Backing up my C: Drive to an external hard drive

[Pricethom]

I have Windows XP Pro x64. Have just bought a Toshiba 160 GB external hard
drive.
I try to back up my whole C: drive using the Windowa back-up facility, but
it will only back up to a floppy or CD.
I then tried to COPY the C: drive to the external drive, the copying started
OK but stops when it comes to the file "NTUSER" and tells me this file is in
use by another program, and to shut this down to continue, which I cannot as
there are no other programs running. I've found that there is two files for
NTUSER, both are Video CD Movie in Windows Media Player.
Can anyone help? Can I simply copy to the external drive? or do I HAVE to
buy software such as Acronis, as has been mentioned in other threads. Please
help.

 

[olfart]

I have Windows XP Pro x64. Have just bought a Toshiba 160 GB external hard
drive.
I try to back up my whole C: drive using the Windowa back-up facility, but
it will only back up to a floppy or CD.
I then tried to COPY the C: drive to the external drive, the copying
started
OK but stops when it comes to the file "NTUSER" and tells me this file is
in
use by another program, and to shut this down to continue, which I cannot
as
there are no other programs running. I've found that there is two files
for
NTUSER, both are Video CD Movie in Windows Media Player.
Can anyone help? Can I simply copy to the external drive? or do I HAVE to
buy software such as Acronis, as has been mentioned in other threads.
Please
help.

No

Yes

 

[Jim]

I have Windows XP Pro x64. Have just bought a Toshiba 160 GB external hard
drive.
I try to back up my whole C: drive using the Windowa back-up facility, but
it will only back up to a floppy or CD.
I then tried to COPY the C: drive to the external drive, the copying
started
OK but stops when it comes to the file "NTUSER" and tells me this file is
in
use by another program, and to shut this down to continue, which I cannot
as
there are no other programs running. I've found that there is two files
for
NTUSER, both are Video CD Movie in Windows Media Player.
Can anyone help? Can I simply copy to the external drive? or do I HAVE to
buy software such as Acronis, as has been mentioned in other threads.
Please
help.

Every account on your system has its own copy of NTUSER.DAT. When someone
logs into an account, this file is in use and stays in use until the person
logs out.

No, you cannot simply copy the system to another disk. For one thing, you
won't get a copy of the MBR to the target disk; hence you will not obtain a
bootable disk.

 

[JS]

Image backups are better, takes up less space,
Faster restore of exactly what was on your drive.
Can even restore just selected files like for example
you My Documents folder. Just check that it's XP
64Bit compatible. There are discounts available where
you can save 50% or more for either Ghost or Acronis.
In my case I purchased Acronis at 50% off and Ghost
version 14 for free after rebates.

Norton Ghost version 14 - has a 30 day trial available
(Trial does not allow you to create a Bootable Restore CD AFAIK)
http://www.symantec.com/norton/products/overview.jsp?pcid=br&pvid=ghost14
User's Guide:
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/products/ghost/14/manuals/ngh_14_user_guide.pdf

Product Review "Symantec's 14th Ghost":
http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/Norton-Ghost--Review-78775.shtml

True Image 2009 - has a 15 day trial version available,
(Create a Restore/Rescue Media CD before you start)
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage/
User's Guide: http://us1.download.acronis.com/pdf/TrueImage12_ug.en.pdf

Product Review Acronis True Image Home 2009:
http://www.brighthub.com/computing/windows-platform/reviews/16045.aspx

 

[SC Tom]

I have Windows XP Pro x64. Have just bought a Toshiba 160 GB external hard
drive.
I try to back up my whole C: drive using the Windowa back-up facility, but
it will only back up to a floppy or CD.
I then tried to COPY the C: drive to the external drive, the copying
started
OK but stops when it comes to the file "NTUSER" and tells me this file is
in
use by another program, and to shut this down to continue, which I cannot
as
there are no other programs running. I've found that there is two files
for
NTUSER, both are Video CD Movie in Windows Media Player.
Can anyone help? Can I simply copy to the external drive? or do I HAVE to
buy software such as Acronis, as has been mentioned in other threads.
Please
help.

You can use a freebie called DriveImage XML, available at
http://www.runtime.org/data-recovery-downloads.htm

I use for both my XP desktop and my Vista notebook and like it very much. It
will only do a full backup; incremental is not an option. But, using my
firewire connection, it takes ~30 minutes to back up 45GB. You can do a full
restore, or a partial. It will back up files in use using VSS or Volume
Locking, whichever works best for the situation. If ran out of XP, it uses
VSS, but if you use something like the Ultimate Boot CD, it uses VL.

SC Tom

 

[almostbob]

The files are not VCD files, VCD is one of many file types that use the
extension .dat
NTUSER.dat is real file name, turn off "Hide file extensions for known file
types" it will cause many problems
consider the possibilities of clicking on
myfile.doc
myfile.url
myfile.com
myfile.exe
myfile.cmd
myfile.xls
myfile.html

when all you can see of any of them, is 'myfile'

Google for backup software, there are free versions that support other drive
types

 

[Pricethom]

Thank you all for your response. I have tried the suggestions made, but they
are not what I require. All I want to do is copy my C a & D drives to a
external hard drive.
I had a system crash some time ago and had to do a reformat which lost me a
lot of files, I don't have a Windows CD to load the OS, had to get someone to
load it for me, so just want to do a full back-up in case of a future
calamity.
It appears from your input that I will have to buy software for this, I
favour Acronis from comments made. Sorry if I appear to be a "dunce" am 74
years old and had my computer for only two years.
Any further help or response will be appreciated.