Windows 10 comes with a great tool called Sync Centre, which allows you to synchronise folders on a network to your local system. This means that you can set up sync partnerships for important network shares, so that you can always access them when not connected to your network.
However, the major drawback here is that it isn't easily possible to remove sync partnerships once they are created! This guide shows you how you can remove all of your sync partnerships, with a little work. It's a workaround for a function that should have been added a long time ago.
Remember, this guide will delete all of your sync partnerships - not selective ones. Please only run these steps if you understand the commandline.
To begin, you'll need to disable the offline files feature. You can do this by double-clicking the Sync Centre icon in the system tray (it'll show only if it's activated), then select Manage Offline Files:
Then select Disable Offline Files, click OK, then reboot your PC:
Once your computer has restarted, you'll need to clear the CSC cache. To do this, right-click the start button and select Windows Powershell (admin):
This will load a powershell prompt where you can run the following commands (which overwrite the CSC cache with an empty directory, but avoids permission issues)
Now, you'll need to make a registry entry to finish clearing the CSC cache. You can also do this within the powershell prompt by running the following command:
Now, restart your computer.
Once it has rebooted, load up the Sync Centre again (you will need to search for "sync centre" on the start menu, as the tray icon won't be there). Then select Manage Offline Files again, but this time click Enable Offline Files:
Now, you'll see that all previous sync partnerships have been deleted and you can re-add them as desired.
However, the major drawback here is that it isn't easily possible to remove sync partnerships once they are created! This guide shows you how you can remove all of your sync partnerships, with a little work. It's a workaround for a function that should have been added a long time ago.
Remember, this guide will delete all of your sync partnerships - not selective ones. Please only run these steps if you understand the commandline.
To begin, you'll need to disable the offline files feature. You can do this by double-clicking the Sync Centre icon in the system tray (it'll show only if it's activated), then select Manage Offline Files:
Then select Disable Offline Files, click OK, then reboot your PC:
Once your computer has restarted, you'll need to clear the CSC cache. To do this, right-click the start button and select Windows Powershell (admin):
This will load a powershell prompt where you can run the following commands (which overwrite the CSC cache with an empty directory, but avoids permission issues)
Code:
CD\
mkdir erasecsc
robocopy c:\erasecsc c:\windows\csc\v2.0.6\cache /mirNow, you'll need to make a registry entry to finish clearing the CSC cache. You can also do this within the powershell prompt by running the following command:
Code:
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Csc\Parameters /v FormatDatabase /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /fNow, restart your computer.
Once it has rebooted, load up the Sync Centre again (you will need to search for "sync centre" on the start menu, as the tray icon won't be there). Then select Manage Offline Files again, but this time click Enable Offline Files:
Now, you'll see that all previous sync partnerships have been deleted and you can re-add them as desired.
