Dear Lifehacker,
I love Dropbox, but there are some files I'm just not comfortable keeping in "the cloud," like my tax returns and bank statements. I also have huge media files that I'd like to sync between my computers but can't use Dropbox for because it would put me over my account limit. I saw your Dropbox alternatives article, but it looked like all of those services also store the files online. Is there a way to keep my files in sync—without having to store them on someone else's servers?

Signed,
Syncing Without Servers

Dear SWS,
You point out a lot of good reasons why people look for alternatives to Dropbox and similar online syncing and storage services, including added security risks and costs when you've got a huge amount of data to sync up. Some workplaces and campuses don't even allow Dropbox or other external servers to be used at all, for intellectual property reasons or, again, security.

So what can you do? Thankfully, there are several tools you can use to sync your computers directly, bypassing the need for you to use an online server as a middleman. Here's an overview so you can choose the best one for your needs:

If You Need To Sync Windows PCs and Macs: Windows Live Mesh or GoodSync

Windows Live Mesh is a unique tool in that it offers both direct PC-to-PC syncing and online storage space on Microsoft's SkyDrive. You can select, on a folder basis, local syncing and/or store up to 5GB of files on SkyDrive. Live Mesh even has a feature to let you remotely control your Live Sync-connected Windows computer.

The program has a very simple setup and interface: Select your computers' folders, network drives, Microsoft Office settings, or Internet Explorer program settings to keep in sync across all your computers and the app runs seamlessly in the background. You might not even know it's running. However, if you want more granularity (logs, file versioning, scheduling, etc.) or control, Live Mesh isn't your app.

Here's the bad news: Microsoft's SkyDrive team has stated in a Windows 8 blog post that direct PC-to-PC syncing won't be an option when SkyDrive is integrated with Windows 8 (major bummer!). You can install Live Mesh and use it for now for local syncing, but there's a good chance local syncing won't work when Windows 8-plus-SkyDrive rolls out officially later this year, so it's probably best to look for alternatives.

GoodSync from SiberSystems (the makers of password manager Roboform) keeps Windows PCs and/or Macs in sync and can also sync your files with FTP sites, Google Docs, SkyDrive, Amazon S3 servers, WebDAV servers, and removable drives. There are a ton of configuration options to set how and when you want your files to be synced. The latest GoodSync 9 update added remote file access and faster syncing with block level synchronization (i.e., syncing only your file changes).

Here's the catch: The free version of GoodSync only allows for syncing 100 files and 3 sync jobs, while the Pro version allows unlimited syncing. Think of a sync job as, basically, the folder and subfolders that you want to keep in sync from one location to another). The Pro version is $29.95 for Windows or $39.95 for Mac. You only need one license to sync two or more computers, though.

If You Only Need To Sync Windows PCs: SyncBack or SyncToy

For syncing Windows computers only, take a look at SyncBack, another feature-rich syncing tool that can schedule backup jobs too. Besides keeping Windows PCs in sync, SyncBack can sync your files with an FTP server, external drive, or network drive.

This oldie but goodie (voted one of the most popular offline backup tools) comes in several versions—SyncBack Freeware, SyncBackSE for $34.95, and SyncBackPro for $54.95. Even the freeware version has options like filters for what to include or exclude in your sync jobs, email or HTML log files, and settings for programs to run before or after your sync jobs (many more options for the paid programs, of course). It may take time to learn all the settings (same as with GoodSync) and could use an updated and more intuitive interface, but it gets the job done.

Also worth consideration, however, is Microsoft's free SyncToy, previously mentioned as one of Lifehacker readers' favorite syncing tools. The small utility basically pairs two folders (whether they're on a hard drive, network or USB device) for mirroring folders. It doesn't have scheduling built in, but you can use Windows Task Scheduler to run it on a schedule. If other syncing programs seem too convoluted for you, SyncToy might be a relief. However, it hasn't been updated since 2009.

