What Files and Extensions are Excluded from the Sync Process

Overview

As an administrator, you can restrict file types from being synchronized to the server using policy settings. Specifically, the Excluded Extensions policy lists default excluded extensions that can optionally be modified to accommodate the needs of an organization. Using this policy, you can help protect organizations and user accounts from files that might contain malicious code. Other file types, such as temporary and system files and folders, are permanently blocked from the system (hard-coded). 

This article will provide information on hard-coded excluded directories and extensions, as well as default excluded extensions that are configurable through policies.


 

Hard-Coded Excluded Extensions

Temporary Files

Extension

Description

Any file name beginning or ending with ~

For example, Microsoft Word or PowerPower files

Any file name beginning with ~$

 

.lock

Libre/open office lock files

.tmp  

All .tmp files, including Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint files

.dwl

AutoCAD files

.dwl2

AutoCAD files

sav*.tmp

AutoCAD files

.atmp

AutoCAD files

.laccdb

Microsoft Access lock file

.swp

Microsoft Access lock file


 

Temporary Folders

Temporary folders are also hard-coded as excluded from the sync process. These folders include:

Folder

Description

*temp

temp folder and anything below it

*tmp

tmp folder and anything below it

DfsrPrivate

A hidden folder used to stage files for replication actions.



System Files and Folders

System files and folders are also hard-coded as excluded from the sync process.  These system files and folders include:

System File or Folder

Description

desktop.ini

A file in the Windows operating system used to define how a folder should be displayed

Thumbs.db

A file that stores thumbnail cache

.DS_Store

A file in the OS X operating system used for storing custom attributes of a folder

.ICON

A file in the OS X operating system used for adding a custom folder icon.

*WINDIR

Path to the windows directory

*System Volume Information

Path to the System Volume Information folder

*MSOCache*

Path to the MSOCache folder

*I386

Path to the I386 folder

*\Documents and Settings\All Users\AppData\*

Path to the AppData folder

*\Documents and Settings\*\NTUSER.DAT

Path to the NTUSER.DAT folder

*\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\*

Path to the Application Data folder

*\Documents and Settings\*\Cookies\*

Path to the Cookie’s folder

*\Documents and Settings\*\Local Settings\*

Path to the Local Settings folder

*\Documents and Settings\*\NetHood\*

Path to the NetHood folder

*\Documents and Settings\*\PrintHood\*

Path to the PrintHood folder

*\Documents and Settings\*\History\*

Path to the History folder

*\Program Files\Carbonite\Carbonite Backup\*

Path to the Carbonite Backup folder

*\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Clipart\*

Path to the Microsoft Clipart folder

*Recycle.Bin

The Recycle Bin

*\ProgramData\*

Path to the ProgramData folder




Folders Excluded from Being Backed Up

vBoxxCloud allows end users to back up folders that exist on their local machine. Certain folders, however, are excluded from being backed up (these mostly apply to Mac OS X).

Folder

Description

/Users/*/.Trash/*

Path to the Trash folder

/Users/*/Library/Caches/*

Path to the Cache folder

/Users/*/Library/Cookies/*

Path to the Cookies folder

/Users/*/Library/Logs/*

Path to the Logs folder

/Users/*/Library/PubSub/Feeds/*

Path to the Feeds folder

/Users/*/Library/Application Support/SyncServices/Local/*

Path to the Sync Services local folder

/Users/*/Burn Folder*/*

Path to the Burn Folder

/Users/*/Parallels/*

Path to the Parallels folder

/Users/*/Virtual Machines*/*

Path to the Virtual Machines folder




Default Excluded Extensions Configurable Through Policy Settings

Administrators can also define additional excluded extensions using policies. The Excluded Extensions policy setting maintains the following list of default excluded extensions; however, these can be modified according to the needs and preferences of the individual organization.

Note: Information displayed in the following table was collected from FileInfo.com. For more information, please reference FileInfo.com.

