A Backup question..... (Safest way for a non tech-person?)

[DroogieX]

Hi, I was reading some topics here about backup methods, I'm not a really tech people but I can understand with a little more info, ok, I want to know which is the safest way to backup my music collection, I have now a 250GB HD (Western Digital) that I almost filled (mp3's), I just have 5GB left and I want to backup all of that to another new hard drive, I use a laptop and my HD with music is in an external USB 2.0 enclousure, I want to backup to another external USB 2.0 HD, same as the one I have, so far when I move files from my laptop to my HD I just use the windows explorer and "Ctrl+C" the folder I want to move and after it gets copied I check if the file size is the same to "make sure" it was copied ok, if so then I delete the one on my laptop, but, I don't know if that's a secure method for backing up files, someone here mentioned "SyncToy" as a good way to backup but I don't know if I should need to sync folders, does that means that I have to have both HD's connected always in order for it to work?, 'cause I rather want to back up and store in a safe place one of the HD's, I'd like an utility that can check also for the integrity of the files as they are copied, so far I haven't had any corrupted files while "backing up" the way I do but now that I want to backup a whole HD of 250GB I want to do it in the safest way.....

Any comments apprecieated

Thanks

 

[dglienna]

Check out XCOPY. It may be useful

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\>xcopy /?
Copies files and directory trees.

XCOPY source [destination] [/A | /M] [/D[:date]] [/P] [/S [/E]] [/V] [/W]
[/C] [/I] [/Q] [/F] [/L] [/G] [/H] [/R] [/T] [/U]
[/K] [/N] [/O] [/X] [/Y] [/-Y] [/Z]
[/EXCLUDE:file1[+file2][+file3]...]

source Specifies the file(s) to copy.
destination Specifies the location and/or name of new files.
/A Copies only files with the archive attribute set,
doesn't change the attribute.
/M Copies only files with the archive attribute set,
turns off the archive attribute.
/D:m-d-y Copies files changed on or after the specified date.
If no date is given, copies only those files whose
source time is newer than the destination time.
/EXCLUDE:file1[+file2][+file3]...
Specifies a list of files containing strings. Each string
should be in a separate line in the files. When any of the
strings match any part of the absolute path of the file to be
copied, that file will be excluded from being copied. For
example, specifying a string like \obj\ or .obj will exclude
all files underneath the directory obj or all files with the
.obj extension respectively.
/P Prompts you before creating each destination file.
/S Copies directories and subdirectories except empty ones.
/E Copies directories and subdirectories, including empty ones.
Same as /S /E. May be used to modify /T.
/V Verifies each new file.
/W Prompts you to press a key before copying.
/C Continues copying even if errors occur.
/I If destination does not exist and copying more than one file,
assumes that destination must be a directory.
/Q Does not display file names while copying.
/F Displays full source and destination file names while copying.
/L Displays files that would be copied.
/G Allows the copying of encrypted files to destination that does
not support encryption.
/H Copies hidden and system files also.
/R Overwrites read-only files.
/T Creates directory structure, but does not copy files. Does not
include empty directories or subdirectories. /T /E includes
empty directories and subdirectories.
/U Copies only files that already exist in destination.
/K Copies attributes. Normal Xcopy will reset read-only attributes.
/N Copies using the generated short names.
/O Copies file ownership and ACL information.
/X Copies file audit settings (implies /O).
/Y Suppresses prompting to confirm you want to overwrite an
existing destination file.
/-Y Causes prompting to confirm you want to overwrite an
existing destination file.
/Z Copies networked files in restartable mode.

The switch /Y may be preset in the COPYCMD environment variable.
This may be overridden with /-Y on the command line.

-David
2006 Microsoft Valueable Professional (MVP)
2006 Dell Certified System Professional (CSP)

 

[Freestone]

Or even better, xxcopy

http://www.xxcopy.com/index.htm