Batch file in XP Pro SP2 to backup files...

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rush24t3

2[H]4U
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I have an external hard drive I used for weekly backups, and once files have been copied, I disconnect it. The only thing is, I have to manually copy and paste the files, some of which haven't been changed, so it takes a while sometimes to copy all the data.

I don't want to use Windows' backup tool, nor do I want to install a third-party app. What I'd like to have is a batch file (or whatever the equivalent is under XP) that will copy ONLY the files that have been created or changed, something I would only have to double-click from a shortcut to start. I have several partitions, so I'd need it to copy the files to specific folders on the external drive one after another.

I have no clue about programming or writing scripts and whatnot, so if any gurus here could lend me a hand with this, I'd be grateful.

Thanks!
 
Steel Chicken said:
xcopy /A

for more info, run cmd
type xcopy /?
Click to expand...

Wow, awesome! Thanks a million!!! Even I can figure that one out...

Just one more quesation, though: once I have the line for each partition typed out, how can I make one shortcut that will launch the xcopy?
 
Synchronize it, much better than xcopy as it will only copy update files. Search offline files in help, should have the step-by-steps there. It's also automated...
 
Torquemada XP said:
Wow, awesome! Thanks a million!!! Even I can figure that one out...

Just one more quesation, though: once I have the line for each partition typed out, how can I make one shortcut that will launch the xcopy?
Click to expand...

create a text file in notepad on your desktop

type in all your xcopy commands
then save it with a .bat extension

dbl-click
profit!!!!!
 
Steel Chicken said:
create a text file in notepad on your desktop

type in all your xcopy commands
then save it with a .bat extension

dbl-click
profit!!!!!
Click to expand...

Wow...want some money? You've earned it! ;)

Thanks again.
 
do you want to post your xcopy batch file here? I am to lazy to make my own, i so figure id just edit yours :p :)

t[H]nx
Torquemada XP said:
Wow...want some money? You've earned it! ;)

Thanks again.
Click to expand...
 
chronic9 said:
do you want to post your xcopy batch file here? I am to lazy to make my own, i so figure id just edit yours :p :)

t[H]nx
Click to expand...

Share the wealth, eh? :)

I'll post the lines I used, edit as needed:

XCOPY E:\ M:\(E) PERSONAL /S /I /Y /D
XCOPY F:\ M:\(F) MP3 JAZZ /S /I /Y /D
XCOPY G:\ M:\(G) MP3 OTHER /S /I /Y /D
XCOPY H:\ M:\(H) HTML /S /I /Y /D
XCOPY I:\ M:\(I) PICS /S /I /Y /D
XCOPY J:\ M:\(J) VIDEO /S /I /Y /D
XCOPY K:\ M:\(K) PROJECTS /S /I /Y /D
XCOPY L:\ M:\(L) LOOPS /S /I /Y /D
XCOPY M:\ M:\(M) BACKUP /S /I /Y /D

Works like a dream!
 
Here's mine for comparison. I put it in the root directory of the external drive, and I think I can use tweakUI to auto-run it when I turn the drive on -- I've at least added it to the "What do you want to do?" menu.
Code: 
@echo off
rem *** This script runs a backup to my external hard drive.
rem *** It should be run from the external drive.
echo Backing up essential data (Press Ctrl-C to abort)
echo Backing up My Documents...
xcopy "%UserProfile%\My Documents" "%UserName%\My Documents" /D /E /C /I /Q /K /Y /EXCLUDE:nocpy.txt
  IF ERRORLEVEL 4 GOTO LOWMEM
  IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO ABORT
echo Backing up Firefox profile...
xcopy "%AppData%\Mozilla" "%UserName%\Firefox" /D /E /C /I /Q /K /Y /EXCLUDE:nocpy.txt
  IF ERRORLEVEL 4 GOTO LOWMEM
  IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO ABORT
echo Backing up Thunderbird profile...
xcopy "%AppData%\Thunderbird" "%UserName%\Thunderbird" /D /E /C /I /Q /K /Y /EXCLUDE:nocpy.txt
  IF ERRORLEVEL 4 GOTO LOWMEM
  IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO ABORT
echo Backing up website development...
xcopy "C:\webroot" "%UserName%\Web" /D /E /C /I /Q /K /Y
  IF ERRORLEVEL 4 GOTO LOWMEM
  IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO ABORT
echo Backing up encryption...
xcopy "C:\GnuPG" "%UserName%\GPG" /D /E /C /I /Q /K /Y
  IF ERRORLEVEL 4 GOTO LOWMEM
  IF ERRORLEVEL 2 GOTO ABORT
  IF ERRORLEVEL 0 GOTO SUCCESS
:LOWMEM
ECHO Insufficient memory to copy files or
ECHO invalid drive or command-line syntax.
GOTO EXIT
:ABORT
ECHO You pressed CTRL+C (^C) to end the copy operation.
GOTO EXIT
:SUCCESS
ECHO Backup completed successfully.
GOTO EXIT
:EXIT
PAUSE
Note: nocpy.txt is a file of exceptions to prevent certain files (like browser caches) from copying, since I don't care about those.
 
