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General discussion

Easy way to identify files to back up

Feb 10, 2007 11:20PM PST

I recently had a problem when I added some files to a backup CD, and corrupted the disc. It was a disc that falls in between discs in the series, so just sorting the files by date to make a new CD isn't practical. Is there some kind of software that can easily identify the files that are in the folder on my HD but aren't on any of my current back-up CDs? I currently use Roxio Easy CD Creator.
Thanks!

Discussion is locked

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About DirectCD.
Feb 10, 2007 11:39PM PST

I found it to be unreliable and stopped using any CDRW as a disk drive years ago. While it works 99.9% of the time it's that .1 % that made me stop. I use the simpler erase and record method now. As to how I backup it's simple. Any directory I have is not over 4.3GB which fits neatly onto one DVDRW.

Bob

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What's Erase and Record?
Feb 11, 2007 12:39AM PST

I don't know if it makes a diff, but it's a Plextor DVD burner, not a CD burner. I've never had a problem until I hit Cancel right after it started, scrambling EasyCD. The problem is just identifying just what I need to back up, seperating out all the files I already have on CD.

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Look at SYNCBACK
Feb 11, 2007 1:52AM PST

Syncback is free and would automate this. But don't you find DirectCD scrambling disks a bit unnerving?

Bob

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Direct CD
Feb 11, 2007 2:45AM PST

The only thing I use is the Easy CD Creator Classic, never Direct CD. Does Syncback show a comparison between what's in a file on my HD and what I already have on CDs? There used to be a thing called Comparitor, but I don't know if it worked well or is still around

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So you are using multi-session?
Feb 11, 2007 3:11AM PST
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Using Track-at-Once
Feb 11, 2007 10:48PM PST

I'm using Track-at-Once, with "Finalize session, don't finalize disc" option. Like I said, I hit cancel during the initial part of the burn and I'm sure that's what corrupted the disc. It's not a huge issue to track down what files don't exist on the other three discs, I guess I'm being a bit lazy. The link looked like it may have something that would work, but I think I'll just try printing a list of what's on each CD and check off what needs backup. Thanks for your time!