Has anyone here ever been successful at organizing your computer?
 

I've got two main computers I use in different locations, I try to keep them both updated with the same files so I can work from either location.

Over time, Moving files, updating or reformatting your computer etc. I end up with tons of misc. files in folders all over the place. for example

sort, sort1, desktop, desktop1, desktop2, desktop work, desktop all, all files, from laptop etc.

I also have three hard drives full of stuff, and four external hd's...

my attempt at fixing this mess made me wonder if anyone who lives on their computer actually ever has things in order...

Yes. Organization is a main key to success.

I do not keep multiple computers synced as I only use one but that would be easy enough.

I have one folder that contains hundreds of sub folders organized perfectly. The file is backed up on a weekly basis to an external HD and can be transferred/updated from machine to machine at any time.

Take the time, even if it's a serious amount of time, and get organized. In the long run, perhaps even in the short run, you will increase your productivity.

I use a combination of Adobe Cloud, Dropbox, and a Seagate GoFlex drive to do all of this.

I'm trying, I probably have the same files in 5 different places in the same computer...

Wish me luck.

You have "desktop1" and "desktop2"? You win, because I end up with "stuff1" and "stuff2".

For me it's Newfolder1 Newfolder2

Yes, it's very simple and only took me almost 10 years to do and commit to.

Main PC stores everything where it needs to be. I have shortcuts on my desktop leading to every common folder I need access to and every common file as well.

On the other computer, I create those same shortcuts on the desktop but they lead to the main PC via network.

Same for music, video, documents, everything is on main pc. The usual icons for music, pics, video and documents on the other PC are altered to lead to the location on the main pc. The other pc is merely a "terminal" for lack of better explanation.

I also have all of this mirrored in exact same folder structure on an external 2TB drive attached to my main pc for master backup.

I only use 1 machine (unless I am on the road with my netbook in my manbag).

After many attempts at keeping order I mostly resort to a monthly or bimonthly tidy which
gives me at least a chronological order to go by when searching for things i.e. Desktop Tidy March.

I set up a NAS that I can access from pretty much anywhere. I store most of my primary files on that. Then I pull files from it onto whatever computer I am using, edit, put back on. I also set up a proprietary version of Dropbox so I can give others access as well for collaboration.

Organized
 

Organized is key.

Get a dedicated computer to act as a Server. You as the admin. Pc or Mac the software is cheap and so damn easy theses days.
Then set you up again as a user with a different user name.
Then move files to a large drive or drives. Run one of those programs that looks for duplicate files. But be very careful, two files may have the same name & file size so look at them to verify they are duplicates. Delete duplicates.
Organize files. Document files should be by year, subfolders by groups. That way in 2015, you can delete the 2005 files. Picture files can be be things like Family, cool space pics, big boobs, cartoons.
Then create a VPN. Again software is cheap & easy. This allows any machine on your network from any location to access the server and other drives.
Backup the server & other drives as often as you feel comfortable. Best, make 2 backups. One on-site for easy retrieval, the other in a secure location such as a safety deposit box.
People like Carbonite say it's free or cheap, but when you have TBs of files, it's damn expensive. Others here may have suggestions on offsite backups.

damn.

You need dropbox, or a file server with rsync.

Organization is key. To everything.

I don't have any files that I must have. Everything I need is online, but then again most of my work these days is email. Easy.

Thanks for the info and suggestions, I'll check out drop box etc. :)

dropbox takes care of most of this...

no disrespect but my mother's who is 70 sounds more computer literate.

use cloud services to sync your files between multiple computers and spend the time to find out a good directory structure

How would you use a cloud service with video/picture editing etc.? I'm mainly just talking about all computer files, not just work stuff, I find it hard to believe most people have everything all in order.


I'm not talking about having a computer linked in the same house/building. My computers are in different cities and I use both most every day.


Edit: Just checked out dropbox, I don't think it would be able to help me in my situation.

You need a central NAS or file server then.

My desk may be a mess but my computer is organized like a library.

I use two computers but I can get anything I want from computer 1 from computer 2. Why have 2 copies of it all?

hey bro use www.sugarsync.com its the best

My desktops are a mess and almost filled up. Rest internal drives are somewhat organized though not in a fully ordered manner but instead in a way that I can immediately find the file etc. I need.

So that if I'm at the office or home and need to get something done I don't have to wait to be on my other computer.


thanks but thats like dropbox, It won't work for what I do. Main thing that is a pain is trying to organize everything, It's been around 4 hours and I feel like I've barley accomplished anything... I'm sure it will pay off in the end, And help speed up my productivity.

My main junk folder is simply named "t"

t was supposed to mean temp... but I just put everything in there anyway. :thumbsup

:1orglaugh seems to always work out that way for me.

My computers and servers are so disorganised that when I do a reinstall from scratch I save the contents of the old comp/server indefinitely... because I'm always left wondering if I forgot to copy something to the new setup. I still have a drive image from 10 years ago sitting on my NAS.

It's actually not too hard. You make folders. Then you put stuff in them.

Organizing the personal files are the hard part, Family pictures through out years, etc. It really sounds a lot easier than it is. The work stuff is going much smoother.

First rule of organizing is to DATE it.

You should have:

2012-10-05 desktop1
2012-10-28 desktop2
etc etc

then it's a lot easier to locate the temporary desktop with the temporary edited file to verify it contains the same information. :thumbsup

Also it helps a lot if you get a new computer every 6 months or so, then you can import your mess into a special folder named YEAR-MONTH-COMPUTER,

On a mac it works great with "smart folders" etc :winkwink:

same thing here.,
recently bought 2 tb hdd, no time sort things.,

i have desktop1, desktop2

mydocments1, mydocumnets2
downloads1,downloads2,

i even have this

content,retouched content, watermarked content, uploaded content.
vidcontent,flvvideo,watermarkedflvvideo,uploadedwa termarkedflvvideo.
and so on.,

Yup.

As an example for accounting I have a folder called receipts. Inside that are year folders. Inside them month folders. Inside them files like 2012-11-03-Staples.pdf.

Hell I still have every image for every blog post made because I also stored them by date.