I bought a 120GB Western Digital passport.
My objective is to weekly backup My Documents, another bunch of folders on another internal HD, and maybe if I’m lucky also my Outlook inbox and contacts. I want it to be uni-directional (not sync). Just determine what’s new in the last week and copy it over.
The Autosync software that came with the device is totally incomprehensible and apparently can’t do this.
I downloaded Toucan. Same deal.
Please help!
If you use XP, there’s a free utility available that can do most of what you want (but if you use XP Home you have to install it first form the XP disc): http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx
Although you mention you just want to copy what’s new in the last week - I don’t know if it does that, and I’m on my Linux box now, so cannot look at the settings.
Other than that, the only other products I can think of might be overkill - Ghost, DriveImage, a couple other $50+ products.
On my machine at home, I created a batch file with an xcopy command, referencing a text file that lists the directories to skip.
I’ll have to get back to you on the exact switches used, but the command looked something like this:
xcopy c: z: /D /E /Y /EXCLUDE:exclude_list.txt
C: is the source
Z: is the destination
/D allows for copying of files that already exist on destination, but have been modified on the source
/E traverses subdirectories
/Y suppresses prompts for overwriting files
exclude_list.txt is simply a text file listing the directories on C that you do NOT want to copy. It sounds like you have just a few things you want to copy, so you might be better served by having a batch file with multiple xcopy commands, each having a different directory as the source.
Put the batch file on your desktop and click to run.
You can run xcopy -help for more syntax information - but when I get home tonight I’ll let you know how I have it set up.
It’s quick, dirty, simple and effective in my case.
Download and try Microsoft Synctoy. It may serve your needs. Also, if you need to back up less than two gigabytes, you can use Mozy online backup for free (they charge five bucks a month to back up more than two gigabytes). The advantage of an online solution is that it’s automatic and backed up offsite.
Why not just use the Backup utility that comes with XP (or is this one of those things I get with XP Pro v. Home Edition?)? Go through the Wizard and pick all of your little folders. Save the settings to a bks file. Then go to the Scheduler and set it to run every night at 2a. Works for me…
Edited to add: To save your Outlook stuff, make sure you select “C:\Documents and Settings[YOUR USER NAME]\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook” as one of the folder to back up.
I also recommend SyncToy. Just to be clear, it copies to other folders drives, fixed and removable media. And has many options on how you want to synchronize your two drives/folders/whatever.