Backup Failed, Has Always Failed, HELP!

cdaniel · External Since: May 26, 2007 Posts: 7

Running Vista Home Premium. I want to create a backup (not a full system
restore) of doc's, Windows Mail, Favorites, yadiyada (read: DATA). When I go
to Computer, the C drive has 224 GB of free space out of 288 GB, which I
figure means I'm using about 64 GB, and that should include programs and
system files, which I don't want to back up. So what I AM backing up should
be significantly less.

I tried selecting the Recovery D: drive. However, there's only 9.82 GB of
total space on that drive, and SOMETHING is using 5.4 GB. The error I'm
getting is: 0x81000005. It says there's not enough space available.

So I selected to backup to DVD. After disk 6, I'd had enough, and it was
only like 1/3 complete according to the status bar. Where can I find the
files and sizes of what it's backing up?

I used to be able to do a backup (on the old computer) with 1 CD - what
gives???

Any recommendations on either expanding the Recovery drive to something like
50GB, or being able to back up onto DVD (max 3 -4 discs)? I'm getting really
nervous without having anything backed up! Thanks!

John Hanley · External Since: Jun 05, 2007 Posts: 59

"cdaniel" <cdaniel DeleteThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A52749B5-C905-4B43-86DB-1DA5A4AF0771@microsoft.com...
> Running Vista Home Premium. I want to create a backup (not a full system
> restore) of doc's, Windows Mail, Favorites, yadiyada (read: DATA). When I
> go
> to Computer, the C drive has 224 GB of free space out of 288 GB, which I
> figure means I'm using about 64 GB, and that should include programs and
> system files, which I don't want to back up. So what I AM backing up
> should
> be significantly less.
>
> I tried selecting the Recovery D: drive. However, there's only 9.82 GB of
> total space on that drive, and SOMETHING is using 5.4 GB. The error I'm
> getting is: 0x81000005. It says there's not enough space available.
>
> So I selected to backup to DVD. After disk 6, I'd had enough, and it was
> only like 1/3 complete according to the status bar. Where can I find the
> files and sizes of what it's backing up?
>
> I used to be able to do a backup (on the old computer) with 1 CD - what
> gives???
>
> Any recommendations on either expanding the Recovery drive to something
> like
> 50GB, or being able to back up onto DVD (max 3 -4 discs)? I'm getting
> really
> nervous without having anything backed up! Thanks!
>
>

I also had some initial frustration with backups in Vista. What I think I
learned was:
-Vista will not let you back up to your main hard drive, not even to the
Recovery partition; this is to ensure an independent location for the
backup.
- Vista backs up a lot more files than XP did.
- I never did get a backup to DVD to work; it was taking literally hours and
never finished.
- I decided to 'bite the bullet' and bought myself a separate external 160
GB USB hard drive for $60; I am making regular backups to this drive and
they go very fast and completed just fine. The size of my first full backup
was approx. 7.9 GB. Subsequent backups are almost as large as the first
one; I will eventually have to remove some of the old backups or the
external drive will fill up. I have also successfully restored a few files
from the backup, so it works.
- Along the way I also used a tool called SyncToy to make some partial
backups of selected personal files to a CD; that worked also. Still
experimenting.

Hope this helps.

AJR · External Since: Apr 07, 2006 Posts: 537

You cannot "compute" file backup sizes by comparing free and used disk
space. File backup utility gives you the option to select files to backup

Start>Backup and restore center>Under backup files select "change settings">
At bottom select "Change backup settings">After backup device is indicated
select "next" - your on your own!
there files whcih are not backed up including system files.

"cdaniel" <cdaniel RemoveThis @discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:A52749B5-C905-4B43-86DB-1DA5A4AF0771@microsoft.com...
> Running Vista Home Premium. I want to create a backup (not a full system
> restore) of doc's, Windows Mail, Favorites, yadiyada (read: DATA). When I
> go
> to Computer, the C drive has 224 GB of free space out of 288 GB, which I
> figure means I'm using about 64 GB, and that should include programs and
> system files, which I don't want to back up. So what I AM backing up
> should
> be significantly less.
>
> I tried selecting the Recovery D: drive. However, there's only 9.82 GB of
> total space on that drive, and SOMETHING is using 5.4 GB. The error I'm
> getting is: 0x81000005. It says there's not enough space available.
>
> So I selected to backup to DVD. After disk 6, I'd had enough, and it was
> only like 1/3 complete according to the status bar. Where can I find the
> files and sizes of what it's backing up?
>
> I used to be able to do a backup (on the old computer) with 1 CD - what
> gives???
>
> Any recommendations on either expanding the Recovery drive to something
> like
> 50GB, or being able to back up onto DVD (max 3 -4 discs)? I'm getting
> really
> nervous without having anything backed up! Thanks!
>
>

