# Sync to external HD
**URL:** https://forum.syncthing.net/t/sync-to-external-hd/19449
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [December 9, 2022, 8:43pm UTC](https://forum.syncthing.net/t/sync-to-external-hd/19449 "2022-12-09T20:43:24Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@SBR1946](https://forum.syncthing.net/u/SBR1946)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2022, 8:43pm UTC](https://forum.syncthing.net/t/sync-to-external-hd/19449/1 "2022-12-09T20:43:24Z")
I want to Sync 2 computers and 3 android devices to a 14 TB external HD. There is not enough space on C Boot to sync everything.
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### Author:  [@tomasz86](https://forum.syncthing.net/u/tomasz86)
#### Post date: [December 9, 2022, 9:08pm UTC](https://forum.syncthing.net/t/sync-to-external-hd/19449/2 "2022-12-09T21:08:00Z")
Can you try to explain in more details what you’re trying to achieve exactly?
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### Author:  [@SBR1946](https://forum.syncthing.net/u/SBR1946)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2022, 11:05pm UTC](https://forum.syncthing.net/t/sync-to-external-hd/19449/3 "2022-12-16T23:05:20Z")
I believe I misunderstood Syncthing. I want to back up 3 computers to a local drive. Syncthing is folder to hold a files, but not the amount I’m after. I have been using Beyond compare 4 Pro to transfer the folders accumulated since the last century to a 14Tb external drive. I want to incrementally(?) back up my current files which I have started backing up to a smaller external drive. Tuesday I am having a knee operation which may confine me to bed with my laptop for 6 to 8 weeks. I’d like to access the current files without physically moving the current backup drive. But I can if it’s the only way.
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### Author:  [@gadget](https://forum.syncthing.net/u/gadget)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2022, 12:54am UTC](https://forum.syncthing.net/t/sync-to-external-hd/19449/4 "2022-12-17T00:54:22Z")
> [@SBR1946](#):
>
> I believe I misunderstood Syncthing. I want to back up 3 computers to a local drive. Syncthing is folder to hold a
Although Syncthing can be configured to act somewhat like a backup tool, it’s not what it was intended for.
However, if you want to sync files from 3 computers onto a local drive on one of the computers or to a 4th computer, then Syncthing is an excellent choice.
> [@](#):
>
> files, but not the amount I’m after. I have been using Beyond compare 4 Pro to transfer the folders accumulated since the last century to a 14Tb external drive. I want to incrementally(?) back up my current files which I have started backing up to a smaller external drive. Tuesday I am having a knee operation which may confine me to bed with my laptop for 6 to 8 weeks. I’d like to access the current files without physically moving the current backup drive. But I can if it’s the only way.
Syncthing could be used to sync the files from the backup drive to your laptop, but you’ll either need adequate storage space on your laptop or use Syncthing’s pattern matching feature to include/exclude filenames that aren’t of interest.
If you’ve been using Beyond Compare to transfer files and folders to your external drive, the files are just individual files and not in some archive format. So if the computer with the external drive is on the same network as your laptop, perhaps a simple network shared folder is the solution?
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### Author:  [@SBR1946](https://forum.syncthing.net/u/SBR1946)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2022, 6:27pm UTC](https://forum.syncthing.net/t/sync-to-external-hd/19449/5 "2022-12-17T18:27:07Z")
Thank you. I will try that.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forum.syncthing.net/u/system)
#### Post date: [January 16, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://forum.syncthing.net/t/sync-to-external-hd/19449/6 "2023-01-16T18:27:28Z")
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