This is what I want to do. I'm using Win XP Professional. I have a
External HD F: I use to backup files from my drive c:. I want to click
and drag folders from my drive C: to my external HD F: without
recopying all the files that haven't changed, a incremental copy of
only new or changed files. I know there are backup programs that will
do this, but I don't want to compress or change the files in any way.
Just copy only new or changed. I have hundreds of large files in these
folders. Can XP do this, or is there some utility program you know of
I can get?

Hello Starman,

Thanks for your question.

I would think the absolutely simplest way to accomplish this would be
to go to the Start Menu / Search / All Files or Folders and select
either a desired date range or, by selecting "Specify Dates" you will
automatically select today.

If you have modified files selected and show hidden and system files
as well, then any file created or modified in your date range will be
selected in your search. Run the search and all files will appear in
the right pane.

Now, click the folders icon in the search utility toolbar and you will
have a directory tree of your system. You can then select all files,
right click and drag these files to copy them to your backup folders.
Release the mouse button and choose "copy here".

If you are satisified with the format of this search finding the files
you desire, click "File Menu", "Save Search" and save this as an icon
on your desktop. Name it as you wish. Now, clicking this icon will run
this search automatically for you and select all files created or
modified daily.

I trust this will serve your need. Is anything is at all unclear,
please do ask for clarification.

Regards,

-=clouseau=-

---

Request for Answer Clarification by starman-ga on 01 Nov 2002 17:25 PST

Hello clouseau

I was hoping for a easier solution to the task. It seems it would
still be easier to drag my folder over and sit and wait like I've been
doing. Any other ideas.

---

Clarification of Answer by clouseau-ga on 01 Nov 2002 18:33 PST

Hello again starman,

The advantage of this solution is that it creates an icon that will
have all the settings necessary to click and find all new files
created or modified on any given day. Frankly, it seems like a very
simple solution to me and I am a bit surprised that you do not feel it
will meet your needs. YOu might want to try to set this up and test
it. After the initial setup, it becomes a very simple process to
repeat daily.

The only other solution I was able to find follows:

When the same question was asked at the Experts Exchange at
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Operating_Systems/WinNT/Q_20132002.html
a user noted:


good old Xcopy (available since MS-DOS 3.0) 

xcopy \SourceDir\*.* \DestDir /S /A /D:m-d-y

/S -- process sub-dirs too
/A -- process files with the archive bit st (as all changed files will
have)
/D -- process files dated on or after the supplied date

XCOPY /? for full syntax details

If you do this every week then you only need the /A switch for xcopy
to locate any files changed since the lst time.

Another user notes in this discussion:

Or simply use the xcopy command with the /m parameter. This checks for
the archive attribute and if it is set it copies it and clears the
attribute. Every time a file is written, whether it is a new or
changed file, the archive attribute is set, so this is IMHO the best
and most thorough method.

Perhaps this alternative will be more to your liking, though
personally, I find the first method to be both simple and elegant.

Do ask for clarification again if needed. and please note that this is
not in any way a problem, but the researcher team would greatly
appreciate if you would ask for clarification before rating our
answers. Often we can do a bit more research and meet your needs.

Best regards,

-=clouseau=-

I guess this would work but there must be a simpler way.

The proposed solution is good but not fully satisfactory. I have the
same problem and I can't find an easy solution to solve.

The proposed solution works but is tedious and requires some manual
monitoring. Plus, this solution will not actually keep the two file
systems in sync. Files deleted for instance will remain on the backup.

The ideal solution would be something like the Briefcase feature, but
unfortunately, and I wonder why, it only workd on network file
systems.

aboubly

The best solution I have found for this is the xxcopy utility
(xxcopy.com).
It has a nice /clone command which does exactly what you need.  

A simple one line batch file like 'xxcopy "c:\my_files\" "f:\backup"
/clone' is all that's needed.

Then, schedule the batch file using XP's scheduled tasks program found
under accessories->system tools -- this should do the trick for you.

Free trial and then it costs a few bucks, but I think it's well worth
it.  I didn't have as much luck with the older versions of robocopy ..
but maybe the newer ones do it nicely?

If you're cheap, it's probably not too hard to make a complicated
batch file piping stuff into the standard xcopy command, or writing
your own perl script or something, but I think xxcopy is great.

Disclaimer, I don't work for them, just satisfied w/their product.

It sounds to me like you want WinSin or something like it.  It is a
directory synchronization program that works off file mod dates.  It
gives you a window for the target drive and a window for the source,
searches the source for what's changed and asks (in essence):"Shall I
copy the files for you now?"

It can be found here:  http://www.grigsoft.com/winsin.htm
Yes, I use it, No I'm not affiliated with the company in any respect.

