Backing up ALL files

[peachybabe]

I have just purchased a Freecom mobile drive 320GB Hard Drive as I want to back up all files on all my pcs.

I have a very ancient personal desktop with a minute memory, an ancient pesonal laptop and a works laptop.

I'm awaiting delivery of a new laptop to replace my own pcs, and would like to have everything in one place so that over the Xmas period I can "housekeep".

I have a couple of questions that I'm hoping abers can help with.

1) Can I just go to Windows Explorer and copy the c drives onto the new mobile drive?
2) Will that then copy all the applications that I need to run all copied files? By that I mean will I be able to read emails on Outlook etc?
3) The mobile hard drive comes with NTI Shadow backup. Is it worth installing it?

Can anyone help someone who has VERY basic computer knowledge? I might have even more questions later!

[VHG]

I dont think it will be possible to copy your current C drive to the new external drive and run Windows from that.

The problem is that your existing C drive has lots of special hidden files and system files that Windows uses and if you copy them to the external drive some of them may not copy, making Windows unusable on the external drive.

Also the "C" drive may be hard coded into certain files and programs, and moving them to another drive will confuse it.

The other problem you may have is that your new external drive probably plugs into your USB slot, and many computers cannot "boot" from an external drive.

So the windows files could be on the external drive, but the computer would not "see" it while booting up, so could not start Windows from it.

[VHG]

What you CAN do is COPY all your PERSONAL files from your various computers to your new hard drive.

(Dont MOVE them because if the external hard drive crashes you have lost everything, keep the originals on the various computers till you have sorted everything out).

I would create 3 FOLDERS on the new external harddrive, one for each of your existing computers (call them WORK_LAPTOP, PERSONAL_DESKTOP and so on)

Then plug the external drive into each machine in turn and use Windows Explorer to copy all your personal files to the new external drive, one computer at a time.

On XP most personal files will be held in "My Documents", although some may be in "Desktop", and their may be others dotted around in varous other folders.

If you have a CD or DVD writer on any of these computers I would backup all your personal files to CD or DVD BEFORE you start moving files around as it is very easy to DELETE files by mistake when moving loads of files around.

[peachybabe]

If I install Windows XP onto my new laptop

1) Could I then just pick up the files from the external hard drive, and
2) The new laptop comes with Vista installed. How can I clear this from the laptop, and replace it with Windows XP

[VHG]

>The new laptop comes with Vista installed. How can I >clear this from the laptop, and replace it with Windows XP

Personally I would not bother (unless you have good technical reasons for doing so).

Vista has now been out 2 years and although I did not like it at first, I have grown to enjoy using it.

The problem with putting XP on a new laptop is DRIVERS.

All laptops have special hardware components that need drivers.

Many new laptops do not have Windows XP drivers available, so although you may be able to get Windows XP on the laptop, you will find some of the componnets will not work (sound, graphics, network etc).

If you REALLY want to do it you need to buy a copy of Windows XP (getting more difficult) and then get Windows XP to install over the top of Vista.

Vista does not like instaling an older verson of Windows on top of itself so you will probably need to disable Vista first, before you can begin the XP install.

You say you have a very basic computer knowledge so it is not somethng I would recommend.

[VHG]

>Could I then just pick up the files from the external
>hard drive

If you copy the files from your old computers to your external hard drive as FILES (in not special backup format) then it will be an easy process to copy them back OFF the external hard drive on to your new computer.

Again, open 2 Windows Explorers windows and just COPY the files from one window to the other (which can easly be dne with drag and drop).

[peachybabe]

You really are helpful VHG!

Thank you!

[peachybabe]

Sorry to be a pest, but when I connect this new drive, do I have to do anything to it? or can I just treat it like an oversized memory stick?

[VHG]

Sorry but I have never used one.

As far as I know, when you plug it in Windows will recognize it and allocate it a drive letter.

Then you just treat it like any other hard disk or, as you say, memory stick.

[peachybabe]

Thanks VHG.

I'm hoping my new laptop will arrive today. I'll be trying to sort everything out over the hols, so I'll probably be back asking more questions!