I'd like to get some .net sample code that shows me how to make a complete
backup of a hard drive (like my C: drive) to another location (say my D:
drive) while the C: drive is in use.



Basically, I'd like to make and give away free backup software because
Acronis has given me so many problems.

Any help or links you could provide would be greatly appreciated. (Please
include your name to be added to the credits screen in the free
application.)

jim

Please don't cross-post so liberally. It is especially inappropriate to
cross-post between two different language groups. If you really want
language-agnostic advice, pick a non-language-specific newsgroup (like
m.p.d.framework) and post your question there. (follow-ups to C#
newsgroup)

As for your specific question:

On Thu, 22 May 2008 16:21:08 -0700, jim <jim@xxxxxx> wrote:

> I'd like to get some .net sample code that shows me how to make a
> complete
> backup of a hard drive (like my C: drive) to another location (say my D:
> drive) while the C: drive is in use.

No doubt there's lots of different approaches to something like this.
However, assuming you're just going to do a simple file-by-file transfer,
you might want to look at the classes in System.IO, including File and
Directory. Those support operations like enumerating the files and
directories in the file system, and copying a file from one place to
another.

Your stipulation of "while the drive is in use" complicates things,
because of the possibility that a file may be in use and thus not able to
be copied. One approach to dealing with that is to maintain a list of
files that you come across like that, and try them again later. To some
extent it's an unresolvable problem, so I'm not sure it'd be worthwhile to
do anything more complicated than that. In fact, you may simply just want
to report to the user and leave it at that.

If you are intending to archive files into a single large file, then you
may also want to look at classes like FileStream and GZipStream (the
latter for making an attempt to compress the input...if you have a lot of
compressible files, like HTML, XML, etc. then this optional feature might
be worth looking into).

No need to give credit, IMHO. The newsgroup is available for all, with
advice given freely. By asking a question here, you help others as much
as yourself, as someone else may later come looking for the answer to the
same question. A person would have to invest a lot more effort than just
answering a quick question in the newsgroup to warrant being credited in
some specific software. Otherwise, by that metric I suspect that a number
of us are being left out being credited for helping with a fairly broad
selection of programs (there are at least a dozen people who regularly
answer non-trivial questions here, and probably another dozen or two who
do so infrequently, and as far as I know, none of us are ever explicitly
credited in whatever final product was being developed).

Pete

Jim,

I don't think that any version of VB is the right programma language, as in
fact not any managed language.

Maybe raw C can help you or otherwise Intel Assembler.

Just my opinion,

Cor

"jim" <jim@xxxxxx> schreef in bericht
newscnZj.13921$hv2.973@xxxxxx

> I'd like to get some .net sample code that shows me how to make a complete
> backup of a hard drive (like my C: drive) to another location (say my D:
> drive) while the C: drive is in use.
>
> Basically, I'd like to make and give away free backup software because
> Acronis has given me so many problems.
>
> Any help or links you could provide would be greatly appreciated. (Please
> include your name to be added to the credits screen in the free
> application.)
>
> jim
>

So you want to make software that you do not know how to make to be better
then Acronis which is actually relatively stable? im so lost on your logic..

"jim" <jim@xxxxxx> wrote in message
newscnZj.13921$hv2.973@xxxxxx

> I'd like to get some .net sample code that shows me how to make a complete
> backup of a hard drive (like my C: drive) to another location (say my D:
> drive) while the C: drive is in use.
>
> Basically, I'd like to make and give away free backup software because
> Acronis has given me so many problems.
>
> Any help or links you could provide would be greatly appreciated. (Please
> include your name to be added to the credits screen in the free
> application.)
>
> jim
>

"Cor Ligthert[MVP]" wrote:

> Jim,
>
> I don't think that any version of VB is the right programma language, as in
> fact not any managed language.
>
> Maybe raw C can help you or otherwise Intel Assembler.
>
> Just my opinion,
>
> Cor

Cor -
IMHO the appropriate language is the language the programmer choses to
do the application in. VB isn't inherently wrong and C isn't
inherently right. Yes he wants to back things up [IO intensive and
Richter puts that whole issue to bed, along with the simple sense of
how the different paradigms get executed] but I doubt that is the only
requirement. Right language is decided in the totality of the design
and in consideration of all the requirements. (His first stated
requirement is vengeance - that is a language agnostic goal) There
were C neanderthals who said I couldn't do a "real-time" app in VB.
Done, delivered and still being used by a major manufacturing
organization to handle toxic chemicals. Once the definitions were
understood it met and exceeded all requirements. Cutting to the
chase, language snobbery doesn't elevate the art of programming which
is how I see these forums. Answering the question as Peter did does.

>
> "jim" <j...@xxxxxx> schreef in berichtnewscnZj.13921$hv2.973@xxxxxx
>

> > I'd like to get some .net sample code that shows me how to make a complete
> > backup of a hard drive (like my C: drive) to another location (say my D:
> > drive) while the C: drive is in use.

>

> > Basically, I'd like to make and give away free backup software because
> > Acronis has given me so many problems.

>

> > Any help or links you could provide would be greatly appreciated. (Please
> > include your name to be added to the credits screen in the free
> > application.)