"cquirke · External Since: Feb 11, 2007 Posts: 560

On Mon, 2 Jul 2007 18:14:00 -0700, cdaniel

>Running Vista Home Premium. I want to create a backup (not a full system
>restore) of doc's, Windows Mail, Favorites, yadiyada (read: DATA).

How do you select what you want to have backed up?

>C drive has 224 GB of free space out of 288 GB, which I figure means
>I'm using about 64 GB

I'd check that assumption, using a free handy tool called WinDirStat

http://windirstat.info/

I have that added as a non-default action for Drive and File Folder,
so it's on the rt-click, but you can use it through the front door.
It will show you "everything", so don't go detete-happy !!

>and that should include programs and system files, which I don't
>want to back up. So what I AM backing up should be significantly less.

Should be, yes. But if you haven't explicitly selected what is to be
backed up, you won't know for sure.

>I tried selecting the Recovery D: drive. However, there's only 9.82 GB of
>total space on that drive, and SOMETHING is using 5.4 GB.

Is that 5G used on an otherwise empty 10G volume?

One factor that could magnify the data bulk (if we assume there asn't
not-data included in the backup, such as indexes) is "Previous
Version", which is to data files what System Restore is to system
files. The same shadow copy engine powers both services equally, but
they are UI'd differently - it is the UI that determines how you can
use the backup copies, or if you can use them at all.

Some editions of Vista, e.g. Home Basic (dunno about Home Premium) do
not offer "previous versions", yet the shadow copy still wastes space
and activity in keeping these copies. They can be revealed by
upgrading Vista to an edition that supporets "previous versions", at
which point you'd have access to versions of data files that predate
the upgrade to hte new OS edition.

I don't like the privacy implications of that.

>-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
Tip Of The Day:
To disable the 'Tip of the Day' feature...
>-------------------- ----- ---- --- -- - - - -

I would like easy step to · External Since: Aug 03, 2007 Posts: 1

I need help also...Vista Home Premium..comes with built in system disc drive
C. Automatic Wizard is supposed to back up onto the system Drive C isn't
it??? There is no C or D drive and now the backup wants me to put in a disc
for the E drive????? I shouldn't have to put in any disc. I just want to do
the automatic wizard on my C drive. What or where is my C drive??? it
disappeared???? where is the D drive?? it disappeared also??? The only
thing I have is E drive and again it is asking that I put in a disc??? I
never did this before but I thought that this computer automatically did it
itself with the wizard??? Help please

"cdaniel" wrote:

> Running Vista Home Premium. I want to create a backup (not a full system
> restore) of doc's, Windows Mail, Favorites, yadiyada (read: DATA). When I go
> to Computer, the C drive has 224 GB of free space out of 288 GB, which I
> figure means I'm using about 64 GB, and that should include programs and
> system files, which I don't want to back up. So what I AM backing up should
> be significantly less.
>
> I tried selecting the Recovery D: drive. However, there's only 9.82 GB of
> total space on that drive, and SOMETHING is using 5.4 GB. The error I'm
> getting is: 0x81000005. It says there's not enough space available.
>
> So I selected to backup to DVD. After disk 6, I'd had enough, and it was
> only like 1/3 complete according to the status bar. Where can I find the
> files and sizes of what it's backing up?
>
> I used to be able to do a backup (on the old computer) with 1 CD - what
> gives???
>
> Any recommendations on either expanding the Recovery drive to something like
> 50GB, or being able to back up onto DVD (max 3 -4 discs)? I'm getting really
> nervous without having anything backed up! Thanks!
>
>

