Vista Business Edition backup + file or folder selection ?

[jdr.smith]

Eh ?

Am I missing a trick or two here ?

All I want to do is to backup a folder on my hard disk which is
outside of my profile, ie directly off of the root of C:\

I've kept all my data in this structure for years.

I don't want to back up my entire system, for one thing my external
USB drive isn't big enough to do that. But my data will fit.

However..where on earth do you go to select particular files or
folders ?

I've read the help section and I have a Microsoft Press Windows Vista
manual, but they both appear to be very vague on the subject, more of
a 'just select backup my system and trust us to do the rest' kind of
approach..

How does their backup select targets ?
What if I want to backup from another shared folder on another system
on my LAN ?

Anyone any ideas or experiences of backing up on Windows Vista ?

Jim.

 

[Spirit]

Use this tool (free) :

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

 

[jdr.smith]

Thanks Spirit, I'll check it out..

So basically your advice is to not use Windows Vista backup ..use
something else instead..

That seems to be the main opinion from what I'm beginning to pick up
elsewhere.

When you check out what files aren't backed up in Windows Vista
backup..it actually says 'Program Files' are not backed up !

Does it just mean Microsoft program files ? ie .exe and .com files ?

How about the program files from an accounts or payroll package ? does
it back those up ? how can I tell ?

Jim.

 

[Guest]

Hi Jim

I've been researching myself for a client and it appears that Microsoft in
their wisdom only allow you to backup groups - e.g. Documents - and not
individual files or folders.

From what I have found of Vista so far it seems to be a backwards step from
XP and I certainly won't be recommending it to anyone for the foreseeable
future.

 

[Guest]

Hi Jim

Found 2 possible solutions...

1 - SyncToy
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...54-C975-4814-9649-CCE41AF06EB7&displaylang=en

2 - Install XP's Backup

Fingers crossed.

 

[jdr.smith]

Hey Richie,

Microsoft SyncToy ! Big thumbs up from me !

Just what I was looking for.

Thanks

Jim.

 

[Guest]

Hi Jim

As it also runs under XP I've installed a copy and have to say it works
really well and is what I'll be using from now on. Why on Earth MS don't
promote it or have it as an installation part of Vista beats me though.

 

[jdr.smith]

Perhaps it's hidden in Vista somewhere....

Nothing would surprise me with Vista..

Still tryin hard to love it some months later...

I'm an IT implementer so not looking forward at this stage to the near
future when we can't get XP systems any more..

Still, perhaps we all felt the same when Windows XP came out ?
( uh..nope..not as I recall..)



Jim.