Problems with "Documents and Settings" Folder

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Carl

XP: Both with Windows explorer and Briefcase, XP Pro
refuses permission to copy "Documents and Settings"
Folder to a removable disk because some file would be in
use by another program even if restart and not start any
other program! And then it aborts the complete process
instead of prompting me with a choice to continue without
those files it says it cant copy.
Is there a way to tell XP to not abort the whole process.
This thing is a constant and persistant hassle. Why can't
I do file maintainance routines while I wait for other
programs to finnish running? Thanx, Carl.
 
There are some files in Documents and Settings that are in use by Windows.
You don't really need to copy everything in Documents and Settings, do you?
What is it that you wish to do?

Tom Swift
 
Thanks Tom,
Well, I am not happy with the way MS Backup works.
I just want to copy the whole Documents and Settings
folder onto removable disks as backups at various stages.
What I dont understand is why am I not promted with the
option to copy those folders without those few files.
This thing comes up so often when I do folder and file
maintainance. Why for heavens sake can't I do file
maintainance routines while I wait for other programs to
finnish running? If there are files it cant copy - fine.
I feel, the whole way XP deals now with the My Document
folder is becoming increasingly strange. I tried to use
Briefcase for keeping a synchronised copy of just My
Documents on a Flash Card to swap then between various
computers. I waisted lots of time but it wouldn't do that
simple thing. It would never properly do that. It
designed for some complicated net stuff.
Is there a file maintainance program which allows me to
do those tasks in a simple straightforward way?
Thank you Tom,
Carl.
 
Thanks Tom,
Well, I am not happy with the way MS Backup works.
I just want to copy the whole Documents and Settings
folder onto removable disks as backups at various stages.
What I dont understand is why am I not promted with the
option to copy those folders without those few files.
This thing comes up so often when I do folder and file
maintainance. Why for heavens sake can't I do file
maintainance routines while I wait for other programs to
finnish running? If there are files it cant copy - fine.
I feel, the whole way XP deals now with the My Document
folder is becoming increasingly strange. I tried to use
Briefcase for keeping a synchronised copy of just My
Documents on a Flash Card to swap then between various
computers. I waisted lots of time but it wouldn't do that
simple thing. It would never properly do that. It
designed for some complicated net stuff.
Is there a file maintainance program which allows me to
do those tasks in a simple straightforward way?
Thank you Tom,
Carl.
 
Well, to begin with, MSBackup is the old version of the Windows backup
program, and doesn't work with Windows XP. The XP version of Microsoft's
backup program is called Ntbackup. Read about it here:
http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/expertzone/columns/bott/03july14.asp.

You may be interested in imaging software. An image is a complete bit for
bit copy of an entire hard disk, or one or more of its partitions. Norton
Ghost is a good example. (And since Symantec recently purchased the outfit
that writes Drive Image, Symantec is now the largest seller of imaging
software.) Imaging is so cool it can make you giddy. Read about Ghost here:
http://www.symantec.com/sabu/ghost/ghost_personal/.

Tom Swift
 
Thanks Tom,
Well, I have Ghost.
But the image files I am getting from ghosting the whole
HD are so huge, I dont know where to put them.
I need something which easily fits on one CD!
I want to back up Docs and Settings fairly often because
it might help sometimes to go back to older versions of a
Document. A straight CD I can read like any HD.
So why should I not regularly just back up Doc & Set. on
a CD. There is something wrong if a state of the art
software doesnt allow me to do this in a breeze!!!
I'll look into that NTBackup. If its part of XP thats
what I probably used.
Thanks again
Carl
 
If what you want to do is to backup your documents, why not just backup My
Documents? Documents and Settings includes much more than that, including
system files that you don't need and can't backup either (as long as Windows
is running.)

I think you should consider what it is you really need to backup, and why.

FWIW, I moved My Documents to a separate partition on my hard drive. I even
took My Music, My Pictures and My Videos and put them on another partition.
Now, backing up my documents is a snap: I image the partition with My
Documents. Even with verification, it takes <7 minutes to do. And I can
restore any document I want from the image. Once a month, I burn my document
files to CD. It's not that I don't trust Ghost, but in computing, as in
life, it's always prudent to have 'layers of protection.'

Tom Swift
 
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