Perhaps Your Next Syncing App: AeroFS or SparkleShare

AeroFS promises to be a great private and optional online backup storage service, but it's currently in private beta so we can't say for sure yet. Features promised, however, include optional online storage and special subfolders ("backup libraries") encrypted with AES-256 encryption. It's a distributed, peer-to-peer system, so there's no middleman server, yet you get unlimited storage. AeroFS says they'll be issuing invites again next month, so stay tuned.

Finally, SparkleShare is another tool we've been keeping our eyes on. The free, open source project lets you roll your own Dropbox-like service, using the open source version control system git as the backbone. The program works by basically creating a "SparkleShare" folder on your computer (there are now builds for Linux, Mac, and Windows), and any new files you put in that folder will be pushed to the remote git repository. Other SparkleShare users connecting to that folder will see that file appear in their SparkleShare folders and get a notification. It's very similar to Dropbox, but you can share your folders locally or to others without dealing with the cloud. We're getting ready to test SparkleShare ourselves but you can try the project out yourself to see if it works for you.

As you can see, there are a few options for syncing your files and getting around the cloud requirement. Which should you choose? That depends on your operating system and whether you want a lot of features and settings (e.g., SyncBack or GoodSync) or something simpler (e.g., SyncToy or possibly AeroFS when it launches).

Love,
Lifehacker

P.S. Have a favorite syncing tool that we missed or other suggestions? Let us know in the comments.

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Dear Lifehacker,
I know a lot of video players (like PotPlayer) can play any video file out there, but why are there so many video formats in the first place? Is there a real difference between DivX and XviD, or MP4, and MKV? When I rip a DVD, or go hunting for downloads, which format is the best to use?

Sincerely,
Confused About Codecs

Dear Confused,
The world of video formats can be pretty confusing, but there are only a few things you really need to know. First, it's important to note that a video format is more than just its file extension. Extensions like AVI are not, in fact, video codecs—they're containers. A container is the file format which can use multiple different codecs—such as DivX or x264—to compress a certain standard of video—such as MPEG-4 or H.264, respectively—into a hard-drive friendly amount of space. Here's what you need to know about both codecs and containers, and what that means for the videos you rip yourself.

What Is a Codec?

Most of the video you'll come across is compressed, meaning its been altered to take up less space on your computer. For example, a regular Blu-Ray disc usually takes up around 30 or 50GB of space—which is a lot for a normal person to download or store on their hard drive. So, we compress movies to make them more manageable, usually with some loss in video quality.

A codec compresses and decompresses data. It interprets the video file and determines how to play it on your screen. Your computer comes with many codecs pre-installed, though you can install codec packs for wider support, or a program like VLC or PotPlayer (which we prefer to codec packs). Some examples include:

• FFmpeg (which includes formats like MPEG-2, the format in which DVDs are stored, and MPEG-4, which is the video format Apple uses in the iTunes store)
• DivX, which works with a certain type of MPEG-4 file, and was often used to rip DVDs in the pre-HD era
• XviD, an open source version of DivX, popular among movie pirates
• x264, which compresses H.264 videos (Also known as MPEG-4 AVC), and is very popular for high definition videos

There are a lot of different codecs out there, and it can get really confusing with all the different versions of MPEG standards. These days, you really only need to concern yourself with a few—which we'll talk about in a couple minutes.

What Is a Container?

A container is, essentially, a bundle of files. Usually a container consists of a video codec and an audio codec, though it can also contain things like subtitles. Containers allow you to choose one codec for your video and one for your audio, which is nice—that way, you can choose to use the high-quality DTS audio, or compress your audio to something like MP3 for even more space savings. It just gives you a bit more control over how you record your videos or rip your movies. Popular containers include:

• AVI
• Matroska (which uses the extension MKV)
• MP4 (which has been popularized by Apple in the iTunes Store—note that this can also come with the M4V extension, but the container is the exact same)
• MOV (which was created by Apple)

The main difference between different containers is not only the codecs they support but what other features they support—like subtitles or chapters. These days, MKV is an extremely popular container, mainly because it supports nearly any video codec under the sun, as well as a ton of extra features (plus it's open source).