John Hanley · External Since: Jun 05, 2007 Posts: 59

"I would like easy step to step direction"
<Iwouldlikeeasysteptostepdirection.RemoveThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:2C7AD6E6-1B7D-4275-BFE9-0A77068B2517@microsoft.com...
>I need help also...Vista Home Premium..comes with built in system disc
>drive
> C. Automatic Wizard is supposed to back up onto the system Drive C isn't
> it??? There is no C or D drive and now the backup wants me to put in a
> disc
> for the E drive????? I shouldn't have to put in any disc. I just want to
> do
> the automatic wizard on my C drive. What or where is my C drive??? it
> disappeared???? where is the D drive?? it disappeared also??? The only
> thing I have is E drive and again it is asking that I put in a disc??? I
> never did this before but I thought that this computer automatically did
> it
> itself with the wizard??? Help please
>
> "cdaniel" wrote:
>
>> Running Vista Home Premium. I want to create a backup (not a full system
>> restore) of doc's, Windows Mail, Favorites, yadiyada (read: DATA). When
>> I go
>> to Computer, the C drive has 224 GB of free space out of 288 GB, which I
>> figure means I'm using about 64 GB, and that should include programs and
>> system files, which I don't want to back up. So what I AM backing up
>> should
>> be significantly less.
>>
>> I tried selecting the Recovery D: drive. However, there's only 9.82 GB
>> of
>> total space on that drive, and SOMETHING is using 5.4 GB. The error I'm
>> getting is: 0x81000005. It says there's not enough space available.
>>
>> So I selected to backup to DVD. After disk 6, I'd had enough, and it was
>> only like 1/3 complete according to the status bar. Where can I find the
>> files and sizes of what it's backing up?
>>
>> I used to be able to do a backup (on the old computer) with 1 CD - what
>> gives???
>>
>> Any recommendations on either expanding the Recovery drive to something
>> like
>> 50GB, or being able to back up onto DVD (max 3 -4 discs)? I'm getting
>> really
>> nervous without having anything backed up! Thanks!
>>
>>

1. You really should not backup to the same physical disk as your C: or D:
drive; that would not be an independent backup location; Automatic Backup
will not allow you to backup to the C: drive. The D: drive (provided by
your computer manufacturer, not Windows) is not intended to be the backup
location; it is not big enough anyway.
2. I tried the backup to DVD route, but it is too cumbersome and takes too
many discs with Automatic Backup.
3. You could use a tool like SyncToy to copy selected files to one or more
DVD's, but that is not Automatic.
4. I bought a separate, external 160 GB USB hard drive for about $60 for my
Automatic Backup location and that works very well for me.

"Jamir · External Since: Aug 07, 2007 Posts: 3

Backup will never backup into the system drive. It will try to backup on
another drive and you can actually customize that and point to where you
want to back up to. Your E: drive is probably your CD or DVD drive and that
is why is asking you for a disc. Just go to the Backup and Restore Center
and change your settings to point to where you want to backup, but please
consider what I just wrote and also the below (Basically no backups to the
System Drive or Recovery Drive)

In addition it is never recommended that you backup into your Recovery
Drive. That is not what is used for and you should not be putting backups
into that or messing with it. Don't try to expand it. You should consult
your PC manufacturer if you are considering doing that. Either use CDs/DVDs
or an external or additional drive.

If you believe you are backing up too much just go through the backup wizard
and configure what you want or not, to backup.

Thank you.

--
Jamir Correa [MSFT]
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"I would like easy step to step direction"
<Iwouldlikeeasysteptostepdirection.DeleteThis@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:2C7AD6E6-1B7D-4275-BFE9-0A77068B2517@microsoft.com...
>I need help also...Vista Home Premium..comes with built in system disc
>drive
> C. Automatic Wizard is supposed to back up onto the system Drive C isn't
> it??? There is no C or D drive and now the backup wants me to put in a
> disc
> for the E drive????? I shouldn't have to put in any disc. I just want to
> do
> the automatic wizard on my C drive. What or where is my C drive??? it
> disappeared???? where is the D drive?? it disappeared also??? The only
> thing I have is E drive and again it is asking that I put in a disc??? I
> never did this before but I thought that this computer automatically did
> it
> itself with the wizard??? Help please
>
> "cdaniel" wrote:
>
>> Running Vista Home Premium. I want to create a backup (not a full system
>> restore) of doc's, Windows Mail, Favorites, yadiyada (read: DATA). When
>> I go
>> to Computer, the C drive has 224 GB of free space out of 288 GB, which I
>> figure means I'm using about 64 GB, and that should include programs and
>> system files, which I don't want to back up. So what I AM backing up
>> should
>> be significantly less.
>>
>> I tried selecting the Recovery D: drive. However, there's only 9.82 GB
>> of
>> total space on that drive, and SOMETHING is using 5.4 GB. The error I'm
>> getting is: 0x81000005. It says there's not enough space available.
>>
>> So I selected to backup to DVD. After disk 6, I'd had enough, and it was
>> only like 1/3 complete according to the status bar. Where can I find the
>> files and sizes of what it's backing up?
>>
>> I used to be able to do a backup (on the old computer) with 1 CD - what
>> gives???
>>
>> Any recommendations on either expanding the Recovery drive to something
>> like
>> 50GB, or being able to back up onto DVD (max 3 -4 discs)? I'm getting
>> really
>> nervous without having anything backed up! Thanks!
>>
>>

