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Backup Question - New & Deleting Files RRS feed

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    I have a 250gb external harddrive that I use for my WLOC backups for the past ~3 years while running WindowsXP. There are 3 separate backup folders of my (only) computer from times I have reformatted that are each ~50gb. Last week I upgraded to Windows Vista Ultimate, so again, the backup added a 4th 50gb folder to my harddrive. As you can see, my harddrive is about full, so my question is can I delete the 3 oldest backup files (keeping the newest one from vista just to be safe for now) and then do a new, complete backup? I'm assuming that once I delete the older/previous backup files, then do a new complete backup, I will still retain all the files I had before (from the old backups) because they are currently on this computer, correct? I just want to be sure that I don't lose anything because of carelessness. Thanks for the help!
    Thursday, September 18, 2008 8:16 PM

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    ShabazOSU,

     

    Thank you for visiting the OneCare program forums.

     

    To ensure that your latest backup has all of the files since you first backed up, you can always do a test-restore on several files for confirmation that your files have been backed up. Or you can also copy it to a CD or any removable

    storage device.

     

    How to delete a Windows Live OneCare Backup file:

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943904/en-us

     

    If you reformat your drive, you will lose all of your data, so I would make sure that those files can be restored from your copies of backup before reformatting.

     

    I hope this helps,

     

    Lori MS

     

     

    Friday, September 19, 2008 11:49 PM

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    ShabazOSU,

     

    Thank you for visiting the OneCare program forums.

     

    To ensure that your latest backup has all of the files since you first backed up, you can always do a test-restore on several files for confirmation that your files have been backed up. Or you can also copy it to a CD or any removable

    storage device.

     

    How to delete a Windows Live OneCare Backup file:

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943904/en-us

     

    If you reformat your drive, you will lose all of your data, so I would make sure that those files can be restored from your copies of backup before reformatting.

     

    I hope this helps,

     

    Lori MS

     

     

    Friday, September 19, 2008 11:49 PM
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    Thanks for your help, I was able to delete the 2 oldest backup folders & create so much needed room on my external hd. One last question now, how do I perform a new complete backup and not just one that scans for new/changed files?

    Sunday, September 21, 2008 12:46 AM
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    ShabasOSU,

     

    If the older folders are not there any longer because you have deleted them, then OneCare should notice this change and begin a full backup the next it goes to back your system up.

     

    Rick, MS

    Sunday, September 21, 2008 3:54 AM
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