# Looking for software that... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 12, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327 "2012-01-12T19:08:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/1 "2012-01-12T19:08:47Z")
A friend of mine wants to back up 8 years worth of documents and files from his work computer, but filter out all pictures and videos. Is there a utility out there that would help with this? There are thousands of files in there, and going by hand would take far too long. I’m guessing something that asks, “copy all files except the following filetypes:” would be perfect. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/2 "2012-01-12T19:13:17Z")
You can set up a Mozy account and select which folders to backup. They also may let you specify filetypes. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/3 "2012-01-12T19:43:30Z")
He’s just going to get an external harddrive to do this, as I’m not sure he has admin rights to his computer. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/4 "2012-01-12T19:44:18Z")
If he just wants to back up the computer to a local external drive, many backup programs will let you set up filters. I use Acronis True Image, but there are many programs that allow you to back up a system. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/5 "2012-01-12T20:16:39Z")
It’s documents on a networked drive, if that matters at all. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/6 "2012-01-12T20:38:12Z")
If the documents are already on a network drive, aren’t they already being backed up by the IT department? ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/7 "2012-01-12T20:48:13Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > A friend of mine wants to back up 8 years worth of documents and files from his work computer, but filter out all pictures and videos. Is there a utility out there that would help with this? There are thousands of files in there, and going by hand would take far too long. I’m guessing something that asks, “copy all files except the following filetypes:” would be perfect. Windows has an xcopy command that has switches to let you recurse through subdirectories, and excludes whatever extensions you list in a file. Just open a command processor window from the start menu, and type xcopy /? for details. You want the /s and /exclude switches. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/8 "2012-01-12T20:51:14Z")
Is this a one-time backup, or does he plan on running regular backups? ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/9 "2012-01-12T20:56:49Z")
You’ve been able to do this since “XCOPY” for DOS. Just open a DOS box (Start - Run - CMD) and type the command XCOPY /? for the list of options. For example, this would exclude pictures and movies, create file NOTTHIS.TXT and put in a string on each line, .JPG .MOV .MPG etc. > [@](#): > > /EXCLUDE:file1[+file2][+file3]… > Specifies a list of files containing strings. Each string > should be in a separate line in the files. When any of the > strings match any part of the absolute path of the file to be > copied, that file will be excluded from being copied. For > example, specifying a string like \obj\ or .obj will exclude > all files underneath the directory obj or all files with the > .obj extension respectively. So a command like XCOPY D:\*.\* E:\ /S /Y /C /EXCLUDE:C: otthis.txt copies … everything on D to E, including subdirectories, does not prompt for “yes” or “no”, carries on if errors (optional), and excludes any filetype listed in C: otthis.txt and this has been around since the 80’s. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/10 "2012-01-12T21:01:12Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > If the documents are already on a network drive, aren’t they already being backed up by the IT department? Not for working from home. > [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](#): > > Is this a one-time backup, or does he plan on running regular backups? Extremely rarely, I think. md2000, I’ll forward that on to him. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/11 "2012-01-12T21:08:31Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > > > If the documents are already on a network drive, aren’t they already being backed up by the IT department? > > Not for working from home. I don’t understand how that statement (“Not for working from home”) agrees with this statement (“documents on a networked drive”). Either the files are or are not on a networked drive (presumably some sort of RAID array on a server that is, presumably, backed up on a regular basis and, presumably, that backup process has been tested as valid). > [@Munch](#): > > It’s documents on a networked drive, if that matters at all. ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/12 "2012-01-12T21:10:33Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I don’t understand how that statement (“Not for working from home”) agrees with this statement (“documents on a networked drive”). Either the files are or are not on a networked drive (presumably some sort of RAID array on a server that is, presumably, backed up on a regular basis and, presumably, that backup process has been tested as valid). I think the OP meant that the guy wants to copy the files for his own use, not back them up for recovery. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/13 "2012-01-12T21:22:11Z")
Wait, does the friend want to copy thousands of files from the company server and take them home? If so, I recommend that he have a conversation with his company management about this. They may not want to have their files taken offsite. And even if the company is cool with it, then he can run into issues with maintaining version control. (That is, what happens when there are different versions of files at his home and on the company server?) ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/14 "2012-01-12T21:31:20Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Wait, does the friend want to copy thousands of files from the company server and take them home? > > If so, I recommend that he have a conversation with his company management about this. They may not want to have their files taken offsite. And even if the company is cool with it, then he can run into issues with maintaining version control. (That is, what happens when there are different versions of files at his home and on the company server?) Aside from data security and version control problems **Dewey Finn** mentions, depending on the company’s line of business and the locations they do business with, he could be putting his employer out of compliance with any number of data privacy and breach laws, or customer contracts if the files have any information on third parties. If he needs to work from home, he should look into getting set up with a VPN connection. Aside from ensuring that he can access all his data, he should be able to access other corporate resources as well. I’d be surprised if his employer doesn’t have VPN, since they require data to be saved on a network server. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/15 "2012-01-12T21:35:23Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I don’t understand how that statement (“Not for working from home”) agrees with this statement (“documents on a networked drive”). Either the files are or are not on a networked drive (presumably some sort of RAID array on a server that is, presumably, backed up on a regular basis and, presumably, that backup process has been tested as valid). At work, the documents are on the I: drive - which is part of the intraoffice network. When he goes home, he no longer has access to the intraoffice network and the I: drive. Hope that clears it up. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/16 "2012-01-12T21:45:11Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > At work, the documents are on the I: drive - which is part of the intraoffice network. When he goes home, he no longer has access to the intraoffice network and the I: drive. Hope that clears it up. That’s what a VPN is for. He should have a talk with the company’s IT people about how to set that up. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/17 "2012-01-12T21:46:41Z")
Yikes. I’ll let him know what the concerns are. I highly doubt they utilize a document manager to deal with version control and such, but there’s a very good chance he has no idea what any of the policies are. Thanks all. ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/18 "2012-01-13T05:14:05Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > A friend of mine wants to back up 8 years worth of documents and files from his work computer, but filter out all pictures and videos. Is there a utility out there that would help with this? There are thousands of files in there, and going by hand would take far too long. I’m guessing something that asks, “copy all files except the following filetypes:” would be perfect. The best option I can think of (and highly recommend) is Acronis True Image at [www.acronis.com](http://www.acronis.com) . You can choose to exclude specific file extensions (e.g. .jpg, .mpg, ,mov, etc) when you create a backup. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-software-that/609327/19 "2012-01-13T06:01:31Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > A friend of mine wants to back up 8 years worth of documents and files from his work computer, but filter out all pictures and videos. Is there a utility out there that would help with this? There are thousands of files in there, and going by hand would take far too long. I’m guessing something that asks, “copy all files except the following filetypes:” would be perfect. Is that you, Bradley Manning? :eek: