Re: Making backups by just copying files


"BillW50" <BillW50@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:uP05hf1lHHA.2552@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Okay back when Windows 95 was released, you could dualboot to another copy
and copy just the Windows and Program Files folder to make a backup of
your OS and applications. Is the same still true with Windows XP? Maybe
adding the Documents and Settings folder too?

My plan is to use BartPE to copy the files over to a bootable USB hard
drive. This solves any files in use errors when copying files from itself,
right? Or this problem doesn't occur under Windows XP? Just Windows 9x and
ME?

Why not use a backup program you might ask? I hate them, especially if
they do not create a bootable usable copy. This is also handy to test your
backup copy as well. Plus this method is free and I can do this with
anybodys machine. As often I am asked to help others with no tools around.
LOL

Why not clone the HD? Yeah I have Partition Magic, DriveCopy, etc. But I
want to only make a backup of the OS and programs. Not the rest of the
data. Which is copied elsewhere. Another reason is that the backup
partition isn't large enough for the whole partition.

Next problem is changing the external drive to drive C to work proberly.
Since it will be copied from a working drive C. I guess I can always turn
off the laptop's internal HD through the BIOS. I guess that should work.
:)

Any thoughts and ideas about any of this before I start? TIA

--
Bill

I don't know what you mean with "This solves any files in use errors when
copying files from itself, right?" but yes, you can use a Bart PE boot CD
to create a bootable clone of your existing Windows installation, provided
that the target disk was formatted under WinXP.


.

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