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