Making safety-copies

M

mistifarang

New Member
Hi, I'm a newbie here, using a computer about eight years but (still) not knowing too much about it.

I am making more or less frequently a safety-copie of much used archives onto another HD.

I'm working already with an external HD as I learned once that the crash-risk seems to be less than with a built-in one. Might be I'm wrong.

Anyway, the way I copy the files is a very simple one: "copy - paste" in Windows 7.

Takes a bit of time as I have a hugh lot of photos; the whole HD takes now some 500 GB but that's no problem until......... the electricity-supply fails (Thailand) and the UPS isn't able to continue for some hours and I'm not home.

Until now no problem besides when the copying stops with a certain Windows-message that it isn't possible to copy a certain file because the whole lot stops with clicking "OK" and one has to figure-out what has been copied until that message.

Am I doing wrong/old-fashioned and is it really necessary to start using a special programm for it???

Thanks in advance
 
Windows 7 has a built-in backup facility that you can use to backup your files unattended and on a schedule. If you don't like the Win 7 backup program there are others, I use Acronis True Image.

In addition to backing up your important files often, you should occasionally do a system image backup which is a snapshot of your hdd that will allow you to restore it if needed.
 
The best way is to make your own program which automatiacally backs up all your important data on external HDD every 24 hours.That is what I did so I don't have to worry if I forget to copy something or simply if I am lazy or tired to do it manually lol.Sometimes even simple COPY/PASTE can be too much work if you are tired lol.Or especially if you are not at home,but all of a sudden remember that you forgot to backup something very important.That is why 24 hour automatic backup is the best.

Automatic backup once per 24 hours might seem too often,but I work on few C# projects and change many other data frequently and besides...you never know when HDD in your computer might die.That probably won't happen,but you never know lol.So I don't want to think what I changed and what I did not change and don't wanna risk waiting for my HDD to die.
That is why I made a simple program to do it automatically every 24 hours without me requiring to do a God damn thing ^^

And yes I also have UPS.It is very important to have good UPS when automatic backups are performed once per 24 hours.




Cheers!
 
I doubt the average reader of this forum has the ability to write a backup program that could rival any of the already written backup programs that are available. It might be a fun project for someone with the knowledge to do but for most people it's beyond their ability so it's not really a helpful suggestion.
 
back-up program

I think I better use external software as I don't trust Windows that much because of the following reason: I had several crashes and changed also computer so I had to (re)install the expensive paid genuine 7 various times. Now on the latest computer I'm working still with that programm pf course but they don't want to accept it, either the genuine pasword, anymore as they are afraid that it's fake or that I have (re)sold it in the mean time several times. I tried to enter their foreign sites several times but was re-directed every time to Thailand again, with the language I don't understand and the (English) Thai "service" one has to experience before believing. So I cannot update Windows 7 anymore and I'm glad that it wasn't blocked in the mean time!
 
I can recommend the built in windows 7 backup too. Its very easy to setup and you don't even notice when windows is backing up your data.

but i have to admit that I never had to restore files yet ;)
 
If you don't know any programming then why don't you write a small script in notepad and save it as BAT that will backup ALL the data you need from one location to another?
And then every time when you want to make a backup,all you have to do is to simply double click that BAT file with your mouse and everything is done automatically.
And it works great,it's fast,simple,free and never fails.




Cheers!
 
The problem with a "simple" bat file is that it is too simple and won't take into consideration file dates and such, a simple copy will often choke when the file being copied already exists and the user is then prompted to replace it or not, etc... You may be able to create a batch file that can handle those kinds of situations but then it's no longer simple and, again, beyond the capabilities of many on this forum.
 
strollin said:
The problem with a "simple" bat file is that it is too simple and won't take into consideration file dates and such, a simple copy will often choke when the file being copied already exists and the user is then prompted to replace it or not, etc... You may be able to create a batch file that can handle those kinds of situations but then it's no longer simple and, again, beyond the capabilities of many on this forum.
Click to expand...

There is no problem with BAT file.It is completely possible to handle all those things if you know how and it is not hard at all.And definetely easier than making the same thing in VB,C#,C++ or any other language.
Microsoft Windows OS has many useful files already programmed by Microsoft so you can use them for your purposes and believe me it is a LOT easier than creating your own EXE files,DLL files and all the methods,classes,properties and events in ANY programming language such as C# and C++.
So creating a SIMPLE file in notepad that does this through simple command prompt automatically is easy.If you think it's not easy then try to make the same thing in C# or C++ and THEN you will see what is hard lol.

Mistifarang if you want I can write a simple script for you that will back up all your data you want at any time you want by simply double clicking the file with your mouse.Just give me the SOURCE and DESTINATION locations which you want to back up so I can write the script for you.For example:

From "C:\My data\Music" to "Z:\BACKUP DATA\Music"
From "C:\Program Files\Pictures" to "Z:\BACKUP DATA\Pictures"

The SOURCE and DESTINATION location can be any so just provide me those.




Cheers!
 
S.T.A.R.S. said:
There is no problem with BAT file.It is completely possible to handle all those things if you know how and it is not hard at all.And definetely easier than making the same thing in VB,C#,C++ or any other language.
Microsoft Windows OS has many useful files already programmed by Microsoft so you can use them for your purposes and believe me it is a LOT easier than creating your own EXE files,DLL files and all the methods,classes,properties and events in ANY programming language such as C# and C++.
So creating a SIMPLE file in notepad that does this through simple command prompt automatically is easy.If you think it's not easy then try to make the same thing in C# or C++ and THEN you will see what is hard lol.

Mistifarang if you want I can write a simple script for you that will back up all your data you want at any time you want by simply double clicking the file with your mouse.Just give me the SOURCE and DESTINATION locations which you want to back up so I can write the script for you.For example:

From "C:\My data\Music" to "Z:\BACKUP DATA\Music"
From "C:\Program Files\Pictures" to "Z:\BACKUP DATA\Pictures"

The SOURCE and DESTINATION location can be any so just provide me those.




Cheers!
Click to expand...
OK, I give up. It's extremely easy and everyone should be able to do it. ;)

I wonder why there are so many backup programs?
 
strollin said:
OK, I give up. It's extremely easy and everyone should be able to do it. ;)

I wonder why there are so many backup programs?
Click to expand...

LoL everything is easy if you know how to do it :P
There are many backup programs so people who made them earn money lol.It's as simple as that :P
BACKUP is a simple backup lol.You do not need to spend so much money on programs which do the same thing lol.Personally I would rather learn how to make what I need so I can have everything for free rather than paying so much money every time :P
I know people who spend so much money on programs which make their computers run fast lol.But if they use their computers improperly then no programs will help them there lol.

I am just saying lol...backup is so damn simple procedure.Why spend so much money on programs which do the same thing lol...:D
But hey if people wanna spend their money on that then go ahead lol.I won't spend a single dollar :D




Cheers!
 
yes, indeed, Microsoft's updating is very easy I see now! But, it takes I estimate the same time as "copy/paste".

Can somebody, however, recommend me any software concerning this??

Thanks
 
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