moving files around, but then your old software stops working.

So how do you get the best use out of all your disk space and get your drives and your applications working together in sync? With Syncronys BigDisk.

BigDisk allows all of your fixed, removable, and mapped network drives to function and appear as one big disk drive by extending, relocating, and redirecting files from one primary drive to another secondary drive or drives.

BigDisk extends the amount of free disk space on the primary drive by automatically moving files to another drive or drives; it relocates files and directories that you select from the primary drive to a secondary drive; and it uses SmartSpace to automatically redirect new files and directories to the drive (primary or secondary) that contains the most free disk space, while allowing Windows to read and write to the directory as if it were on the original primary drive.

And note, you can protect any directory from relocation, and all changes you make can be fully restored, making BigDisk virtually mistake-proof.

What’s New in this Release?

 How To...


What's New in this Release
What’s New in this Release

This version 1.5 of Syncronys BigDisk includes the following enhancements

 Windows NT: BigDisk now runs under Windows NT.

 Network Drives: BigDisk can now relocate and redirect files to connected, mapped network drives.

 Removable Media: BigDisk can now relocate and redirect files to removable drives when the disk is in the drive.

 SmartSpace: File redirection is now handled by SmartSpace, which can redirect files to network and removable drives as well as fixed and partitioned drives.

Note: Network and Removable media relocation and redirection is not available in the BigDisk demo version.


To run the BigDisk Extender

 Click the Start menu and point to Programs, then point to Syncronys BigDisk. Click Syncronys BigDisk Extender.

Or click the BigDisk tasktray icon.

 Show me

 Related Topics


To close BigDisk

 To close either the BigDisk Extender or BigDisk Properties and apply changes, click OK. To close either without saving any changes, click Cancel.


To extend primary drive space using the BigDisk Extender
To extend primary drive space using BigDisk Extender

1  Click the Start menu and point to Programs, then point to Syncronys BigDisk. Click Syncronys BigDisk Extender.
The Disk Extender dialog box displays.
 Show me

2  Drag the slider to the right to free disk space on your primary drive, or type the amount of disk space you need to free in the box provided.

3  If you want to extend space by relocating files to a removable drive, select the Allow Extender to Use Removables check box. Note that this option is available only if you have selected a removable drive in the Secondary Drives list of the Setup Properties dialog box, and you have a disk in the removable drive at the time you run BigDisk Extender.

4  If you want to extend space by relocating files to a mapped network drive, select the Allow Extender to Use Network Drives check box. Note that this option is available only if you have selected a network drive in the Secondary Drives list of the Setup Properties dialog box, and your computer is connected to the selected network drive at the time you run BigDisk Extender.

5  Click OK.
A status box displays indicating the progress of automatic relocation. When it is complete, it displays the text “Success.”

6  If any files could not be relocated, the Info button in the Status box becomes enabled. Click it to discover why files were rejected for relocation.

7  When you have finished, click OK in the Status dialog box.
The Status dialog box closes and BigDisk Extender exits.

 Related Topics


To display BigDisk's properties

 Click the Start menu and point to Programs, then point to Syncronys BigDisk. Click Syncronys BigDisk Properties.

Or right-click the BigDisk tasktray icon and select Syncronys BigDisk Properties.

 Show me

A Properties dialog box displays. You can use this dialog box to check the status of your primary and secondary drives, set up relocation options and safety features, relocate and restore directories, and use SmartSpace to redirect files.

 Related Topics


To display the status of your disk space

1  Click the Start menu and point to Programs, then point to Syncronys BigDisk. Click Syncronys BigDisk Properties.
 Show me

2  Click the Status tab.

The Status page of the BigDisk Properties dialog box displays. This dialog box shows the status of your primary drive's physical space, potential BigDisk virtual space, and your secondary space.

This information will help you determine if you have enough free disk space on your primary drive, and how much disk space you can make available by relocation.

2  To display the status of a different secondary drive, select a new one from the Secondary Space drop-down list. This list contains your fixed drives, network drives to which you are connected, and removable drives that contain a disk.

3  When you have finished, click OK.

 Related Topics


To relocate select directories from your primary to your secondary drive

There are two ways to accomplish this task, from Windows Explorer or from the Relocation page of the Properties dialog box:

From Windows Explorer:

   In Windows Explorer, right-click the directory you want to relocate and click Relocate.

A status bar indicating the progress of the relocation displays. To see information about any files in this folder that BigDisk rejected for relocation, click Info. Then click OK.