So Which Should You Use?

These days, you'll only really come across a few different codecs and containers as you browse the web for video. DivX and XviD (DivX's open source counterpart) are popular for standard-definition videos, like ripped DVDs, but are mostly outdated, so I wouldn't use them to rip your own DVDs. Handbrake, our favorite DVD ripper and video encoder, supports three video codecs (which you can see under the "Video" tab) and two containers (which you'll find under "Output Settings"). H.264, which Handbrake uses by default, will give you the best quality, though if you don't care about quality, MPEG-4 will probably compress faster. As for containers, both MKV and MP4 support high quality H.264 video, but in general we prefer MKV for almost everything, since it has a few more extra features, supports higher quality audio, and is open source. The one downside of MKV is that it isn't as well supported by certain programs and devices. So, if you're putting these videos on your iPad, Apple TV, or Xbox 360, for example, you'll want to go with the more widely supported MP4. If you're watching them in VLC, PotPlayer, XBMC, or another video player that supports MKV, then MKV is the way to go.

That's a lot of information to throw at you in a few paragraphs, but like we said—despite how big and confusing the world of video is, a lot of those codecs are outdated, and you only really need to concern yourself with a few. If you want a more detailed comparison, check out Wikipedia's Comparison of Video Codecs, Comparison of Container Formats, and its entry on MPEG for more info on all the different variations of the MPEG standards of video compression.

Sincerely,
Lifehacker

Photo remixed from Péter Gudella.

Dear Lifehacker,
I'm thinking about grabbing a new iPad, but I want to transfer all my app data from my iPhone over to it so I can continue using some of the data from my apps and finish up some games. Is this possible?

Sincerely,
Dana Transfer

Dear DT,

For most apps, the built-in iTunes backup service should work, but it's not always reliable. If you've spent hours toiling away in an app you want to be sure that data is saved. With that in mind, here's how to pull your save data out of apps and back them up on your computer just in case iTunes doesn't do its job.

How to Manually Backup and Restore App Data

Before we start, we should note this works for any iOS device. So if you want to back up and transfer data for iPads, iPhones, or between the two, this works. To manually backup and transfer data, we're going to use the free Mac and Windows program iExplorer. You don't need to jailbreak your iPhone to use iExplorer and it's easy to pull data from your iPhone to transfer it to your new device. Here's how to do it.

1. Download the app you want to transfer data to on your new iPad.
2. Plug your iPhone into your computer.
3. Start up iExplorer and wait for your device to show up in the file browser.
4. Click the arrow next to your device name.
5. Click the arrow next to Apps.
6. Find the app you want to transfer data from and click the arrow.
7. Inside the app's main folder is a folder called Documents. That's where your saved data and game saves are located. Copy it to your desktop.
8. Disconnect your iPhone from your computer and plug in your iPad.
9. In iExplorer, find the app you want to transfer data to on your iPad using the same steps from above.
10. Locate the Documents folder and copy all the data you just copied to your desktop folder onto the iPad.

That's it, you're done. Different apps use different save files and occasionally the above process will require you to copy several files over. Other times you only have one file. This process works for most apps, but not all of them. Let's take a look at a few of the instances where data doesn't transfer over properly.

A Few Caveats on When and Where it Works

In most cases, the above method works just fine, but there are a few instances where things get a little muddled. Here's some tips for dealing with those issues.

In some cases two separate versions of an app exist. An iPhone version and a HD iPad version. Despite the separate apps and the fact you have to buy and download them individually, you can usually transfer data between the two. More often than two separate versions is a single Universal version that works on both an iPad and a iPhone as one download. You should have no trouble swapping files this way either.

Not all apps save their files in the Documents folder. If it's data you absolutely have to have, reader Gregory suggests copying the Library folder in addition to the Documents folder. The Library folder is where smaller high scores and other data is often located.