Bob

Hi,
   Windows comes with command called xcopy which will solve your
backup problem.
The xcopy with /d option will just copy the changed and new files and
won't compress it.
Create a batch file as given below and run it. 
1. In a note pad copy the below one line and save it with bat
extension, say  copy1.bat

xcopy d:\personal\race e:\race /s/e/d

To run the program from the start menu --> select run --> Give
filename(copy1.bat) with full path and press OK.

details of the line
xcopy-- command 
d:\personal\race\docs-- your source disk and directory to be copied.
Change it according to your need. Give only the drive directory names.

e:\race -- Your destination drive and directory. Change it to your
need.
If you have more directories to be copied add one line for each
direcories to be copied

Option /s-- Include all subdirectories for copy

Option /e-- Include even empty directory.

Option /d-- compare the date of files in destination directory andcopy
files only changed or new to the destination directory.

xcopy has other options also. To see the full option please see the
xcopy command from the windows help.

I tested above with windows NT and sure that it will work with XP also
as it is the standard command of windows.

Please Try and let me know the results.

Thanks,
RAC

starman, why don't you look into Computer Associates BrightStor
product line?  I believe there is an XP client you can download to
try.  Veritas is another big name in the backup arena but I haven't
seen an "XP" product yet.  Good luck.

aboubly
You might want to take a look at the comment neumann sent me, I found
that it works real good. http://www.grigsoft.com/winsin.htm

Starman

Starman,

You may want to look at rsync.  It's efficient, it's well-known, and
it's free under the GPL.  Used correctly, this utility will do exactly
what you want.

Without knowing your level of computer experience, I will state that
this utility has its roots in the UNIX operating systems.  For
reference, its home site can be found at: http://rsync.samba.org

There'a a set of UNIX utilities that have been ported to the Win32
environment maintained by a compay called Cygnus (now part of Redhat),
the windows port is called "Cygwin" and its main page can be found at:
http://cygwin.com

Click the "Install Cygwin now" link, and a familiar Windows-like
internet installer will pop up.  Go with the defaults, and when the
package selection comes up, expand the "Net" group and click on rsync
to tell it to install.  You now have a fairly minimal install.  Choose
a download site (you may need to try more than one), then sit back
while the download/install runs its course.

In the UNIX environment, rsync is one of the best (if not *the* best)
sync utility.  It's designed to run over a network, but I've used it
to sync up local filesystem.  From what I've seen in the Deja
archives, people are using the win32 port fairly successfully under
NT.

Keep in mind that it will not copy files over 2GB in size (unless this
deficiency has been fixed recently).

If you're uneasy in the command-line environment, you might have
trouble with this method.  But you should give the following article a
look-see before you discount using rsync:
http://www.linuxworld.com/site-stories/2002/0108.rsync.html

In theory, you should only need to run something very similar to:
"rsync c:\foo f:\" to sync the folder "foo" to your F drive.  Some
tweaking may apply.

Then again, while much more versatile than xcopy, rsync may not be
worth the learning curve over xcopy.  It never hurts to have another
option, though.

Hi people

While I'm reading the thread, was thinking about post a comment. Was clearly for
me that starman need a utility that does the job semiautomatically¹ allowing him
to supervise the process. But then, I found that neumann anticipates me. Don't
know WinSin, but for in the case it don't accomplish all your necessities, I
will tell you about an alternative. It's Araxis Merge.

This is a program that allow you to compare up to three files or folders in
search for differences, allowing you to merge content in any direction. The
comparison of folders can be setup to be a fast file timestamps and sizes, but
potentially inaccurate or a thorough byte-by-byte that catch up even a bad
copied file with a single byte different. The program is in v6.0 and very
professional look.

I use it for check my backups on CDs and has saved my ass in a couple of times
with CDRWs that where in need of a full erase.


http://www.araxis.com/
Araxis web site

http://www.araxis.com/merge/download.html
Download page. They ask you for your mail.

http://www.araxis.com/merge/download2.html
For in the case you don't want to give your email. :o)

http://www.araxis.co.uk/servlet/ProductUpdates
The standard download page directs you to the last stable release. If you want
the last of the last or any other, you need to go to 'Product Downloads and
Updates' and use the guests button. This grants you access to the full catalog
of versions that they have to tryout.

Bla, bla, bla ... ²


Regards




1.- I want mean with this that the program needs your help. Basically you open the
program. It defaults to file comparison, so open a folder comparison. If
needed three folder comparison you have a button toolbar to select it, and
sub-folders can be disabled in the options menu. Give it the paths. Start compare
and when finished you can see highlighted the differences. At his point, you can
select one or more differences and right click to open a file comparison and
see why the two files aren't equal. Now if you want to merge contents without
having to copy all the files 'Just copy only new or changed' then select all that
you want with Ctrl+click and press the toolbar button in the adequate direction,
left to right or vice versa. It will ask you for confirmation giving you dates of
the files but not inform about overwritten newer files with older files, so be
careful choosing the appropriate button. And that's all.

2.- Fill up with what you think about my linking with araxis :oD

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