Problem

I use a couple of syncing / backup solutions to backup my data and sync it across different computers and places. the problem is, some of them force me to put all my synced / backuped files in their special folder while I want to maintain my own directory structure.

For example, in order to work with Google Drive, Dropbox, SkyDrive, Box, etc. All the files that needs to be backed up and synced MUST be under their special directory!

But I want to maintain my own file structure and not to being limited to living inside this single directory.    How to do that and still use this softwares?

If it was a Linux system it was easy – simply create a hard links!
Oh, Wait, didn’t Microsoft, starting Windows Vista created something that functioned exactly like links in Linux? The command is called ‘mklink’.

Solutions

Install whatever sync/backup solution you want and set its path to where you want, for this example we chose to install Dropbox and to choose the default path. for example:

D:Dropbox

Now, let’s assume that the files that you want to backup are located at:

D:Local User DirectoryMy Documents

We want to create a (hard) link  from “My Documents” to D:DropboxMy Documents

This is how you do it: Click “Start” and search for “Command Prompt”. Right click on it, and click “Run as administrator”

Now on the command prompt write:

mklink /j  “D:DropboxMy Documents” “D:Local User DirectoryMy Documents”

/j stand for make a junction

this is how its should look like

Now, every files that in “D:DropboxMy Documents” is also in “D:Local User DirectoryMy Documents” and vice versa! without taking double space and multiple locations of files..

Important Notice For SkyDrive, Box and maybe more

Because a bug in SkyDrive, Box and possibly more syncing programs, if the directories that giving to Skydrive is not the original directory, for some reason Skydrive / Box stop syncing the content of the directories, The only solution for this is to give SkyDrive, Box etc the original directory and make a junction / links to other locations.

Disclaimer

You should address this post as a solution that work for me only, if you choose to use the way that suggested in this posts you should adapt it to your needs.
I am not responsible on any damage that can be done because of the suggestion in this post.

Thanks

Thanks to Zohar Snir on editing