Finally, a lot of modern apps utilize iCloud for their save data or sync to a webapp online. In this case, you have nothing to worry about provided iCloud is properly set up. Unfortunately, this varies from app to app. Some do the syncing automatically, others require you to turn on the feature in a settings menu. Either way, apps still save the data locally and you can grab them with iExplorer.

That's it! It's really not a complicated process and makes it so you can continue right where you left off on your iPhone on your new iPad. Even if you're just swapping out an iPad for a new iPad, the above steps are good measures to take if you're invested in an app and want to make certain you won't lose any save data. I've had mixed luck with iTunes backup myself and for any apps I've spend more than five hours with, I back up the data before upgrading the operating system or getting a new device.

Sincerely,
Lifehacker

P.S. If you have any trouble with the above method on certain apps, sound off in the comments and help others prepare for the same issue.

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Dear Lifehacker,
I love my roommate, except for one thing that's starting to drive me crazy: The messes he leaves everywhere and the hoards of stuff he's collected to the point where I feel our house is only filled with clutter. And he doesn't do anything to help tidy up. How can I make this work?

Signed,
Felix Unger

Dear Felix,
Sadly, your situation is pretty common, because in any relationship one person is going to be neater and more organized (in this case, you) than the other (your roommate). It's frustrating for both people, especially for the neater one who tends to do the cleaning and may feel resentful or may resort to nagging, but also for the other person who just isn't as naturally organized as you are (consider that in another relationship you might be the messier person—yes, hard to believe.)

Here are some tips you can use to improve your situation:

• Don't nag: Nagging is counterproductive. It treats the other person with disrespect and, at the end of the day, it just makes you feel worse. When you catch yourself in the act of nagging, just stop—not worth it. In lieu of that, have conversations and establish ground rules about what needs to be done around the house (see below).
• Talk about what needs to be done: This may sound boring and uncomfortable, but it's important to set up some ground rules so you both know who is responsible for what—and be specific. Saying "I want the house to be clean" will not get the house clean, but specific tasks like washing the dishes and vacuuming the stairs will. You can spice things up with Chore wars and even automate some chores if you need to. As long as you have a dialog and aren't doing everything yourself and then sitting on a pile of resentment or resorting to passive-aggressiveness, you should be in a better place than many neat/messy pairs of people.
• Remember that dirty and messy are different things: Be aware of your neat freak tendencies (if you have any) or, alternately, your packrat habits. When it comes to dirt, it should be obvious and both of you should agree when and how to handle that. In terms of messiness or what's considered clutter, however, that may be more open to interpretation. Real Simple suggests discussing your comfort level with each other. Be open to compromise—when it comes to mess, but not dirt.
• Use a shared to-do list: Dividing up chores and making a plan of action with clear routines and time limits may make sense especially for roommates. Or simply asking sometimes "can you take out the garbage while I wash the dishes?" might help. You can even do chores together (a playlist timer might even make it fun).
• Focus on key rooms: Pick your battles. The shared, public rooms, like the kitchen, living room, and bathrooms should have priority over the bedrooms when it comes to cleaning schedules. If your roommate's got a sloppy desk but no one sees it, who cares? Let it go.

Consider also whether you just need more organizing tools/storage space or a decluttering day (or week). Maybe a day of cleaning out your closets to get rid of clothes clutter will help, rebooting your kitchen to store things more efficiently, or digitizing all your paper is the solution.

As with dealing with bad college roommates, the bottom line is about respect. As frustrating as your packrat, slob of a housemate's habits may be, don't let these relatively minor household issues ruin your relationship. At the same time, don't sweep your frustrations under the rug. (You see what I did there, right?)

If worse comes to worse, you can both invest in a housekeeping service.

Love,
Lifehacker

P.S. If you've been in this situation before, as either the messy person or the neat one, what have you done to keep the peace?

Photo by Diego Cervo (Shutterstock)

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