# Backup and Restore instead of initial sync?

**URL:** <https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/backup-and-restore-instead-of-initial-sync/35301>\
**Category:** Lounge\
**Created:** [18 January 2024 17:12 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/backup-and-restore-instead-of-initial-sync/35301 "2024-01-18T17:12:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 9

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**Author:** ![dpoulton](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/discourse.joplinapp.org/dpoulton/32/29723_2.png) [@dpoulton](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/dpoulton)\
**Post date:** [6 March 2024 18:06 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/backup-and-restore-instead-of-initial-sync/35301/9 "2024-03-06T18:06:40Z")

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> [@KC\_20CY](#):
>
> Do you have any insight in regard to the scenario 1 that I mentioned in this thread?

It depends what you are trying to fix, the server or the client.

Scenario 1 would work but it is the sort of thing you have to do when you have had a problem with the **sync server**. It will not avoid the time taken to transfer the data. In fact in this case you will be sending the data **to** the sync server. Most Internet connections are asymmetric and upload at a speed that is far far slower than they download. In my case the upload speed is a tenth of the download speed so an upload would take ten times longer. Also if you clear the data from the server you will clear the data from **all** clients. As you will have more than one client connected to the sync server you will have to sync the others again afterwards as well. If you have 3 clients, that's downloading 25,000 notes and their attachments _three times_.

**Clearing the sync server is something you do not do unless you are _certain_ that is where the problem is and you really, really have to**.

I have never had to use it but the advanced option to re-upload the client data _may_ avoid any impact on other connected clients but it will not avoid the need to upload everything.

If you think that you are having problems with a **client** and you want to reset it and start again the methods I mentioned in [your other post](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/a-joplin-situation-that-top-ranking-tags-are-missing/36503/8) **will only affect the one client** and, if you have asymmetric network speeds, the download will be faster.

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