backing up my laptop to an external HD plugged into my XP desktop

[Lisa Hetherington]

I've discovered that I can't backup my laptop (Vista Home Premium) to an
external HD plugged into my XP desktop.

What I'm thinking of doing is regularly copying certain folders to an
appropriately named folder (ie: laptop backup <date>) within the network
folder (that laptop and desktop both have access to) and then backing up
that appropriately named folder to the external HD.

Do that sound like it would work??

I'm getting nervous w/o a backup of my files from the laptop.

...Lisa

 

[AJR]

Lisa - you can copy the folder to the external HD - using XPs backup utility
would not provide for direct restroing to the laptop - unless you are using
a third-party progra.

I use an external (USB) HD that I swap between the desktop and laptop and
when connected to the laptop use Vista's backup .Works fine and there is no
conflict between use on the desktop and laptop.

 

[Saucy]

I've discovered that I can't backup my laptop (Vista Home Premium) to an
external HD plugged into my XP desktop.

What I'm thinking of doing is regularly copying certain folders to an
appropriately named folder (ie: laptop backup <date>) within the network
folder (that laptop and desktop both have access to) and then backing up
that appropriately named folder to the external HD.

Do that sound like it would work??

I'm getting nervous w/o a backup of my files from the laptop.

..Lisa

Are you certain your network and sharing configurations are set correctly?
And your Advance Sharing permission set correcty? Because sharing a folder
on an external usb harddrive certainly is possible.

Saucy

 

[Lisa Hetherington]

Thanks AJR.

I am not using 3rd party software.
I guess that`s another option, swapping the external between the desktop
and laptop.

But I was hoping to at least do the backups without swapping, knowing
that to restore I would have to swap it.

....Lisa

 

[Lisa Hetherington]

Are you certain your network and sharing configurations are set
correctly? And your Advance Sharing permission set correcty? Because
sharing a folder on an external usb harddrive certainly is possible.

Saucy

Thanks Saucy,

No I am not sure....a friend set up the network(ing) for me. I do not
know or understand all the settings.

....Lisa

 

[Saucy]

Thanks Saucy,

No I am not sure....a friend set up the network(ing) for me. I do not
know or understand all the settings.

...Lisa

Networking is a tough one, agreed.

To start:

Are the laptop and desktop set to the same local network workgroup name e.g.
WORKGROUP ?

XP Home's default workgroup name is MSHOME, whereas Vista's is WORKGROUP.
You need to set that straight to begin with. But that's all I'm going to say
for now!



Saucy

 

[Lisa Hetherington]

Networking is a tough one, agreed.

To start:

Are the laptop and desktop set to the same local network workgroup name
e.g. WORKGROUP ?

XP Home's default workgroup name is MSHOME, whereas Vista's is
WORKGROUP. You need to set that straight to begin with. But that's all
I'm going to say for now!



Saucy

Hi Saucy,

pls forgive me, but how do I check the Workgroup in XP
Vista, I checked Network and the Workgroup was indeed WORKGROUP (I see
both the laptop and desktop in Network)

Thank you in advance for your patience!!

....Lisa

....Lisa

 

[Saucy]

Hi Saucy,

pls forgive me, but how do I check the Workgroup in XP
Vista, I checked Network and the Workgroup was indeed WORKGROUP (I see
both the laptop and desktop in Network)

Thank you in advance for your patience!!

...Lisa

Right-click on My Computer and select Properties > go to the Computer Name
tab

Saucy

 

[Spirit]

Sure this is easy and here is a great FREE program to help :

http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp

 

[Lisa Hetherington]

Right-click on My Computer and select Properties > go to the Computer
Name tab

Saucy

The workgroup in XP is WORKGROUP too!
So that`s good.

Next step?

....Lisa

 

[Saucy]

The workgroup in XP is WORKGROUP too!
So that`s good.

Next step?

...Lisa

Create a folder on the external harddrive. If the drive letter for the
external harddrive is 'G', then on the G: drive create a folder called
"Backup Share".

Double-click My Computer > double-click G: drive > right-click on some blank
space in G:\ and select New > Folder .. name the folder "Backup Share" [no
quotes].

Now, right-click on the Backup Share folder and select Properties > Sharing
tab > in the 'Network sharing and security' section check the "Share this
folder on the Network" checkbox ..

... then give the share the name "Backup Share" ..

... then check the "Allow network users to change my files" checkbox > click
OK

Now try to copy any file to that folder from the laptop. In other words,
start you laptop, find that folder over the network and from the laptop copy
any ol' file to Backup Share.

Saucy

Done, right-click on Share and select Properties

 

[hamiltoncruiser]

The workgroup in XP is WORKGROUP too!
So that`s good.

Next step?

...Lisa

Create a folder on the external harddrive. If the drive letter for the
external harddrive is 'G', then on the G: drive create a folder called
"Backup Share".

Double-clickMyComputer > double-click G: drive > right-click on some blank
space in G:\ and select New > Folder .. name the folder "Backup Share" [no
quotes].

Now, right-click on the Backup Share folder and select Properties > Sharing
tab > in the 'Network sharing and security' section check the "Share this
folder on the Network" checkbox ..

.. then give the share the name "Backup Share" ..

.. then check the "Allow network users to changemyfiles" checkbox > click
OK

Now try to copy any file to that folder from thelaptop. In other words,
start youlaptop, find that folder over the network and from thelaptopcopy
any ol' file to Backup Share.

Saucy

Done, right-click on Share and select Properties

Thank you so much Saucy (just now had time to try this)
at first the laptop didn't see the Backup folder...just refreshed the
Network window.....now I'm off to try and do a backup to this folder

OOPS

I got an error message: "no mapping between account names and security
ids was done"

Do you know how I fix that??

I see a couple of fixes online involving the Guest account but what's
the best one?

....Lisa