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Number : 119 Date : 2001-05-31 Author : Kan Yabumoto Subject : Re: A Number of questions !! Size(KB) : 5
Dear Burris: While a /CLONE operation of the whole drive is the most straightforward way, a partial (selective) cloning of a drive is also quite useful and XXCOPY can help you create a batch script to fit most situations. In theory, if you look at the directory structure of the source drive and choose the directory based on the name (and the role the directory plays in the system), it is doable. At least, you may exclude common directories which store temporary files such as Internet browser's cached files to save the backup storage space and backup time. But, to select the directory and files based on the application, things are not as straightforward as one can wish. When you perform selective cloning, you should know the role of each directory and its files before deciding whether or not you want to include it in the selective cloning. The surest way I suggest is to do a trial and error approach to find what is exactly needed. For example, when you first clone C: to D: then leave D: alone while you delete one directory at a time (and when you find problems, you can always undo by copying the deleted directory from the D: drive. A short answer is that you should copy all the files in the root directory (only a few are actually needed for booting), and the whole C:\Windows directory (again, only a fraction is really needed for rebooting and normal operation). These two directories are the most important. The rest is only optional for a minimum system restore. But, the following directories contains reasonably important files: C:\Program Files\ C:\My Documents\ Inside \Program Files\, you will find application specific entries such as c:\program files\napster\. But, it is extremely difficult to determine exactly where are the application programs because most applications allow you a freedom on where to install. Similarly, user-files created by applications can be really anywhere in your system. This makes it extremely difficult to cleanly backup a complete set of files which are related to a particular application. It takes a lot of experience and analytical mind to learn how a given application creates and manages its files. Usually, a directory inside \program files\ is a good place to locate all the relevant files for an application (but many applications create a .INI file inside the \windows\ directory). Some badly behaving applications create an entry in the root directory. So, it is not easy to perform a selective backup as you asked. But, let me clarify one point which the wording in your question implies a misunderstanding. Since the system registry is kept as a set of files (SYSTEM.DAT, USER.DAT, etc.) which are found in \Windows\ directory, you will not get any registry-related problem by not copying certain directories when you clone a disk partially. In other words, the absence of a directory would not "corrupt" the contents of the system registry. As to the drivers, usually most drivers are store inside the \Windows\ directory (or, more often, in \windows\system\). But, a few VxD files (a special virtual driver) are kept in \windows\system\iosubsys\. So, if you backup the whole \Windows\ directory, it is usually safe. However, in some cases, driver (usually a DLL) is kept in the application program's directory which as I pointed out could be anywhere. But, almost all very critical drivers are kept in \Windows directory. Since in almost all cases, the location of a driver file is maintained in the system registry, you should keep (and restore) driver files in the same directory as it was found in the first place. Sorry to give you confusing answer. But, the sad truth is there is no simple common method which can work on any machine for a partial backup. Kan Yabumoto ====================================================================== At 2001-05-30 17:24, Burris Millstone wrote: >This was originally sent to Ken Yabumoto, and he asked me to post >it in this group. Your freeware program is great...thank you. I have >been using it for a while now. >The task I am attempting now is to install my existing HDD from this >machine into a new one as a second HDD. I have been using xxcopy/clone >to mirror this drive as a backup. >When I install it in my new machine..both 98SE..I would like to >selectively copy certain programs to the new drive, which comes from >the >factory with 98SE installed. >Clone is easy as it mirrors everything without having to re-register >and >re-install programs. >If the selective process does not do the same thing, perhaps I should >clean out what I don't want and xxcopy it to my new drive. >By doing this, I suppose the copy will also change the registry...will >it alter the drivers and files that were designed for the new PC or is >there a way to copy without deleting those drivers, etc? What happens >to >the registry on the new machine when I copy the old files? >Will it override the new necessary drivers and DLLs? > >thanks again....burris millstone =======================================================================
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