Regular Folder back up

[QBA]

HI

I'm using "Drive Image 5" to make a image copy of my C:/ into a different hard drive, This works really well for restoring my OS but the back up that "Drive Image" make is just a single compress Image file that is not to easy to browse or access, this is perfect for my OS restore, but for my personal folder I will like to have the back up to be done just as a normal copy, like when you manually drag and drop one folder from one hard driver to another, ending up with the same folder in both hard drivers and not a single image file of it.


Can I have my system set up to make a normal copy of a folder from one hard drive to another, by it self everyday at 3:00 am?

If it can be done what application can I use to do this?

Thanks

Alex

 

[Rockn]

Just make a batch file and use the AT scheduler to run it at whatever time you want.

 

[QBA]

thanks Rockin, what is a Batch and what is a AT scheduler?

 

[p5mmx10g]

what os are you using?

if windows 98, you should make a file call backupcopy.bat

use a text editor program like notpad or write.

type the following in the file

copy c:\source path\*.* d:\destination path\

when you try to save, do save as " backupcopy.bat"
for windows nt or 2000 save as "backupcopy.cmd"

click start>programs>accessoires>system tools>scheduled tasks>

config the time and the date you want. when it ask you which program to run, do browse and point to backupcopy.bat or backupcopy.cmd

 

[QBA]

thanks p5mmx10g


I don't want to have a backup image file, I want to end up with the same folders on the two hard driver just like when you drag and drop manually but I want Windows Xp to do it for me automatically.

 

[p5mmx10g]

the command on the backupcopy.bat or cmd, it just copy itself to another hd, i think that's what you want right?

 

[QBA]

Nope I don't want a .dat file or .cmd I want to end up with the same folders on the two hard driver just like when you drag and drop manually a folder into another hard drive

 

[Brooks]

I have a very important folder here at work, that I backup 3 different ways. One is the method described by p5mmx10g.

Here is what we are going to do. We are going to create a batch file. This is a file that will tell XP how to do the copy for you, so you can just set it up and forget about it.

The following is just an example one and I am going to put some comments out to the side

Start Notepad

d: (this is the drive the files you want to copy are on)

cd Quick (this is telling windows to change to my quick folder which contains the files I want to copy)

xcopy *.* I:\Quickbackup (This command tells windows to copy everything in the quick folder to my I:\ drive and place it into the quickbackup folder)

After you have put in the commands, you will save the file with the name, mybackup.bat and save it to c:\

Now we will need the task scheduler to issue the command everyday at the same time. This is where we need to know which version of Windows you are using.

 

[QBA]

BROOKS you are right on the money I just want windows XP to back me up my personal folder automatically as you said SET IT AND FORGET IT

But I don't want a .bat, .cmd or any other format, I just want that the back up be done as a regular Windows folder just like when you drag and drop a folder from a hard drive to another, that you end up with two similar folders one in each hard drive.

You guys are right on the money but I just want the same Windows regular folder in the two hard drive, the regular folder that you can surf and delete and open and close ect, I don't see the need to have a backup as a .bat, .cmd ect when space is not a issue for me and I preffer to have the same regular forlder as a backup not matter the size

 

[TheWendyGuy]

QBA I think you are missing what they mean.

When they talk about a .bat file, that is a "batch file".

That will run that sequence of commands which he/she just typed out for you to put in the file.

the xcopy *.* command will copy all of your files, just as you want, to another folder.

The .bat is just an easy way of doing it without having to type lots of stuff every time.



Follow their instructions carefully and you will get the results you want...I assure you.

 

[QBA]

THANKS TheWendyGuy for make me read all the replies again and now I finally see that I wasn't understanding

Guys I'm really sorry I wasn't understanding what you guys were trying to tell me

The folder I want to copy is called Recycle, and is on the D:\ and I want to copy to the I:\ so for what I understood I have to make a notepad and type this inside:

copy D:\Recycle I:\Recycle

save this as a .bat or .cmd file and then what?

Thanks I hope you guys still remember this post and help me out again

Alex (I'm using Windows XP)

 

[TheWendyGuy]

Alex,

Open up Notepad

Type:-

d:
cd recycle
xcopy *.* i:\recycle

THEN save this file as mybackup.cmd (or whatever you choose before the .cmd)

Then go:- (and this is for Win2K, XP should be similar)

startrograms:accessories:system tools:scheduled tasks:

From that point on it will be simple. Just point it to the file that you just created.

Any problems let me know...

[email protected]com

 

[QBA]

Thanks TheWendyGuy

I did what you told me too I created a new notepad file and I put this in:

d:
cd recycle
xcopy *.* i:\recycle

The I saved it as a .cmd and the icon now look like one of those windows files , I placed that file on C:

I went to Start/Programs/Accessories/System Tools/Scheduled Tasks and I add a new task browse to the C: and grab the new .cmd file (alex'sbackup.cmd) and I set it up for 4:AM so when I come back from the New Year party I will check it and let you know.

By the way it will replace any folder or file with the same name?
Because it if happend everynight it have to replace the old folder with the new on in order to update it right?

THANKS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alex

 

[QBA]

I did everything I said above and didn't work , what I did wrong?

 

[p5mmx10g]

the folder recyle is an example for you, you can't just do the same thing. depanding where you save your files. you have to replace the name recyle with the name of the folder you try to copy.