Disk snapshot software

[mindsigh]

I have programs that will back up my hard drive. I have programs that will create an iso image of my hard drive. I have programs that will uninstall prevoiusly installed programs.

What I want to do, simply, is to take a snapsot of the files on my drive or chosen directory/s and then compare the results with a snapshot of files that were on my drive previously.

Exactly what I want to do is this:

1. Lets assume that my C:\ drive today has on it 10,000 files (The number is completely irrelevant and purely for the sake of 'what if')
2. I now install a new program - adding of course more files to my drive.

What files have been added and what directories have they been added to?

 

[WyomingKnott]

I have two ways of doing this:

1) Have a separate drive with a complete "before" image, and use a recursive comparison program like WinDiff or Delta.

2) Do a full, sorted listing of all the files on your drive before. Install. Do a full, sorted listing of all the files on your drive after. Compare the two files.

If you are really curious, you might also dump the registry before-and-after and diff. That might take a lot of time.

 

[hang-the-9]

Don't know if there are free utilities for that, but any application package builder has a "watch" function that scans a system, allows you to install/add files, and then will scan again for the differences.

 

[GhislainG]

Before installing the new program, perform a complete or an incremental backup (or reset the archive bit on all files if you don't use a real backup solution). After installation, perform an incremental backup which will include only the files that have been replaced and/or added. You could also search for all files that have their archive bit set.