copying files before reinstalling Win XP Pro

[BT]

I'm finally ready to bite the bullet and do an OS reinstall.

I want to copy all of my c: drive files to another drive before I wipe the
drive and reinstall Win XP Pro. However, my c: drive is fat32 and the
destination drive is NTFS. I have tried to back up the drive using a couple
of different backup apps (in Windows) and just copying the folders but
thousands of files are skipped.

Is there a utility that I can run from a boot disk or boot CD that I can
use to copy c and all subdirectories to another HDD? Or, alternatively, is
there a procedure that I could use to accomplish the goal?

thanks

 

[Malke]

I'm finally ready to bite the bullet and do an OS reinstall.

I want to copy all of my c: drive files to another drive before I wipe the
drive and reinstall Win XP Pro. However, my c: drive is fat32 and the
destination drive is NTFS. I have tried to back up the drive using a couple
of different backup apps (in Windows) and just copying the folders but
thousands of files are skipped.

Is there a utility that I can run from a boot disk or boot CD that I can
use to copy c and all subdirectories to another HDD? Or, alternatively, is
there a procedure that I could use to accomplish the goal?

I'm not sure why you would want to do this anyway if you're going to do
a clean install. Just back up your data files, favorites and/or
bookmarks, and your email if applicable. Do this by simply copying the
files to the destination drive.


Male

 

[BT]

In theory that should work fine. I try to segregate my data files to a
single
place to make saving them and restoring them as easy a possible.
Nevertheless,
it never fails ... after the wiping the c: drive and reinstalling windows, I
always
find some file that I need.

I just want a copy of the drive to keep for a few weeks, then, if I haven't
needed the files by that time, it gets deleted.

There must be a dos app that can move drives, directories, subdirectories,
files, etc between NTFS and Fat32 drives.

thanks

 

[Don Schmidt]

A good way to backup your Outlook Express files (addresses book with folders
and groups) and the news groups you may have is to use Outlook Express
Backup. It is a free program you can get at:
http://www.oehelp.com/OEBackup/Default.aspx

 

[Malke]

In theory that should work fine. I try to segregate my data files to a
single
place to make saving them and restoring them as easy a possible.
Nevertheless,
it never fails ... after the wiping the c: drive and reinstalling windows, I
always
find some file that I need.

I just want a copy of the drive to keep for a few weeks, then, if I haven't
needed the files by that time, it gets deleted.

Possibly just cloning the drive would work then. Acronis True Image can
do this. You don't normally run into a problem copying files from a
FAT32 partition to an NTFS partition. Cloning the drive would turn it
into FAT32, but since you only want to make sure you have files that is
no big deal. After you are sure you don't want anything from that drive
you can always format it NTFS and use for storage.

You may be having difficulties because you're trying to copy files that
are in use (system files for ex.). Cloning, which is done outside of the
operating system, would take care of that for you.


Malke

 

[DL]

So why start a new thread on a subject you broached two days ago, when you
were also advised to use cloneing software.

 

[BT]

I posted a new thread because I haven't resolved my problem and I'm taking a
different approach. After the initial post, someone suggested the Windows
Backup application which I had never used. I tried it and it backed
everything up into a single file that also looked too small. It might have
been compressed, but I didn't know if I could just get any particular file
without 'recovering' it to its original location. I also looked at the
Acronis True Image page and it says ... "Creates the exact copy of your hard
disk and allows you to instantly restore the entire machine." Again, I
didn't know how it would work on opening a particular file to recover
something therein. It didn't seem worth $50 to experiment with it.

What I'm really looking for now is a boot disk utility that will copy
directories with subdirectories and files from an NTSC drive to a folder on
a FAT32 drive. My 2nd option is to temporarily install an old FAT32 drive
and copy the files with dos. Seems like the best option at the moment.

cheers.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

I'm finally ready to bite the bullet and do an OS reinstall.

Why?


I want to copy all of my c: drive files to another drive before I wipe the

Why? Much (probably most) of what's there will be useless after you do
a clean reinstallation. All you really need and can reuse are your
data files.

drive and reinstall Win XP Pro. However, my c: drive is fat32 and the
destination drive is NTFS.

That's completely irrelevant and doesn't matter at all.

I have tried to back up the drive using a couple
of different backup apps (in Windows)

Which applications?

and just copying the folders but
thousands of files are skipped.

Which files?

Is there a utility that I can run from a boot disk or boot CD that I can
use to copy c and all subdirectories to another HDD? Or, alternatively, is
there a procedure that I could use to accomplish the goal?

There are several, but since you haven't told us what you've tried,
it's hard to recommend one without possibly repeating what you've
already tried. But I, and many others here, like Acronis True Image to
do this.

However, as I said above, doing this is overkill in your case. Just
backup your data files.

 

[Sam Hobbs]

Are you sure that if you copy using DOS you will not lose long filenames?
Perhaps you mean to use a command-line interface of Windows. Also if you use
DOS and/or a FAT32 partition, you will use extended file information. I
might not be using the correct terminology and Windows does not use that
feature a lot but it might be relevant. You will for example lose security
information. I assume you don't have encrypted files.

 

[DL]

Acronis can be bought for less, and yes you can recover a single file