Vista - Help Vista Backup utility

I've been playing around with the Vista backup utility and it appears that
there is no way to select individual folders for backup; Vista only allows
you to select types of files for backup. I must be looking in the wrong
place! How could MS have created something that won' let me decide which
files and folders I want to back up?

I went through the same exercise when I first started using Vista. I was
convinced it was my fault for not being able to find it. But you may as well
stop looking as that feature no longer exists. You will need to use a 3rd
party backup application (lots to choose from...even some good free ones) if
you want that kind of flexibility. For me, this is (currently) the biggest
mystery of Vista.

Regarding your last question...I'll assume it was rhetorical.

Tim

"Vulcan" <Vulcannospam@noway.net> wrote in message
news24FB03B-1C2C-4F5C-9CE9-BE5E053D53DA@microsoft.com...
> I've been playing around with the Vista backup utility and it appears that
> there is no way to select individual folders for backup; Vista only allows
> you to select types of files for backup. I must be looking in the wrong
> place! How could MS have created something that won' let me decide which
> files and folders I want to back up?

Hi Tim:

Ok, I've figured out a fix (I think).

The new backup utility doesn't allow you to select folder or exclude
folders, but, you can use the free MS SyncToy utility to make a copy of the
folders you want backed up then sync them on a schedule using the Task
Scheduler. I haven't verified that this works but I think it will.


"Tim" <timfeld_at_hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7E8B215E-3B1B-4EC9-8B79-F5C60B97A490@microsoft.com...
>I went through the same exercise when I first started using Vista. I was
>convinced it was my fault for not being able to find it. But you may as
>well stop looking as that feature no longer exists. You will need to use a
>3rd party backup application (lots to choose from...even some good free
>ones) if you want that kind of flexibility. For me, this is (currently) the
>biggest mystery of Vista.
>
> Regarding your last question...I'll assume it was rhetorical.
>
> Tim
>
> "Vulcan" <Vulcannospam@noway.net> wrote in message
> news24FB03B-1C2C-4F5C-9CE9-BE5E053D53DA@microsoft.com...
>> I've been playing around with the Vista backup utility and it appears
>> that there is no way to select individual folders for backup; Vista only
>> allows you to select types of files for backup. I must be looking in the
>> wrong place! How could MS have created something that won' let me decide
>> which files and folders I want to back up?
>

Well, this would work if it was possible to find the synctoy executable, but
unfortunately it's not. Funny, all the directions on how to automate
synctoy are in the Synctoy help files except how to find the excitable. The
new Vista search tool is brutal. The old tool was better;event though it
was slow, at least it would locate the files your looking for - the new one
doesn't seem to be able to find any files (including synctoy.exe )

"Vulcan" <Vulcannospam@noway.net> wrote in message
news:F8A5D0F5-0388-4A3A-87E8-089CFD3A0366@microsoft.com...
> Hi Tim:
>
> Ok, I've figured out a fix (I think).
>
> The new backup utility doesn't allow you to select folder or exclude
> folders, but, you can use the free MS SyncToy utility to make a copy of
> the folders you want backed up then sync them on a schedule using the Task
> Scheduler. I haven't verified that this works but I think it will.
>
>
> "Tim" <timfeld_at_hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:7E8B215E-3B1B-4EC9-8B79-F5C60B97A490@microsoft.com...
>>I went through the same exercise when I first started using Vista. I was
>>convinced it was my fault for not being able to find it. But you may as
>>well stop looking as that feature no longer exists. You will need to use a
>>3rd party backup application (lots to choose from...even some good free
>>ones) if you want that kind of flexibility. For me, this is (currently)
>>the biggest mystery of Vista.
>>
>> Regarding your last question...I'll assume it was rhetorical.
>>
>> Tim
>>
>> "Vulcan" <Vulcannospam@noway.net> wrote in message
>> news24FB03B-1C2C-4F5C-9CE9-BE5E053D53DA@microsoft.com...
>>> I've been playing around with the Vista backup utility and it appears
>>> that there is no way to select individual folders for backup; Vista only
>>> allows you to select types of files for backup. I must be looking in
>>> the wrong place! How could MS have created something that won' let me
>>> decide which files and folders I want to back up?
>>
>

Ok. I had to uninstall Synctoy and reinstall it somewhere where I could
find it - in Program files where it should have been installed.

Why wouldn't Synctoy.exe show up on a file search?

"Vulcan" <Vulcannospam@noway.net> wrote in message
news:60580886-7589-49E0-82CD-51B0C3541940@microsoft.com...
> Well, this would work if it was possible to find the synctoy executable,
> but unfortunately it's not. Funny, all the directions on how to automate
> synctoy are in the Synctoy help files except how to find the excitable.
> The new Vista search tool is brutal. The old tool was better;event though
> it was slow, at least it would locate the files your looking for - the new
> one doesn't seem to be able to find any files (including synctoy.exe )
>
> "Vulcan" <Vulcannospam@noway.net> wrote in message
> news:F8A5D0F5-0388-4A3A-87E8-089CFD3A0366@microsoft.com...
>> Hi Tim:
>>
>> Ok, I've figured out a fix (I think).
>>
>> The new backup utility doesn't allow you to select folder or exclude
>> folders, but, you can use the free MS SyncToy utility to make a copy of
>> the folders you want backed up then sync them on a schedule using the
>> Task Scheduler. I haven't verified that this works but I think it will.
>>
>>
>> "Tim" <timfeld_at_hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:7E8B215E-3B1B-4EC9-8B79-F5C60B97A490@microsoft.com...
>>>I went through the same exercise when I first started using Vista. I was
>>>convinced it was my fault for not being able to find it. But you may as
>>>well stop looking as that feature no longer exists. You will need to use
>>>a 3rd party backup application (lots to choose from...even some good free
>>>ones) if you want that kind of flexibility. For me, this is (currently)
>>>the biggest mystery of Vista.
>>>
>>> Regarding your last question...I'll assume it was rhetorical.
>>>
>>> Tim
>>>
>>> "Vulcan" <Vulcannospam@noway.net> wrote in message
>>> news24FB03B-1C2C-4F5C-9CE9-BE5E053D53DA@microsoft.com...
>>>> I've been playing around with the Vista backup utility and it appears
>>>> that there is no way to select individual folders for backup; Vista
>>>> only allows you to select types of files for backup. I must be looking
>>>> in the wrong place! How could MS have created something that won' let
>>>> me decide which files and folders I want to back up?
>>>
>>
>