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Number   :  4641
Date     :  2003-05-25
Author   :  Garry Deane
Subject  :  Re: Backing up Main Drive to Slave Drive?
Size(KB) :  4


--- In xxcopy@yahoogroups.com, "pat1ck"  wrote:
> I know, you all probably think, this question has been
> asked and answered. YES, but let me ask this question,
> please. I, personally, have been backing up my existing
> Main Drice C:\ to my Slave Drice E:\ using the following
> command line.
> Xcopy C:\ E:\ /r/i/c/h/k/e/y/d
> Then I found XXcopy.
> I am still trying to find the best way of doing what I
> did in xcopy. I am getting very confused, when having run
> the above command line in a batch file I found on one of
> the XXcopy sites. As follows.
> @Echo off
> XXcopy C:\ E:\ /r/i/c/h/k/e/y/d/onC:\My.Log
> if not errorlevel 1 goto :eof
> if errorlevel 100 if not errorlevel 101 goto :eof
> echo An error occoured backing up the C:\drive
> echo Opening C:\My.Log for review
> start notepad c:\my.log
> pause
> :eof
> cls
> 
> The above batch file works a treat. The confusion starts
> when you examin the LOG enteries. Wher you had entered the
> switches, /r/i/c/h/k/e/y/d you now have a totally different
> array of switches to view.

Yes this parameter list is somewhat overwhelming and is really a de-
bugging tool. As Kan has noted previously, even when you don't 
specify a switch to Xxcopy, many switches are still being used but 
with their default values. The log displays all the parameters that 
are in effect including the default values. For the most part, you 
can simply ignore that part of the output.

> I think that XXcopy is a fantastic addition to anyone's
> Tools. The amount of information is simply overwhelminh,
> and takes just a little time to assimilate. That is why I
> am still using the switch array as above.

Yes good approach especially if you have xcopy commands that work for 
you. Xxcopy is totally compatible with xcopy so you will be safe 
using those switches. The few differences in behaviour are covered in 
http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy02.htm but none of those differences will 
cause you any grief.

> 1: Is there an easy way of Isolating and comparing the Switch
> array so that, one for one camparison can be done.

Yes, in a DOS window, type your command followed by /? as below. In 
DOS/W9x/ME you may want to add "|more" if the list scrolls off the 
screen.

Xxcopy C:\ E:\ /r/i/c/h/k/e/y/d/onC:\My.Log/?|more

This will list the relevant parameters in an "in-context" list with 
the selected parameter marked with an [X]. Use the /parameter/? one 
at a time for a shorter list so you can compare each parameter one at 
a time with xcopy's parameters. You can also use /L to get a list of 
the files that will be copied without any action being taken.

> 2> Blind faith, before total assimilation of textural
> information.

No, not a great idea with such a powerful tool but you can ease the 
learning curve by using /? and /L and NOT using /clone or any of the 
file removal switches (/rs /rd /zy) until you are more comfortable 
with them and have tested them thoroughly.

> Any advice will be warmly welcomed.

I'd suggest that you use /BU/BN/onC:\My.Log to achieve the same 
result as your existing switches (/BU/D has the same effect). This 
does an incremental backup of newer or brand new files. If you omit 
the /BN (or /D), it will backup any changed files (i.e. it will 
overwrite a newer file with an older version). Old files which are in 
the destination but that no longer exist in the source are left alone.

I'd also consider using an exclusion file so that you don't copy 
files that don't need to be copied such as win386.swp, *.tmp, 
*\temp\, *\cache\, etc. See http://www.xxcopy.com/xxcopy05.htm.

> PS. I don't want to lose any additional Dir in the Slkave
> drive, which were placed ther on purpose.
> eg. Downloaded programs held in E:\Tools
> This Dir does not exist in C:\

It's probably a good idea to set up a separate directory for your 
backups e.g. rather than using E:\ use E:\Backup\. That way, if you 
get a bit more adventurous and if anything does go wrong with your 
commands, it will only affect the E:\Backup\ directory which you can 
copy again while leaving the other directories alone.

Garry



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