How do i increase the data transfer rate from HD to HD?

Question

Im trying to move files from an internal HD to and external HD. It is taking 1 hour to move 3 gigs of data. How or what can i do to make it faster? Googling says that i should be able to achieve 1 gig/ min. I am nowhere close. Please help. Thank you in advance.
BTW i am just doing a copy (from source) and paste (to destination).
I have also tried a Backup program (that came w/ the external HD).
Everything is so slowwww compare to the average rate of transfer posted.

Eg_303
This is exactly what i want...1gig/ min
Can you tell me how you achieve this?
Did you use any software to move your files?
Did you do it within windows?...??

Answer 1

before you do a backup, you should always perform a virus scan and take out critical objects found in an adaware scan as well as any spyware. i DO hope you are not running different antiviral, firewall, and antispyware programs at the same time! you should never do that! if you are, then either disable the others while running only one of them, or else use add/remove programs to take off the ones that are additional. people are hating norton these days too. so even if you got norton antispyware as part of a toolbar, take it out of your programs if you use a different antiviral.

if you use norton systemworks AND another antiviral, be sure that you have not chosen to take norton's antiviral along with its diagnostic utilities.

you may have needed to clean up your disk first, using disk cleanup. or, as usual, you always should go to your browser (ie, i suppose), click on tools, internet options, then on the general tab, click on clean temporary cookies, then clean temporary internet files.

then, you may have had to defrag your disk before you attempted to backup. the defrag utility is in the same place that louiegirl told you is the backup utility. it's always best to defragment your drive before doing a backup.

i don't think the time problem has anything to do with the amount of RAM you have, though.

Answer 2

i wish i knew whether you are doing a backup or you are trying to mirror your hard drive. a mirror would be copying EVERYTHING on it, including programs. of course that would take longer than a backup, which only copies your files, not the programs.

if you believe that you can mirror your hard drive to an external hard drive, please tell me how you do it, since i can't. there are services on the net that you can hire to mirror your drive. i have no idea how they do it, maybe via remote assistance into your computer.

if, on the other hand, you are trying to perform a backup, you should certainly be running a lot faster than you describe! microsoft offers a perfectly fine backup program, at least if you're on windows xp pro. if on the home edition, go to www.microsoft. com and do a search on how to back up your files using windows xp home edition. else, if on pro, just go to start, all programs, accessories, system tools, backup. if this is your first time, do a normal backup and check the box to verify the data. you don't need to save your system state unless you plan to remove windows and install it again--so i recall, it's a little fuzzy. that information is also in KB articles (knowledge base) at MS.

let me know at my email provided if i didn't understand what you mean.

good luck!

Answer 3

That is too long. Are you using USB 2.0? That's fater than 1394(firewire). Is transfer stopping for user input--"Are you sure you want to move hidden file, system filename.xxx?". Maybe try to convert your data to an ISO and transferring it that way. It's one big file then, in stead of thousands.

Answer 4

Im not exactly sure but it could be your processor speed or the amount of memory you have!!But 1 hour to move 3 gigs dont sound that slow to me although ive never tried this....Hope this helps..

Answer 5

I have a 500gb ext hd and do about 1 gb a min on a usb not firwire connection. i would stop any processes fro m running when doing this other than that I wouldn't know.