PennsyNut · External Since: Aug 07, 2007 Posts: 4

I K.I.S.S. by highlighting the files I want to save, right click, properties
- and it gives me the amount of KB or MB. When you know the total of all the
files, you then choose a CD or DVD "R". Save them on the "R". That way, you
can not overwrite them. "R's" are cheap enough to do that. "RW" are too
unreliable. As for a separate HD, that's good, If You Have the Room. Now, one
of these days, I'll buy a LCD monitor -- LOL.

"Jamir (MSFT)" wrote:

> Backup will never backup into the system drive. It will try to backup on
> another drive and you can actually customize that and point to where you
> want to back up to. Your E: drive is probably your CD or DVD drive and that
> is why is asking you for a disc. Just go to the Backup and Restore Center
> and change your settings to point to where you want to backup, but please
> consider what I just wrote and also the below (Basically no backups to the
> System Drive or Recovery Drive)
>
> In addition it is never recommended that you backup into your Recovery
> Drive. That is not what is used for and you should not be putting backups
> into that or messing with it. Don't try to expand it. You should consult
> your PC manufacturer if you are considering doing that. Either use CDs/DVDs
> or an external or additional drive.
>
> If you believe you are backing up too much just go through the backup wizard
> and configure what you want or not, to backup.
>
> Thank you.
>
> --
> Jamir Correa [MSFT]
> Microsoft Corporation
>
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
> "I would like easy step to step direction"
> <Iwouldlikeeasysteptostepdirection.TakeThisOut@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message news:2C7AD6E6-1B7D-4275-BFE9-0A77068B2517@microsoft.com...
> >I need help also...Vista Home Premium..comes with built in system disc
> >drive
> > C. Automatic Wizard is supposed to back up onto the system Drive C isn't
> > it??? There is no C or D drive and now the backup wants me to put in a
> > disc
> > for the E drive????? I shouldn't have to put in any disc. I just want to
> > do
> > the automatic wizard on my C drive. What or where is my C drive??? it
> > disappeared???? where is the D drive?? it disappeared also??? The only
> > thing I have is E drive and again it is asking that I put in a disc??? I
> > never did this before but I thought that this computer automatically did
> > it
> > itself with the wizard??? Help please
> >
> > "cdaniel" wrote:
> >
> >> Running Vista Home Premium. I want to create a backup (not a full system
> >> restore) of doc's, Windows Mail, Favorites, yadiyada (read: DATA). When
> >> I go
> >> to Computer, the C drive has 224 GB of free space out of 288 GB, which I
> >> figure means I'm using about 64 GB, and that should include programs and
> >> system files, which I don't want to back up. So what I AM backing up
> >> should
> >> be significantly less.
> >>
> >> I tried selecting the Recovery D: drive. However, there's only 9.82 GB
> >> of
> >> total space on that drive, and SOMETHING is using 5.4 GB. The error I'm
> >> getting is: 0x81000005. It says there's not enough space available.
> >>
> >> So I selected to backup to DVD. After disk 6, I'd had enough, and it was
> >> only like 1/3 complete according to the status bar. Where can I find the
> >> files and sizes of what it's backing up?
> >>
> >> I used to be able to do a backup (on the old computer) with 1 CD - what
> >> gives???
> >>
> >> Any recommendations on either expanding the Recovery drive to something
> >> like
> >> 50GB, or being able to back up onto DVD (max 3 -4 discs)? I'm getting
> >> really
> >> nervous without having anything backed up! Thanks!
> >>
> >>
>
>
>