From the Relocation page:

1  Click the Start menu and point to Programs, then point to Syncronys BigDisk. Click Syncronys BigDisk Properties.
 Show me

2  Click the Relocation tab.

3  In the Directories list, click the directory that you want BigDisk to relocate to your secondary drive. Directories that have been previously relocated will be marked with the following icon [image], and will not be selectable.

4  Click [image] to move the selected directory to the Relocated Directories list. The relocated directories will be marked with the following folder
Note: Certain directories, such as your Windows directory, should never be relocated and so are protected by BigDisk. This and other protected directories are indicated with a "locked" icon, and cannot be moved into the Relocated Directories list.

5  Repeat step 3 and 4 for every directory you want to relocate.

6  Click OK.

BigDisk relocates the selected directories to your secondary drive with the most free disk space. Note that these directories will still appear to reside on your primary drive to all your Windows applications. They also will be marked with this folder icon [image] to indicate that the files have been relocated.


To move files back to their original location (Undo)

There are two ways to accomplish this task, from Windows Explorer or from the Relocation page of the Properties dialog box:

From Windows Explorer:

   In Windows Explorer, right-click the directory [image] on your primary drive that you want to restore and click Undo Relocation.

A status bar indicating the progress of the restoration displays. Click OK.

From the Relocation page:

1  Click the Start menu and point to Programs, then point to Syncronys BigDisk. Click Syncronys BigDisk Properties.
 Show me

2  Click the Relocation tab.

3  In the Relocated Directories list, click the directory that you want BigDisk to restore back to its original location on your primary drive, then click [image] to move it to the Directories list.
Tip: You may have to click the [+] beside a drive letter to expand that drive’s contents and reveal the relocated folders.

4  Repeat step 3 for every directory you want to restore.

5  Click OK.

BigDisk restores the selected directories back to their original location on the primary drive.


To see which folders have been relocated

1  Click the Start menu and point to Programs, then point to Syncronys BigDisk. Click Syncronys BigDisk Properties.
 Show me

2  Click the Relocation tab.
The Relocated Directories list displays all folders that have been relocated from your primary to your secondary drive.
Tip: You may have to click the [+] beside a drive letter to expand that drive’s contents and reveal the relocated folders.

3  Click OK.


To use SmartSpace

1  Click the Start menu and point to Programs, then point to Syncronys BigDisk. Click Syncronys BigDisk Properties.
 Show me

2  Click the Setup tab.

3  Select the SmartSpace check box.

4  To redirect files to your removable disk, make sure the letter assigned to your removable drive is selected in the Secondary Drives list, and then select the Allow SmartSpace to Use Removables check box.

5  To redirect files to a network drive, make sure the letter assigned to the appropriate network drive(s) is selected in the Secondary Drives list, and then select the Allow SmartSpace to Use Network Drives check box.

4  Click OK.

Any new files you create or software you install will be created on the drive (primary or selected secondary) that contains the most free disk space. This redirection process makes all your drives appear as one single large drive to the operating system and all applications.


To setup BigDisk relocation and SmartSpace options

1  Click the Start menu and point to Programs, then point to Syncronys BigDisk. Click Syncronys BigDisk Properties.
 Show me

2  Click the Setup tab.

You have the following options:

Secondary Drives: Use this list to add or remove secondary drives. To add a drive as a secondary drive for relocation purposes, check the drive letter in the list. To remove the drive as a secondary drive, deselect its check status. Note that if you try to deselect a drive that contains relocated files, the check box will appear checked with a gray background. No additional files will be relocated to this drive, but the currently relocated files will remain until you restore them.

SmartSpace: Select this option If you want any new directories and files you create to be automatically created on the drive with the most free space (primary or secondary). This option treats all your drives as one large virtual drive. If you have removable and network drives selected in your Secondary Drives list, the Allow SmartSpace to Use Removables and Allow SmartSpace to Use Network Drives options also become available. Select these check boxes to use their respective drives when redirecting files.

3  Click OK.

 Related Topics


To add and remove secondary drives

1  Click the Start menu and point to Programs, then point to Syncronys BigDisk. Click Syncronys BigDisk Properties.
 Show me

2  Click the Setup tab.

3  To add a secondary drive, check the drive letter in the Secondary Drives list. BigDisk will relocate files to this drive when you run BigDisk Extender, when you relocate files from the Relocation Properties page, or when you redirect files using the SmartSpace.
You can select as many secondary drives as you want. Note, however, that if you select a removable drive, you must always keep a disk in that drive for your relocated files to be available. Likewise, if you select a network drive, you must always remain connected to that network drive.

