Best backup process and software

[Bill W]

I just purchased a new external drive and want to use it to set up a
regular, automatic backup process. I currently have 2 software options -
Roxio's Backup MyPC and Microsoft's standard backup utility. I am planning
on using Microsoft's backup and perform a one-time total back followed by
weekly differential backups. Each week the new differential backup file
will replace the prior week's differential backup file. Can anyone suggest
a better plan or better backup software? Thank you for your help. I want
to do this right.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I just purchased a new external drive and want to use it to set up a
regular, automatic backup process. I currently have 2 software options -
Roxio's Backup MyPC and Microsoft's standard backup utility. I am planning
on using Microsoft's backup and perform a one-time total back followed by
weekly differential backups. Each week the new differential backup file
will replace the prior week's differential backup file. Can anyone suggest
a better plan or better backup software? Thank you for your help. I want
to do this right.

Are you trying to back up your installation or your data files?

 

[Bill W]

Data files

Are you trying to back up your installation or your data files?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

If you wish to back up your data files then an easy solution
would be to use the Task Scheduler to invoke a batch file
such as this five-liner:

@echo off
xcopy /s /d /y "c:\documents and settings\Bill\*.*" "Q:\%date:~0,3%\Bill\"
echo.
echo Press the Space Bar to close this window.
pause > nul

It will back up all new and modified data files from your profile
folder to one of 7 folders called "Mon", "Tue" etc., thus giving
you plenty of opportunity to retrieve an earlier version of a file
that may have been damaged for some reason.

You can consolidate the seven backup folders once every
month with this batch file:

@echo off
for %%a in (Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun) do (
xcopy /d /s /y X:\%%a X:\Full\
rd /s /q X:\%%a
)

After you have run this batch file, the folder X:\Full will
contain the latest version of every backed up file.

 

[Bill W]

Thank you very much. I appreciate your help.

If you wish to back up your data files then an easy solution
would be to use the Task Scheduler to invoke a batch file
such as this five-liner:

@echo off
xcopy /s /d /y "c:\documents and settings\Bill\*.*" "Q:\%date:~0,3%\Bill\"
echo.
echo Press the Space Bar to close this window.
pause > nul

It will back up all new and modified data files from your profile
folder to one of 7 folders called "Mon", "Tue" etc., thus giving
you plenty of opportunity to retrieve an earlier version of a file
that may have been damaged for some reason.

You can consolidate the seven backup folders once every
month with this batch file:

@echo off
for %%a in (Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun) do (
xcopy /d /s /y X:\%%a X:\Full\
rd /s /q X:\%%a
)

After you have run this batch file, the folder X:\Full will
contain the latest version of every backed up file.

 

[Plato]

I just purchased a new external drive and want to use it to set up a

Best backup to to save the very most important data to write once cds.

 

[Rock]

I just purchased a new external drive and want to use it to set up a
regular, automatic backup process. I currently have 2 software options -
Roxio's Backup MyPC and Microsoft's standard backup utility. I am planning
on using Microsoft's backup and perform a one-time total back followed by
weekly differential backups. Each week the new differential backup file
will replace the prior week's differential backup file. Can anyone suggest
a better plan or better backup software? Thank you for your help. I want
to do this right.

Have you thought about getting a drive imaging program such as Acronis True
Image to save a compressed image of the internal drives to the external
drive. Then if something damages the installation, restore the image and in
a matter of minutes you're back in business.