Compooter Question

[minskey]

I have an external hardrive and want to back my desktop computer up to it. I just cannot find any 'simple' instructions on how to do this.

I'm not a novice but I'm a long way from being an expert

Desktop is Windows XP with a 120GB hard drive. The external drive is 160GB.

Can anyone help

[piskieinboots]

I use an external HD for back-up, all I do is drag 'n drop from main HD to external HD, then go off and make a cup of tea whilst they are flying over

[zazen999]

Isn't there a program called 'backup' on Microsoft OSs? You specify where you want the backup going to and press 'run'. IIRC.

[HotStuff]

Like Piskie says, if you just want to backup you data, be it documents, spreadsheets, music, pictures, video, etc. then you can just drag & drop the relevant files, or even better, folders.

A lot of external HD's come with some kind of backup software. Did yours come with a CD? It might be worth checking that out as it may allow you to setup which folders you want backed up so that each time you want to backup all you have to do is push a button.

[TEB]

Isn't there a program called 'backup' on Microsoft OSs? You specify where you want the backup going to and press 'run'. IIRC.

Yes it's located under system tools in accessories, but that will create a file with a *.bkf extension and you will need to use backup to restore any files from it. There are a lot of tools out there, the main one I use on standalone computers is one from Microsoft called synctoy, this synchronises between 2 (or more) locations, without compression and without sticking it all in one great big file. Download details: SyncToy 2.1

[Bigmallly]

Hope this helps minskey.

Windows XP: Back up your files

[PAULW]

With anything I want to put on my external HD I just highlight the folder, right click and then click on send copy to J or what ever you external HD is called.

[andyh]

just a quick note regarding external hard drive, I had a 1tb external drive which had absolutely loads off stuff like photos,recipes,games etc, and last week it packed up on me, the controller had, had it. I took it around to a friend who owns a computer shop and there was nothing he could do to save the data, so I lost everything.
So how many times do you need to back up your back ups? I wish now I had but you dont expect your external hard drive to break.

[piskieinboots]

So how many times do you need to back up your back ups? I wish now I had but you dont expect your external hard drive to break.

Presumably you still have the stuff on your main HD as you were using the external HD as back-up?

I, personally, only have stuff on my main HD then backed up to the exernal HD - if they both go t!ts up then I'm off to either:
a) the pub
b) the lottie
c) both

[HotStuff]

You should always have atleast 2 copies of any data you care about, preferably 3 with one of them off site. So for example, a working copy of your data on your lappy, a backup copy on an external HD and another backup at one of the many on-line services available.

[Madasafish]

I back up to MozyHome.. free.
https://mozy.com/?mcr=1&ref=0811cfe9...FVArDgodF2RwGA

Automatic . Everynight.

I have restored from it when a disk crashed.. Slow - overnight but it works.

I now have three HDs - all internal and use..Acronis True Image to copy my Windows System to my spare drive for backup.

I also copy key spreadsheets to a USB,,,

[SueA]

The only things I save on my external hard drive are photos. I usually right click on 'Start' then click 'Explore' scan down the list to 'Pictures' & click to open then click on the file I want to transfer & drag it over to '...hard drive' & it copies. There's probably a simpler/quicker way to do this but that's the way I've found & I'm a complete computer dummy so I'm sticking to it!

[piskieinboots]

... There's probably a simpler/quicker way to do this but that's the way I've found & I'm a complete computer dummy so I'm sticking to it!

That sounds mighty fine and quick enough to me

[kentvegplot]

I set up my backup using Robocopy - it knows which files already exist on the backup drive and only copies the new or modified ones. (uses a command line script, appeals to the geek in me)

I would have thought that, as long as the external drive simply looks like another drive letter, you can just drag and drop what you need to backup.