Copy Files (Page 2): Plug both external drives into a USB port on your computer - they will show up on File Explorer as separate drives. Then select all the files of the drive that has...

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Apr 20, 2017 09:02:12 #

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

will47 wrote:

I have a Seagate 2T external hard drive. I think I am going to get a Western Digital 2T drive for further backup. How would I copy the files already on the Seagate to the Western (or whomever)? Thanks.

Plug both external drives into a USB port on your computer - they will show up on File Explorer as separate drives. Then select all the files of the drive that has the files, and copy and paste to the new one.
Go and have yourself a coffee or beer, or go do some gardening while the 'puter is working: Depending on the number of files, it may take a while.

Apr 20, 2017 10:52:17 #

DSLR Loc: NV

FREE and from Windows: SyncToy (x86 and x64)

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=15155

SyncToy 2.1 is a free application that synchronizes echos or contributes files and folders between locations (e.g. External and Internal Drives drives, USB, Cards). Typical uses include sharing files, such as photos, with other computers and creating backup copies of files and folders.

I have set up as many of 10 separate operations on SycToy to copy folders (USBs, internal and external HHDs and SSDs, and cards) selectively or all consecutively.

Apr 20, 2017 11:48:43 #

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

will47 wrote:

I copy the files to the Seagate after I download them to the computer. Now I want another backup and I want to transfer from the Seagate to the new external. So I will end up with two (just in case). My reason is this: some people on the Hog say Seagate does not have a sterling reputation for reliability and I don't want to lose my photos in the event of a catastrophe.

I have a little 2TB Seagate for about 10 years and it's working just fine (it'll be good another 20 or more)!

Apr 20, 2017 12:18:43 #

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

speters wrote:

(it'll be good another 20 or more)!

If I thought I was going to live long enough to collect, I'd offer you 10:1 odds it won't.

Apr 20, 2017 12:54:54 #

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

TriX wrote:

It sounds like you simply want to replicate your e... (show quote)

Or he could just drag and drop the Pictures folder if he wants everything.

Apr 20, 2017 13:57:49 #

Merlin1300 Loc: New England, But Now & Forever SoTX

I've found "draggin drop" horribly unreliable.
I highly recommend Macrium Reflect (free for personal use)
Plug in BOTH drives to USB ports and CLONE one to the other
You can ALSO CLONE or IMAGE your current system drive to an external, then create a bootable Macrium restore CD
This Saved my Bacon when I had to replace my motherboard !!
I used to use Sync Toy many years ago, but found Vice Versa much more flexible and reliable (unfortunately not free)
I use Vice Versa to do incremental backups to my 12TB NAS

Apr 20, 2017 16:09:05 #

Kissel vonKeister Loc: Georgia

will47 wrote:

I wouldn't copy, I'd clone. Super Duper or Carbon Copy Cloner. The entire new drive becomes an exact duplicate of the host.
Great for installing new HDs also. It's SSD time!

Apr 20, 2017 16:14:44 #

Patrick9 Loc: Muncie, IN

SyncToy 2.1 is a free Microsoft utility for Windows. It is easy to use and will sync one drive or selected part of a drive to another. The next time it runs, it only adds the files that have not already been copied so that it keeps the drives synchronized.

Apr 20, 2017 16:18:32 #

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Kissel vonKeister wrote:

I wouldn't copy, I'd clone. Super Duper or Carbon Copy Cloner. The entire new drive becomes an exact duplicate of the host.
Great for installing new HDs also. It's SSD time!

If you need system or hidden files or are creating a boot drive, then cloning is definitely the way to go. If you're just copying data files (photos, etc.), doesn't matter which you do.

Apr 20, 2017 17:45:40 #

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Merlin1300 wrote:

I've found "draggin drop" horribly unrel... (show quote)

Cloning assumes he wants an exact disk image and wants everything copied. Maybe that's what the OP wanted, but it wasn't clear. I personally back up to several external hard drives at least 3 times per week and use dedicated backup software.

With regards to drag and drop, you find it horribly unreliable? I been using drag and drop for over 20 years, since Windows 95, as both an IT professional and home user. I've used it from file managers, from within a variety of software applications, and just about every other way it could be used, and have found it very reliable. Just yesterday I used it to copy over 40gb of Ms Office files and photos to a 64gb USB 3 thumb drive and had no issues. What kinds of problems were you having with it?

Apr 21, 2017 01:03:06 #

Merlin1300 Loc: New England, But Now & Forever SoTX

mwsilvers wrote:

I been using drag and drop for over 20 years, since Windows 95, as both an IT professional and home user. Just yesterday I used it to copy over 40gb of Ms Office files and photos to a 64gb USB 3 thumb drive and had no issues. What kinds of problems were you having with it?

It stalls half-way through multiple folder copies, and chokes on larger files. Also misses files in folders.
And, of course, it does Not synchronize, so if there is already a file with that name in the target drive - it stops again.
Again - - this is just my experience with it.
The combo of ViceVersa and Macrium Reflect competently cover all the tasks I need. YMMV

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