>

> > jim

Jim -

I recently finished a utlity that handles backing up things in a very
simplistic manner as you seem to be asking. I did it using the
facilities Peter described, I also took a couple of ideas from another
Site (Code Project) and use a pie chart as a progress bar just for
giggles. Motivation is good but have some fun along the way.

Ben,

This has nothing to do with preference, as you want to make a complete
immage of a drive, despite of all security options, despite of what is
happening in that time, then you have to use software that is not running on
the OS level.

Just my opinion.

Cor

"Ben white" <pgwichtendahl@xxxxxx> schreef in bericht
news:935bde15-78cd-455a-b9b8-344d76108105@xxxxxx

> "Cor Ligthert[MVP]" wrote:

>> Jim,
>>
>> I don't think that any version of VB is the right programma language, as
>> in
>> fact not any managed language.
>>
>> Maybe raw C can help you or otherwise Intel Assembler.
>>
>> Just my opinion,
>>
>> Cor

> Cor -
> IMHO the appropriate language is the language the programmer choses to
> do the application in. VB isn't inherently wrong and C isn't
> inherently right. Yes he wants to back things up [IO intensive and
> Richter puts that whole issue to bed, along with the simple sense of
> how the different paradigms get executed] but I doubt that is the only
> requirement. Right language is decided in the totality of the design
> and in consideration of all the requirements. (His first stated
> requirement is vengeance - that is a language agnostic goal) There
> were C neanderthals who said I couldn't do a "real-time" app in VB.
> Done, delivered and still being used by a major manufacturing
> organization to handle toxic chemicals. Once the definitions were
> understood it met and exceeded all requirements. Cutting to the
> chase, language snobbery doesn't elevate the art of programming which
> is how I see these forums. Answering the question as Peter did does.
>

>>
>> "jim" <j...@xxxxxx> schreef in
>> berichtnewscnZj.13921$hv2.973@xxxxxx
>>

>> > I'd like to get some .net sample code that shows me how to make a
>> > complete
>> > backup of a hard drive (like my C: drive) to another location (say my
>> > D:
>> > drive) while the C: drive is in use.

>>

>> > Basically, I'd like to make and give away free backup software because
>> > Acronis has given me so many problems.

>>

>> > Any help or links you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
>> > (Please
>> > include your name to be added to the credits screen in the free
>> > application.)

>>

>> > jim

>
> Jim -
>
> I recently finished a utlity that handles backing up things in a very
> simplistic manner as you seem to be asking. I did it using the
> facilities Peter described, I also took a couple of ideas from another
> Site (Code Project) and use a pie chart as a progress bar just for
> giggles. Motivation is good but have some fun along the way.

Admitting that I \have never written backup software, I have written many
hundreds of applications in VB, VB.Net and some older languages like Turbo
Pascal.

In asking for the source code, I was hoping to accomplish 2 main things.
(1) To learn more about a process than I currently know and (2) get a head
start on the project.

As for you r ability to follow the logic therein.....well, you can do what
you can do.

jim

"Smokey Grindel" <nospam@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:uMXSk2OvIHA.1504@xxxxxx

> So you want to make software that you do not know how to make to be better
> then Acronis which is actually relatively stable? im so lost on your
> logic..
>
> "jim" <jim@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> newscnZj.13921$hv2.973@xxxxxx

>> I'd like to get some .net sample code that shows me how to make a
>> complete backup of a hard drive (like my C: drive) to another location
>> (say my D: drive) while the C: drive is in use.
>>
>> Basically, I'd like to make and give away free backup software because
>> Acronis has given me so many problems.
>>
>> Any help or links you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
>> (Please include your name to be added to the credits screen in the free
>> application.)
>>
>> jim
>>

>
>

Hate to see a person without help when they ask. Can you give me some
idea of where you are and where your "blind spots" are?

"Ben white" <pgwichtendahl@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3e278080-9292-42f6-a398-374cd8147fbf@xxxxxx

> Hate to see a person without help when they ask. Can you give me some
> idea of where you are and where your "blind spots" are?

I am wondering how to back up in-use files. I am currently looking into
using Windows Shadow Copy service - but that will only work if it is
installed and endabled. Perhaps there is a way for me to install or enable
it if it is not enabled.....still looking.

Thanks!

On May 29, 1:58 am, "jim" <j...@xxxxxx> wrote:

> "Ben white" <pgwichtend...@xxxxxx> wrote in message
>
> news:3e278080-9292-42f6-a398-374cd8147fbf@xxxxxx
>

> > Hate to see a person without help when they ask. Can you give me some
> > idea of where you are and where your "blind spots" are?

>
> I am wondering how to back up in-use files. I am currently looking into
> using Windows Shadow Copy service - but that will only work if it is
> installed and endabled. Perhaps there is a way for me to install or enable
> it if it is not enabled.....still looking.
>
> Thanks!

Jim,
If your intention is to programme through Volume Shadow Copy Service,
you shouldn't worry about the service's running status, you can
start / stop or query status using servicecontroller component in your
toolbox:

' Check status and start if service is not running:
' First set ServiceName property to "VSS"
' srvcontroller is your component name here
If Not srvcontroller.Status =
ServiceProcess.ServiceControllerStatus.Running Then
srvcontroller.Start()
End If

Hope this makes sense,

Onur Güzel