4  To remove a secondary drive, deselect the drive letter in the Secondary Drives list.
Note that if you try to deselect a drive that contains relocated files, the check box will appear checked with a gray background. No additional files will be relocated to this drive, but the currently relocated files will remain until you restore them.

5  Click OK.


To protect files and folders from being relocated

1  Click the Start menu and point to Programs, then point to Syncronys BigDisk. Click Syncronys BigDisk Properties.
 Show me

2  Click the Safety tab.

3  If the Directories list, click the directory that you do not want BigDisk to relocate.

4  Click [image] to move the directory to the Protected Directories list. BigDisk will not relocate the selected directory when you activate the Disk Extender.

5  To protect subdirectories of the selected directory, select the check box beside the directory name in the Protected Directories list.

6  When you have finished selecting directories for protection, click OK.


Syncronys BigDisk Extender Dialog Box

Use this dialog box to extend the space available on your primary drive by automatically relocating files to any of your secondary drives.

BigDisk automatically detects the best files and directories on your primary drive for relocation and moves those files to your secondary drive, freeing the amount of space you select in this dialog box. It can move these files while also protecting important system files and directories from ever being relocated.

Note that even though the files are relocated, they will still appear to all your Windows applications to reside on your primary drive.

 How To


Disk Extender Slider

Determines the amount of disk space that will be freed on your primary drive (usually C:). The number on the left side of the slider represents the amount of disk space currently free. The number on the right side represents the total amount that may be freed. This space may be freed by relocating files from your primary to your secondary drive.


Displays the amount of disk space to free on the primary drive (usually C:), and the percentage of free disk space on the drive that this number represents. By default, this box displays the current amount of free disk space on the primary drive.


Allow Extender to Use Removables

Includes specified removable drives in automatic relocation. Note that this option is enabled only if you have a removable drive letter selected in the Secondary Drives list of the Setup Properties dialog box, and you have a disk in the drive at the time you started BigDisk Extender.


Allow Extender to Use Network Drives

Includes specified mapped network drives in automatic relocation. Note that this option is enabled only if you have a network letter selected in the Secondary Drives list of the Setup Properties dialog box, and you are connected to the network drive at the time you started BigDisk Extender.


BigDisk Status

Use this dialog box to determine the size of your primary drive (Primary space) and your secondary drive (Secondary Space), and the amount of disk space that may be made available as your primary drive (BigDisk Virtual Space).

Each disk space total is broken down by the number of megabytes free (gold) and the number of megabytes used (cyan). The Primary space group also shows the number of megabytes of files located in fixed, or protected directories (green). The Virtual and Secondary Space groups also show the number of megabytes of files that are borrowed and loaned, respectively. These represent the files that have been relocated from the primary drive to the secondary drive.

 How To


Primary space

Graphically displays the amount of free and used disk space available on your primary drive. The display includes a breakdown of the amount of free disk space, used disk space, and fixed disk space. Fixed disk space is disk space containing files that may not be relocated.


BigDisk Virtual Space

Graphically displays the amount of disk space that may be made available as your primary drive. This measurement is calculated by adding the total space on your primary and all your available secondary drives combined. The display includes a breakdown of the amount of free disk space, used disk space, and borrowed disk space. Borrowed disk space is disk space containing files that have been relocated from the primary drive to the secondary drive.


Secondary Space

Graphically displays the amount of disk space on your selected secondary drive that may be made available to your primary drive. The display includes a breakdown of the amount of free disk space, used disk space, and loaned disk space. Loaned disk space is disk space that contains files that have been relocated from the primary drive to the secondary drive.


BigDisk Relocation

Use this dialog box to see which directories have been relocated by the BigDisk Extender, select your own directories for relocation, and restore any relocated directories back to their original location.

Note: The difference between relocating files from this dialog box and relocating them from the BigDisk Extender is that in this dialog box you can select which directories are moved, whereas the BigDisk Extender makes those selections for you.

 Related Topics


Directories

Lists the directories available for relocation on your primary drive.


>>

Moves directories from the Directories to the Relocated Directories list, letting you build a list of directories to be relocated.


<<

Moves directories from the Relocated Directories list to the Directories list, restoring these directories to their original location on the primary drive.


Relocated Directories

Lists your selected secondary drives and the directories that have been relocated from your primary to each one. You may have to expand a drive by clicking the [+] sign beside it to reveal the directories that have been relocated to it.


# IDH_RELOCATION_REFRESH


BigDisk Setup

Use this dialog box to set preferences on how BigDisk relocates files, to set up SmartSpace to redirect files, and to add and remove secondary drives.

