I wonder if this is possible...
I'm running XP
Every night I back up several files / folders I have on my computer, none of them massive files, mainly things like Microsoft Money file, Works Folder (for things like calendar etc). The files I back up are pretty much a constant and I back them up to a folder in My Documents called Backup which I then backup to a USB Flash Drive. However it's a nuisance having to go around to various parts of my computer to right click and use the Send To feature to back up each of these files (I have a Send To: Backup in that right click dialog box). It only takes a few minutes but I'd like to be able to backup in one go...
What I would like is something like a batch file where I could just run that and it would then automatically run a backup of all of the various files and folders I backup. I would like them sent to the Backup folder on the computer and I could then copy that to the flash drive.
Is this possible? If it is, how do I create one?
Thanks!
It's possible!!! 
I use a batch file and the command line version of 7-zip to make the whole process semi-automatted, the only user interaction I have is to hit the Enter key on the keyboard a couple of times, and to insert a CD-RW to burn a backup. What would take me I suppose up to an hour (maybe longer) to do manually gets done in about three minutes from start to finish for the batch file, plus an extra two minutes to burn a CD-RW backup.
Note that it's wise to recreate the folder structure so it's as simple as copying to C: and selecting Paste to restore files.
What you need to do:
Example, an excerpt from my backup batch file (which happens to be far more complex than what I'm showing):
Learning how to create a batch file to backup any and all files you want makes any and all downloadable backup software obsolete.
I use a batch file and the command line version of 7-zip to make the whole process semi-automatted, the only user interaction I have is to hit the Enter key on the keyboard a couple of times, and to insert a CD-RW to burn a backup. What would take me I suppose up to an hour (maybe longer) to do manually gets done in about three minutes from start to finish for the batch file, plus an extra two minutes to burn a CD-RW backup.
Note that it's wise to recreate the folder structure so it's as simple as copying to C: and selecting Paste to restore files.
What you need to do:
CODE
1. Open a command prompt and type in ("paste in"):
xcopy /? > "%userprofile%\desktop\xcopy usage.txt"
2. Open xcopy usage.txt from the Desktop.
This lists the xcopy help file which will tell you how to copy files and folders to another location.
xcopy /? > "%userprofile%\desktop\xcopy usage.txt"
2. Open xcopy usage.txt from the Desktop.
This lists the xcopy help file which will tell you how to copy files and folders to another location.
Example, an excerpt from my backup batch file (which happens to be far more complex than what I'm showing):
CODE
ECHO [ COPYING ALL USERS PROFILE FILES AND FOLDERS ]
ECHO.
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%AllUsersProfile%\DRM" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\All Users\DRM"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%AllUsersProfile%\Start Menu" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu"
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO [ COPYING MY USER PROFILE NAME USER PROFILE FILES AND FOLDERS ]
ECHO.
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%appdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\My User Profile Name\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%UserProfile%\Desktop" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\My User Profile Name\Desktop"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%UserProfile%\Favorites" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\My User Profile Name\Favorites"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%UserProfile%\My Documents" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\My User Profile Name\My Documents"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%UserProfile%\SendTo" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\My User Profile Name\SendTo"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%UserProfile%\Start Menu" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\My User Profile Name\Start Menu"
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO [ COPYING WINDOWS DIRECTORY FILES AND FOLDERS ]
ECHO.
MD "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\*.bat" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\cdplayer.ini" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\contig*" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\Meta*" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\regjump*" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\socketlock*" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\Tag*" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
MD "D:\My Backups\Windows\icons"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\icons" "D:\My Backups\Windows\icons"
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO [ AVAST ANTI-VIRUS IS NOW SCANNING ALL FILES IN: D:\My Backups ]
ECHO.
"%ProgramFiles%\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashQuick.exe" "D:\My Backups\*"
ECHO.
ECHO.
PAUSE
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO [ CONTIG IS NOW DEFRAGMENTING ALL FILES IN: D:\My Backups ]
contig.exe -s "D:\My Backups"
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO [ 7-ZIP CLI IS NOW AUTOMATICALLY CREATING: D:\My Backups.7z ]
"%ProgramFiles%\7-Zip\7z.exe" a "D:\My Backups.7z" "D:\My Backups"
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO [ CONTIG IS NOW DEFRAGMENTING: D:\My Backups.7z ]
contig.exe "D:\My Backups.7z"
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO [ CREATE A BACKUP DISC WITH IMGBURN ]
"%ProgramFiles%\ImgBurn\ImgBurn.exe"
CLS
EXIT
ECHO.
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%AllUsersProfile%\DRM" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\All Users\DRM"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%AllUsersProfile%\Start Menu" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu"
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO [ COPYING MY USER PROFILE NAME USER PROFILE FILES AND FOLDERS ]
ECHO.
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%appdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\My User Profile Name\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%UserProfile%\Desktop" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\My User Profile Name\Desktop"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%UserProfile%\Favorites" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\My User Profile Name\Favorites"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%UserProfile%\My Documents" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\My User Profile Name\My Documents"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%UserProfile%\SendTo" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\My User Profile Name\SendTo"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%UserProfile%\Start Menu" "D:\My Backups\Documents and Settings\My User Profile Name\Start Menu"
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO [ COPYING WINDOWS DIRECTORY FILES AND FOLDERS ]
ECHO.
MD "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\*.bat" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\cdplayer.ini" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\contig*" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\Meta*" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\regjump*" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\socketlock*" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
XCOPY /I /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\Tag*" "D:\My Backups\Windows"
MD "D:\My Backups\Windows\icons"
XCOPY /I /E /V /R /Y "%WinDir%\icons" "D:\My Backups\Windows\icons"
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO [ AVAST ANTI-VIRUS IS NOW SCANNING ALL FILES IN: D:\My Backups ]
ECHO.
"%ProgramFiles%\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashQuick.exe" "D:\My Backups\*"
ECHO.
ECHO.
PAUSE
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO [ CONTIG IS NOW DEFRAGMENTING ALL FILES IN: D:\My Backups ]
contig.exe -s "D:\My Backups"
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO [ 7-ZIP CLI IS NOW AUTOMATICALLY CREATING: D:\My Backups.7z ]
"%ProgramFiles%\7-Zip\7z.exe" a "D:\My Backups.7z" "D:\My Backups"
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO [ CONTIG IS NOW DEFRAGMENTING: D:\My Backups.7z ]
contig.exe "D:\My Backups.7z"
ECHO.
ECHO --------------------------------------------------------------------------
ECHO.
ECHO [ CREATE A BACKUP DISC WITH IMGBURN ]
"%ProgramFiles%\ImgBurn\ImgBurn.exe"
CLS
EXIT
Learning how to create a batch file to backup any and all files you want makes any and all downloadable backup software obsolete.
Robbie as an alternative to a batch file you could use Karen's Replicator available here
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp
Once you have made your first copies, one click is all you need to backup your selected files.
Easy to use, reliable, and free.
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp
Once you have made your first copies, one click is all you need to backup your selected files.
Easy to use, reliable, and free.
I like Karen's Power Tools and I use Computer Profiler, Countdown Timer II and WhoIs
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