Configurable Excluded Extensions

File Type

.$$

Temporary File

.$db

dBASE Temporary File

.113

Iomega Backup File

.3g2

3GPP2 Multimedia File

.3gp

3GPP Multimedia File

.3gp2

. 3GPP Multimedia File

.3gpp

3GPP Media File

.3mm

3D Movie Maker Movie Project

.a

Static Library

.abf

Analysis Services Backup File

.abk

Automatic Backup File

.afm

Adobe Font Metrics File

.ani

Windows Animated Cursor

.ann

Lingvo Dictionary Annotation File

.asf

Advanced Systems Format File

.avi

Audio Video Interleave File

.avs

AVS Preset File

.bac

Backup File

.bak

Firefox Bookmarks Backup

.bck

VMX Backup File

.bcm

Business Contact Manager File

.bd2

Lacerte Tax File

.bdb

Microsoft Works Database Backup File

.bdf

Binary Data File

.bkf

Windows Backup Utility File

.bkp

Backup File

.bmk

BillMinder Backup File

.bsc

Visual Studio Source Browser Information File

.bsf

Blu-ray AVC Video File

.cab

Windows Cabinet File

.cf1

Common File Format 1 File

.chm

Compiled HTML Help File

.chq

Microsoft Help Combined Full-Text Search File

.chw

Compiled Help Index File

.cnt

Help Contents File

.com

DOS Command File

.cpl

Windows Control Panel Item

.cur

Windows Cursor

.dbs

SQLBase Database File

.dev

Dev-C++ Project File

.dfont

Mac OS X Data Fork Font

.dll

Dynamic Link Library

.dmp

Windows Memory Dump

.drv

Device Driver

.dv

Digital Video File

.dvd

DOS Device Driver

.dvr

Microsoft Recorded TV Show

.dvr-ms

Microsoft Digital Video Recording

.eot

Embedded OpenType Font

.evt

Windows Event Viewer Log File

.exe

Windows Executable File

.ffa

Find Fast Status File

.ffl

Find Fast Document List

.ffo

Find Fast Document Properties Cache

.ffx

After Effects Preset File

.flc

FLIC Animation

.flv

Flash Video File

.fnt

Windows Font File

.fon

Generic Font File

.ftg

Full Text Group

.fts

Full Text Search

.fxp

FoxPro Compiled Program

.gid

Windows Help Global Index File

.grp            

StarCraft Graphics Group File

.hdd           

Parallels Desktop Hard Disk File

.hlp

Windows Help File

.hxi

Compiled Help File

.hxq

Microsoft Help Merged Query Index File

.hxr

Microsoft Help Data File

.hxs

Help 2 Compiled Help File

.ico

Icon File

.idb

IDA Database File

.idx

Movie Subtitle File

.ilk                                 

Incremental Linking File

.img

Disc Image Data File

.inf

Setup Information File

.ini

Windows Initialization File

.ins

Adlib Tracker Instrument File

.ipf

SMS Installer Script

.iso

Disc Image File

.isp

IIS Internet Service Provider Settings

.its

Impulse Tracker Sample

.jar

Java Archive File

.jse

JScript Encoded File

.kbd

3ds Max Keyboard Shortcuts File

.kext

Mac OS X Kernel Extension

.key

Software License Key File

.lex

Adobe Linguistic Library Data File

.lib

Generic Data Library

.library-ms

Windows Library Description File

.lnk

Windows File Shortcut

.log

Log File

.lwfn

Adobe Type 1 Mac Font File

.m1p

MPEG-1 File

.m1v

MPEG-1 Video File

.m2p

MPEG-2 Program Stream File

.m2v

MPEG-2 Video

.m4v

iTunes Video File

.mem

FoxPro Variable File

.mkv

Matroska Video File

.mov

Apple QuickTime Movie

.mp2

Heroes of Might and Magic II Map File

.mp2v

MPEG-2 Video File

.mp4

MPEG-4 Video File

.mpe

MPEG Movie File

.mpeg

MPEG Movie

.mpg

MPEG Video File

.mpv

MPEG Elementary Stream Video File

.mpv2

MPEG-2 Video Stream

.msc

Microsoft Management Console Snap-in Control File                            

.msi

Windows Installer Package

.msm

Windows Installer Merge Module

.msp

Windows Installer Patch

.mst

Windows Installer Setup Transform File

.ncb

Visual C++ IntelliSense Database      

.nt

Windows NT Startup File

.nvram

VMware NVRAM File

.o

Compiled Object File

.obj

Wavefront 3D Object File

.obs

ObjectScript Script File

.ocx

ActiveX Control

.old

Backup File

.ost

Outlook Offline Folder File

.otf

OpenType Font

.pch

Precompiled Header File

.pd6

Windows Photo Gallery Data File

.pf

Private File

.pfa

Printer Font ASCII File

.pfb

Printer Font Binary File

.pfm

Printer Font Metrics File

.pnf

Precompiled INF File

.pol

Windows Policy File

.pref

Preferences File

.prf

PICS Rules File

.prg

Program File

.prn

Printable File

.pst

Outlook Personal Information Store File

.pvs

Parallels Desktop Configuration File

.pwl

Windows Password List

.QBA

QuickBooks Accountant's Copy Work File

.QBA.TLG

QuickBooks Transaction Log File

.QBW

QuickBooks Data File

.QBW.TLG

QuickBooks File

.qt

Apple QuickTime Movie

.rdb

Wavelet Video Images File

.reg

Registry File

.rll

Microsoft Resource Library

.rox

Roxio Project File

.sbr

Visual Studio Source Browser Intermediate File

.scf

DNA Sequence Chromatogram File

.scr

Windows Screensaver

.sdb

Custom Application Compatibility Database

.shb

Windows Document Shortcut

.suit

Macintosh Font Suitcase

.swf

Macintosh Font Suitcase

.swp

Vi Swap File

.sys

Motorola Driver File

.theme

Microsoft Plus! Desktop Theme

.tivo

TiVo Video File

.tmp

Temporary File

.tms

Telemate Script

.ttc

TrueType Font Collection

.ttf

TrueType Font

.v2i

Norton Ghost Virtual Volume Image

.vbe

VBScript Encoded Script File

.vga

VGA Display Driver

.vgd

Generic CADD VGA Driver

.vhd

Virtual PC Virtual Hard Disk

.video

aTube Catcher Video File

.vmc

Windows Virtual Machine Configuration File

.vmdk

Virtual Machine Disk File

.vmsd

VMware Snapshot Metadata File

.vmsn

VMware Snapshot State File

.vmx

VMware Configuration File

.vxd

Virtual Device Driver

.win

FoxPro Window Settings

.wpk

Nero Wave Editor File