 How To


SmartSpace

Creates new files and installs new software to the drive (primary or secondary) that contains the most free disk space. This redirection process makes all your drives appear as one single large drive to the operating system and all applications.


Allow SmartSpace to Use Removables

Includes specified removable drives when redirecting files. Note that this option is enabled only if you have a removable drive letter selected in the Secondary Drives list and SmartSpace is selected.


Allow SmartSpace to Use Network Drives

Includes specified network drives when redirecting files. Note that this option is enabled only if you have a removable drive letter selected in the Secondary Drives list and SmartSpace is selected.


# IDH_OPTIONS_EMPTY


Show Welcome page at Startup

Toggles the display of the Syncronys BigDisk Welcome screen when you run BigDisk Extender or BigDisk Properties.


# IDH_RELOCATION_VERIFY


Secondary Drives

Specifies which drives BigDisk will treat as a secondary drive for relocation and redirection.

You can select as many secondary drives as you want. Note, however, that if you select a removable drive, you must always keep a disk in that drive for your relocated files to be available. Likewise, if you select a network drive, you must always remain connected to that network drive.


BigDisk Safety

Use this dialog box to protect directories from being relocated automatically from the BigDisk Extender, or selectively from the Relocation properties or the shortcut menu.

BigDisk automatically protects your Windows directory and subdirectories, the Program Files for MS Plus directory, and any directories containing boot files (such as autoexec.bat and config.sys). You cannot change this protected status on these directories. You can, however, use this dialog box to protect any other directories you want.

 How To


Directories

Lists all directories on your primary drive that you can mark as protected.


Protected Directories

Lists all protected directories, that is directories that will never be relocated.


Subfolders

Determines whether subdirectories of the selected directory will also be protected. Protected status of subdirectories is indicated by a check in this column beside a protected directory's name.


>>

Moves the selected directory from the Directories list to the Protected Directories list.


<<

Moves the selected directory from the Protected Directories list to the Directories list.


Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. Once folders and files are relocated, where do they go?

A. All relocated files and folders move into the _FRDDAT_ folder on your secondary drive.

Q. On what basis does the BigDisk Extender select or reject files for relocation?

A. BigDisk rejects protected directories, empty directories, and directories containing open files. It will relocate all others.

Q. Why doesn’t the BigDisk Extender free up the exact amount of space I select? It’s always less!

A. The number of megabytes freed may not match the number you selected exactly because the sizes of the files relocated probably will not add to the exact number you chose. BigDisk will come as close as possible to the number you selected, without exceeding it.

Q. Why doesn’t BigDisk recognize my network drives?

A. To recognize network drives, those drives have to be mapped to a single drive letter. Only one letter may be mapped per physical drive. To learn how to map network drives to a drive letter, see your Windows documentation.

Q. Why can’t I access my relocated files–they are all 0 bytes?

A. If you have relocated files to a removable drive and then removed the disk, or to a network drive and then disconnected, your relocated files will display as 0 bytes. Reconnect to the drive and the files will display with their correct file size and you will be able to access them.

Q. Why didn’t BigDisk restore all my files?

A. If any of your relocated files were open at the time you selected Undo Relocation, they will not be restored. Close the files and try again.

Q. How do I manually restore my relocated files to their original location?

A. It is easy to restore files using the Undo Relocation command from the shortcut menu, or the Relocation page in the Properties dialog box. We recommend that you use one of these methods. However, if you need to restore files manually, you can do so from either Windows or DOS:

From Windows

1. Delete the file \Windows\System\Iosubsys\FREDIR.VXD.

2. Restart Windows.

3. Run Windows Explorer, and open the _FRDDAT_ folder in the root of your secondary drive.

4. Pull down the Edit menu and click Select All.

5. Pull down the Edit menu and click Cut.

6. Open the primary drive folder.

7. Pull down the Edit menu and click Paste.

From DOS:

1. Reboot the machine and press F8 when you see "Starting Windows 95".

2. Select Command Prompt Only.

3. Go to the \Windows\System\IOSubSys directory, and rename FREDIR.VXD to FREDIR.XXX.

4. For each drive letter used for relocation, use the following XCOPY32 command to move the files back:

XCOPY32 D:\_FRDDAT_\*.* C:\*.* /S /E

(This example assumes relocated data is on your D: drive).

IMPORTANT: Use XCOPY32.EXE, not XCOPY.EXE.  XCOPY32.EXE preserves long filenames.