1613 - Incrorrect file count and properties

[xcopy]

I've found a problem with 1613 that didn't exist in prior versions and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced it.

I've noticed that files and folders on the diskstation are now reporting the wrong file counts with seemingly hidden files. Another option is that the DS with DSM 3.1 1613 is erroneously reporting the containing folder as a file itself.

Anyway, I'm trying to match these NAS folders to various windows machines (several OS versions) and they never match anymore. The Diskstation consistently reports more files than are really there in many folders. There may be five (5) files, yet when checking properties, it reports six files in the folder (guessing it's counting the folder). Not such a big deal for one folder with 5 files, but when you're comparing 800 folders and 60GB of data that needs to be copied, it's getting annoying..

I've also noticed that files/folders are getting the archive and read only flags set, and they definitely should not have those properties.. This was not a problem in DSM 3.0....

[xcopy]

No response probably means either no one cares or no one has noticed it. I also think now that this is may be a windows only problem.

Under Win7 Pro x64, DSM 1613 is creating the nuisance thumbs.db files (these hold thumbnails to speed display in explorer). These files contribute little, but can take up a lot of space if you have lots of images, videos, icons, etc. While it wasn't an issue under DSM 3.0, it may be due to either the DSM update or a windows update. Here's the solution in case anyone has the issue in the future.

My first thought was to check for these files because I knew they would throw off the file/folder count if they were present, but when I looked they weren't visible. Thumbs.db files should only be created when you first view image files; if you don't view files (via explorer), the thumbs file for that folder should never be created. The odd thing is that they weren't created in DSM 3.0 at all, but they are in DSM 3.1 whether you view the files/folder or not. Simply placing any kind of image file on a disk station will create the file.

Finding them is fairly easy, but turning on "show hidden files/folders" in explorer will not allow you to see them; you must show "protected OS files" and that's not recommended (for a good reason).

Thumbs.db files will be created on your computer and/or the disk station automatically unless you turn them off in the group policy editor, which is available in the the Pro and Ultimate versions, but not sure if it's available in home premium. For the latter you may have to research another way to turn them off.

[Gordon]

Just for the record. I own my DiskStation DS109 since mid-2009 and just checked various folders on it for thumbs.db files. Fact is, I found many thumbs.db files with created/last modified dates that span the whole period of time (mid-2009 till present). So it seems to me that thumbs.db files were created with any DSM version I've had running on my DS so far. (currently DSM3.1-1605)

In Windows versions without gpedit (e.g. Vista Home Premium) you can check the folder option "Always show icons, never thumbnails" to prevent the creation of the thumbs.db files. However, as the name of that option suggests, this also has the effect that no thumbnail images will be displayed anymore, but instead just the default icon for the particular file type.

[xcopy]

I've only been using Synology disk stations for six months, but until I upgraded to DSM 3.1 thumbs.db were never present, or more importantly, they never affected the folder/file count.

I move/copy lots of data constantly (probably more than most people and independent of backups). I always verify folder/file counts to the byte (not size on disk). I've used other NAS boxes from other vendors and know that thumbs.db was something I had to deal with, but it was not a problem for over 5 months on Synology.

[hypertonik]

Guys, what are you talking about? The thumbs.db file has always been created by the Windows Explorer. At least I have it only in the folders I accessed from Windows during all two years of owning my NASes.

[xcopy]

Guys, what are you talking about? The thumbs.db file has always been created by the Windows Explorer. At least I have it only in the folders I accessed from Windows during all two years of owning my NASes.

Not if you turn them off...

The real problem for me was that I couldn't see them anymore and they were disrupting file/folder counts. I've been using NAS'es for at least 6 years and have always dealt with them by deleting them. Under DSM 3.0 I didn't have to worry about them; Under DSM 3.1, I not only had them appear, but I couldn't see them by turning on "show hidden files/folders". N.B. - Surprisingly, explorer will only allow you to delete them if you show them as large icons (and a few other styles). If you show them as "details", you will be unable to delete them.

I've turned them off in the group policy editor (probably not available in anything below the Pro/Bus versions).