is there a way to backup my entire windows folder from this same computer in xp?

without plugging in a second bootable hard drive for example. i want to make a dvd backup of my windows folder so that if anything happens to windows thats bad, ill just replace the existing folder with the backup. it works because i've done it before. the reason i have to do this is because my hard drive won't re-install windows or a repair either. i remember it just reboots without finishing the install. i think its because im using an outdated xp install cd, when sp2 is already installed on my machine.

i know this is possible because i did it one time, but i copied the folder by using a second bootable hard drive. now i just want to do it without having to plugin that hardrive.

 

macrium reflect will do it. It will backup everything on your c: partition (windows files etc). In order for it to be bootable again, you need to copy the entire partition, not just the windows folder.
Macrium reflect will do the backup and save it into a compressed "image" file.
This "image" file can later be restored onto another hard drive or the same drive, this new drive will bootup with windows just like the original drive.
For example if your original c: drive gets spyware/virus or other damage, just restore the "saved image" backup over the original c: drive. This will be the same as reinstalling a good copy of windows back on your c: drive, but quicker. In my case once I installed windows with all the drivers etc, I make a baseline backup. I also make a weekly backup. That's how I restore my computer, it always works for me.

As far as your xp cd, you can easily "slipstream" it. I slipstream my windows xp pro sp1 and converted it to sp2. All the software needed to perform the slipstream is freeware.

 

i dont want to do that. i just want to copy the windows folder. if i wanted to do that i would just buy another hard drive and clone it with casper xp. i cant afford another hard drive atm, i just want to copy the windows folder on my machine in real time but it won't let me because windows always is writing to the registry...

btw, one time i had a major windows problem i uninstalled sp2, i tried repairing it with the xp cd without sp2 on it, and it just kept rebooting it, i was forced to plugin a second bootable hard drive of mine and copy the windows folder over and replace the damaged windows folder, and replaceing it with the still good registry. that was back in june, but thats how i roll right now.

 

You can try making a bartpe bootcd (you just need your xp installation cd to make it.
Bootup with this bartpe cd, then copy your windows folder to wherever you want to store it. Windows won't be active when using the bartpe.

Also theres the free paragon rescue kit 9.0 express. It's also a bootcd that will let you copy folders.

 

Then use casper xp to image the windows folder only or use windows own backup utility,it's under "Accessories" sub folder "tools"

 

ok thanks guys for the sugesstions

 

Since you have a spare drive & i assume the OS is running ok on the machine you want to copy WINDOWS folder,why not create a complete image file (this is not a cloning operation think of it as an iso of your current XP files & folders,so if you were to check size of your C drive & how much space was taken up that's all that would get copied,it won't copy the whole partition)reason being is you not only have a copy of WINDOWS folder that you can browse inside or restore,you can also browse or restore any folder or item from any other folder including the MBR,place the image on the spare space of your spare drive,lets say C drive so long as there is enough free space it won't overwrite whatever's on there,there's also a sandbox you might want to consider say sandboxie
(JONY you still here ? what's that other free sandbox called i've forgotten it's name)

 

thanx but, i just want to backup the windows folder atm in case of another major problem. I soon plan on buying another hard drive soley for cloning my C drive. my main hard drive is an older sata 149[160]gig btw, so there is only like 77gigs free on that one. but the secondary hd is 500gigs sata but with 100gigs free. i could put an image on that one, but i'd rather not, you know what i mean, thats just alot of wasted space imo.

btw that spare drive i was talking about was just an old 6gig hard drive with like 200megs space on it, its just for booting my computer in the case of an emergency but...it currently has a worm/virus on it so i dont want to use it again, if i can help it. i should remove virus from another computer sometime.