Syncronize/off-line files ownes all that BS. ;)

Check it out, I gave up xcopy backups a while ago because of it...

edit: did I mention it has it's built in scheduler with time/date, logon/logoff, and on-idle options? ;)
 
bah, people need to learn the hardway and how its really done, so when they move up to the advanced tools, they can troubleshoot/understand more of whats going on better
 
Phoenix86 said:
edit: did I mention it has it's built in scheduler with time/date, logon/logoff, and on-idle options? ;)
Click to expand...
I skipped it figuring that it wouldn't have an on-disk-connect option -- My backup drive gets yanked between backups as electrical protection.

However, if it can be driven by generic events, I'd reevaluate.
 
Steel Chicken said:
bah, people need to learn the hardway and how its really done, so when they move up to the advanced tools, they can troubleshoot/understand more of whats going on better
Click to expand...
By advanced do you mean hundreds of people on a network using this as their primary tool to migrate their my documents to a backed up network share? If so, then I agree. They should learn the advanced way. ;)

Yes, I agree knowing the scriptable/command promtp commands is invaluable too.

lomn75 I think that's all the options, time/data (daily/weekly/every X days), logon/logoff, and on idle (and of course on demand, which may work for you). Goto my computer, tools, synch., setup. See if it'll work for you.
 
Phoenix86 said:
By advanced do you mean hundreds of people on a network using this as their primary tool to migrate their my documents to a backed up network share? If so, then I agree. They should learn the advanced way. ;)

Yes, I agree knowing the scriptable/command promtp commands is invaluable too.

lomn75 I think that's all the options, time/data (daily/weekly/every X days), logon/logoff, and on idle (and of course on demand, which may work for you). Goto my computer, tools, synch., setup. See if it'll work for you.
Click to expand...

well the average *user* in the business world shouldnot even get to the cmd prompt as far as Im concerned, much less mess around with xcopy *shudder*
 
Steel Chicken said:
well the average *user* in the business world shouldnot even get to the cmd prompt as far as Im concerned, much less mess around with xcopy *shudder*
Click to expand...
Dude, you just gave me the heebie jeebies... "user" "xcopy" NO!!!!!!!111!1twenty-eight
 
Hmmm... TweakUI will create an autoplay handler to run the xcopy script for on-connect purposes. Now to see if it'll work with the scheduler (or backup) tool.
 
lomn75 said:
Hmmm... TweakUI will create an autoplay handler to run the xcopy script for on-connect purposes. Now to see if it'll work with the scheduler (or backup) tool.
Click to expand...
:cool:

Hmm, I'll have to look at this, would be nice to insert a USB drive and have it "sync" with a folder.

Let me know if you get it working.
 
Phoenix86 said:
Let me know if you get it working.
Click to expand...
Not seeing how to get a removeable drive to sync, only stuff over network.

Anyway, from that point, you work in TweakUI under My Computer -> Autoplay -> Handlers

Create a new handler. Change the program to whatever will exec the backup utility (for the xcopy method, this is the batch file) Add arguments as/if needed. Select content type (I use "Mixed Content")

Now jack in your removeable drive. Under My Computer, right-click the drive, Properties, Autoplay tab. For all content types, select "Select an action to perform." If the new handler is for this type, pick it; otherwise, pick "no action."

Now your backup utility should autorun on connect. Pretty handy. For a less-automatic version, create the handler but don't force it to execute -- just pick it out of the list of options.
 
if anyone is not getting enough info from the xcopy help, heres a site thats written where even i understood it:

here
 
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