Need help with multiple folder size for backups

[888888]

I have a simple but frustrating problem. I am currently in the process of backing up my extensive music collection onto HD-Burn CDRs. I have my music in an artist folder\album folder\song files structure. My plan was to highlight 1.4 GB worth of artist folders in explorer, then burn them in NERO. My problem is that explorer does not tell you the total size of folders, be it one or many selected. Neither does NERO. This is a big problem because I don't want to be right clicking a million times until I get just 1.4 GB. There has to be an easier way! Here is a picture for clarity.


I found a program on Google that claims to fix this but it seems like a scam and is also trialware. I have read all the XP documentation I have to no avail. Please help. Thanks.

[stiltman]

Sorry I can't help, but
why don't you do a screenshot of the contents of the Uriah Heep folder

[thecoalman]

Don't see what the problem is? The highlighted folders add up to 2.8 gigs. Just highlight a few less.

[888888]

Sorry I can't help, but
why don't you do a screenshot of the contents of the Uriah Heep folder

I think I'll save that for the OT forum.
But here is a taste.



Coalman, you see how the size of the files is displayed in the status bar? That is what I want to happen for folders. The properties dialog box goes away if I un-highlight something.

I have no less than 23 GB of mp3s and the highlight, right-click, try again system will not work for me.

[thecoalman]

I see what you mean... I could swear I remember 98 reporting multiple file sizes in the staus bar.

[thecoalman]

Being that at some point in time I'll need that feature, "I went a huntin". Found this http://www.explorerxp.com/

[888888]

Being that at some point in time I'll need that feature, "I went a huntin". Found this http://www.explorerxp.com/

Thanks for the link. I am VERY wary of such programs due to spyware and malware. Judging from the "donation" button, I hope that this is a non-for-profit venture and not some program laden with hidden spyware and viruses like those "history cleaners".

And I can't believe that XP doesn't have a folder size view option. That feature seems so easy to implement. It boggles the mind.

Does anyone have good experience with this ExplorerXP? Does anyone know of a way to solve my problem without special software?

[stiltman]

Try this

dir drive:\path /D /N /W /C /N /O /P /S

Edit to include other switches and I left out the important /s before
Do a /? at the end to see other possible uses

[thecoalman]

I am VERY wary of such programs due to spyware and malware. Judging from the "donation" button, I hope that this is a non-for-profit venture and not some program laden with hidden spyware and viruses like those "history cleaners".

I did some searching, if theres any malicious progams in it it usually pops right up. I couldn't find anything, matter of fact one spyware site mentioned it's use because it saw files windows explorer wouldn't. That was from a user of the site, not the site.

I'm not endorsing it, I haven't installed it either. Try download.com, view the user comments before downloading anything.

[stiltman]

Just installed it on my test XP box.
Didn't seem to install anything else besides the program.
It even has a details tab to inform you what was installed
It doesn't take the place of explorer.exe
My spyware catchers didn't catch anything.
My firewall didn't catch it phoning home either

BTW, for the normal explorer if you hold your mouse over a folder,
It will popup the size (popup tool tip thingy) it's under folder options

I'll stick with DOS

[thecoalman]

BTW, for the normal explorer if you hold your mouse over a folder,
It will popup the size (popup tool tip thingy) it's under folder options

That only works for single folders not multiple ones.

Thx for testing it guess I'll try it myself now.

[888888]

Couldn't find it on download.com which is a very good sign since that site is full of crappy spyware filled progams.

Thanks for testing it stiltman. I will try it now myself.

[888888]

Just installed it. Nice program. Does exactly what I needed. Again, my buddies at videohelp.com have helped me solve my problem. Thanks stilt and coal-man.

And judging by the number of programs that are made to show folder size, I guess XP does not have such a function.

[thecoalman]

I swear 98 did that, that's pretty lame not including a feature as simple as that when viewing folders.

[ViRaL1]

Not that this would help outside of burning, but once you have chosen a medium and a selected method, Nero SHOULD show you at the bottom how much space you have available to burn on the disc. Each time you add or remove files / folders it recalculates. Take a rough guess at where the 1.4GB mark is and highlight all those folders, then remove accordingly. Even with hundreds of folders you can still drag and drop several at a time so it shouldn't take more than a minute or two.

[888888]

Not that this would help outside of burning, but once you have chosen a medium and a selected method, Nero SHOULD show you at the bottom how much space you have available to burn on the disc. Each time you add or remove files / folders it recalculates. Take a rough guess at where the 1.4GB mark is and highlight all those folders, then remove accordingly. Even with hundreds of folders you can still drag and drop several at a time so it shouldn't take more than a minute or two.

Using ExplorerXP has already saved me time. It is faster, trust me.