Only the files I want to back up

[mike_XP_Vista]

I finally got vista backup working to my external drive, but only want to
back up certain files. Is there a way to do this? The backup files option
lets you choose things like Music, Video, Documents, etc. but that's not
selective enough. For example, a sound editing program I have has about 1000
loop files as WAVs that I don't need backed up, but Vista Backup sees them as
music so scans that folder everytime,and that slows things down. I'd like to
skip that folder (several other similar things I would like to skip). Is
there a way to tell it what folders on C: to back up?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Zip the files, or drag then to a %TEMP% subfolder ('additional' category)
during the backup. Uncheck that category on the backup settings.

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[mike_XP_Vista]

ok, but since the category i would uncheck is "Music" (they are WAV files),
then all music files don't get backed up anymore. In the example I gave, the
loops are an integral part of the sound editing software so I wouldn't want
to move them evrytime I do a backup.

I just wonder if Backup has the ability to see a list of folders on the
drive, which you can check or uncheck, or am I just limited to major
categories?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Yes, you don't have that option in the GUI for backup. NTBackUp from XP will
run on Vista, and has an extensive command line syntax.
--
Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales/help/help_en-us.htm
Use the "Ratings" feature. It helps the new users.
Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson

 

[Ringmaster]

ok, but since the category i would uncheck is "Music" (they are WAV files),
then all music files don't get backed up anymore. In the example I gave, the
loops are an integral part of the sound editing software so I wouldn't want
to move them evrytime I do a backup.

I just wonder if Backup has the ability to see a list of folders on the
drive, which you can check or uncheck, or am I just limited to major
categories?

If you want to customize your backup procedures, you would be better
off with some third party software. I've used Bounce Back for years
and it can be set up to do what you want. You decide WHICH folders to
back up or not and when. One nice feature missing from many backup
methods is Bounce Back can generate a list of files already "backed
up" where you have deleted the original files and offer to remove the
no longer need backups from the archive. This way your backup is
always a mirror images of your actual files and doesn't grow into a
cluttered mass of junk including backups of original files you long
since deleted which otherwise often happens over time with some other
backup methods.

 

[oscar]

Google "Acronis True Image". It's more flexible and relatively easy to use.
It's worth the extra bucks.