[Discussion] Trouble using xcopy

[msnyder1 at cfl.rr.com]

On 08/03/06 at 08:26 AM, Julian Thomas <jt at jt-mj.net> said:


>Yes, and in addition, if there's a bolt of lightning during the zip file
>update, everything is toast.  My scheme uses 

That's true only if you use one file for everything.  I've done that, but
it's only reliable if you put it somewhere safe.  I copy those files from
the original computer to a network attached storage device that I only
boot when I need to store or extract an archive.  Otherwise, it's pretty
hard for lightening to zap it.  The drive is also relatively easy to carry
with me in case of bad weather, an important factor if you live in
Florida.

The biggest problem that I see with backups is that it takes a very long
time to back up a drive that has a bunch of programs installed on it.  I
also back up a drive that has a bunch of downloaded files on it, so that I
don't have to download them again and don't have to remember what I had. 
I know that programs can be reloaded, but who wants to spend days doing
that when you can spend literally an hour extracting an archive?  Having
had to restore an entire computer, I prefer not to be without such
backups.  Those backups are lengthy.  What I was suggesting was a complete
archive once in a while, and an archive of all files fewer than x days old
every x days, which would not require nearly so much time or space.

I don't understand what your code does.  Aren't you using zip to do what
the original poster wasn't able to do with xcopy?

-- 
_________________________________________________________________________
Regards from the Space Coast.

Mike Snyder
msnyder1 at cfl.rr.com