Can't Copy And Paste?

[Scarlett]

I have just plugged in an external hard drive so I can transfer My Documents from my C drive, as a back up. There is already a folder called My Documents in the external hard drive, from a back up I did earlier this year. However, when I copy the original folder from my C drive, and try and paste it into the external drive, there is no option to past- just paste shortcut. Any idea why 'paste' is not an option?! I have tried re-naming the original file to "My documents Feb 16" but it still doesn't work.

[Buenchico]

I suspect that you're actually copying a shortcut to 'My Documents' rather than the folder itself. (Windows has a nasty habit of making shortcuts to key folders look as if they're the actual folders, when they're not).

Since you've not mentioned which version of Windows you're using, it's hard to tell you exactly what to do but this is for Windows 7 (and will hopefully work elsewhere):

Go to 'Computer' (or 'My Computer' or whatever else your version of Windows calls it).

Double-click on the icon for your C drive.

Double click on 'Users'.

Double-click on your Windows username.

Right-click on 'My Documents' and select 'Copy'

Go to where you want the back-up to be stored, right-click and select 'Paste'

[Buenchico]

Alternative route:

Click 'Start'

Type 'My Documents' into the search box.

You'll then see the relevant folder listed under 'Files'.

Right-click to copy it, and then paste, as above.

[Gizmonster]

Can you not just "drag and drop" the folder on to the external hard drive??

[Scarlett]

Gizmonster- would that result in moving the whole of My Documents to an external hard drive?! I thought that if you wanted to make a copy, you had to click on copy, and then paste? Buenchico, that seems to have worked- thank you!

[Gizmonster]

If you drag the folder and hold it over the destination folder, it comes up with something like, "copy to (D:)"
It seems to know when you're copying to an external drive, 'cos if you drag it over to another folder on your laptop, it will come up with, "move to documents" (or whatever the name of the destination folder is).
Anyway - glad you're sorted. I thought Chris' advice would be good .... I just thought it might be easier to drag and drop it :)