Backup file is over 3GB?!?! What is going on?

[Guest]

I'm using the Win XP backup utility to backup my C drive. I don't have any
MP3s, videos or anything on there, just pics, and docs. I select the whole
drive, progs and settings.
I've followed all the MS help on this site, and when I run the backup it
still ends up being a few GB. How is this possible? I can't even compress it
into a .zip file to put in on a CDRW! I've tried scanning for viruses,
cleaning the drive, scanning for errors, and defragging before doing a backup
as well. Any suggestions?

 

[John Barnett MVP]

If you are backing up the whole of your C drive then it is going to be
anything from 1.5GB to 2GB and that is without any other software
applications.
Personally i prefer to image my drive rather than use Microsoft's backup
program. Using Powerquest's Drive Image (now Norton Ghost 9) and using
standard compression my image file is well over 5GB

 

[HillBillyBuddhist]

I'm using the Win XP backup utility to backup my C drive. I don't have
any
MP3s, videos or anything on there, just pics, and docs. I select the
whole
drive, progs and settings.
I've followed all the MS help on this site, and when I run the backup it
still ends up being a few GB. How is this possible? I can't even compress
it
into a .zip file to put in on a CDRW! I've tried scanning for viruses,
cleaning the drive, scanning for errors, and defragging before doing a
backup
as well. Any suggestions?

Sounds about right. The Windows directory on the laptop I'm using is 2.58GB
by itself. It's a fairly "slim" installation.

If you'd like to try a fun little freeware utility to see exactly what's
using up how much space where "at-a-glance" try Sequoia View. (malware free)

http://www.win.tue.nl/sequoiaview/

As far as backing up goes I use two methods. An external harddrive and
CDs/DVDs using BackUP MyPC from Stomp. It writes to most types of media
including spanning CD and DVDRs. A much more capable backup program than the
one that comes with Windows.

Some folks like imaging software like Ghost.

http://www.stompsoft.com/backupmypc.html

--
D

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details.

Remove shoes to E-mail.

 

[Richard Urban]

My C drive has almost 8 gig of information and a lot of my larger programs
are installed to the D drive. You don't have a problem. That is just the way
your computer is.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the posts everyone! Now I know I'm getting frusterated for
nothing. I Used to be able to run backups and have them be in MB and I just
put them on a CDRW. I work in a pharmacy and they use Stomp to back up all
the data, but I couldn't figure out how they can back up ALL of their data on
one CDRW but I couldn't backup a home pc. Do you have any suggestions on
what I should back up, since I can't backup the whole drive? Obviously my
docs, but anything else I should know that would be helpful to restore should
I lose anything?

Thanks for all your help!

Amanda

 

[Richard Urban]

Only YOU know what files are important to you and where they are stored.
These are the files I backup on a nightly basis with Backup MyPC. I also use
Ghost 9 to create an image of the entire O/S once or twice a week. This can
be compressed to nearly 1/2 of the original size and I store them on another
hard drive. Best to have multiple backups.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard

If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!