Method for a cloning process to enable cloning a larger System drive to a smaller system

Abstract

System and method for automatically discarding sets of pre specified files or divert sets of pre specified files from the files that would normally be sent to a storage device during a backup or cloning operation as the backup device becomes full. The embodiments are used to allow a backup of a storage device onto a smaller capacity storage device with as many files as possible. The embodiments uses one or more lists of files to discard which are used to filter files as the target drive become full.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for backing up a source storage device comprising:
 a personal computer having a processor;   a first storage device, where the said first storage device is a primary storage device for said personal computer;   said first storage device storing a first list of files that are not to be transferred from said primary storage device to a backup storage device as part of a backup operation, said first list of files arranged in groups, with each group comprising first criteria indicative of plural files, and an associated percentage of remaining capacity of said backup storage device associated with said first criteria;   
       said processor running a first software program, operating for determining if a remaining storage capacity of said backup storage device has been decreased such that at least one next file to be transferred from said primary storage device to said backup storage device cannot be contained therein, and operating to query a user to enter a second criteria denoting files to be purged from said backup storage device such that a remaining storage capacity of said backup storage device is sufficient to contain the at least one next file to be transferred from said primary storage device to said backup storage device. 
     
     
         2 . A system as in  claim 1 , wherein said first software program also operating for checking a remaining capacity of said backup storage device after files from said primary storage device have been transferred to said backup storage device, and if the remaining capacity is less than at least one of the said percentage of remaining capacity of said backup storage device listed in at least a first group of said first list of files, controlling files residing on said backup storage device to be copied from said backup storage device to said network storage device then purged from said backup storage device if they match the first criteria. 
     
     
         3 . A system as in  claim 2 , further comprising the backup storage device. 
     
     
         4 . A system as in  claim 3 , further comprising a connection to at least a first external bus on said personal computer, and wherein said backup storage device is connected to said first external bus. 
     
     
         5 . A system as in  claim 2 , wherein said first criteria comprises names representing part or all of a name of files and/or names of directories and subdirectories. 
     
     
         6 . A system as in  claim 2 , wherein said first criteria comprises file extensions denoting types of files. 
     
     
         7 . A system as in  claim 2 , wherein said first software program also operates to send information indicative of format to said backup storage device such that said backup storage device will be bootable. 
     
     
         8 . A system as in  claim 2 , wherein said first software program determines if a remaining storage capacity of said backup storage device is decreased such that the at least next file to be transferred from said primary storage device to said backup storage device cannot be contained therein, and said first software program operates to query a user to enter a second criteria denoting files to be purged from said backup storage device such that a remaining storage capacity of said backup storage device is sufficient to contain the at least next file to be transferred from said primary storage device to said backup storage device. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3  where said backup storage unit is one of a Network attached storage (NAS) device; or
 a volume, directory, or subdirectory contained on a network storage device and mapped such that said volume, directory, or subdirectory appears to said personal computer as a logical storage device. 
 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 3 , where said first external bus is any of a plurality of external buses providing connection between the said internal bus of said personal computer and said external peripheral is one of:
 USB;   SCSI;   E-SATA;   Optical Buses; or   Wireless Buses.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 3 , where said primary storage device and said backup storage device is one or more of:
 Rotating magnetic hard disk drives;   Rotating optical disk drives including read only drives and read/write drives;   Flash memory storage devices such as but not limited to:   Compact flash drives;   USB flash thumb drives; and/or   SD drives.   
     
     
         12 . A computer system comprising:
 a personal computer having a processor and a first storage device, where the said first storage device is a primary storage device for said personal computer, said personal computer having a connection to a backup storage device;   said first storage device storing a programs to be executed by said processor,   said first storage device storing a first list of excluded files that are not to be transferred from said primary storage device to the backup storage device as part of a backup operation when the backup storage device is connected, said first list of files arranged in groups, with each group comprising first criteria indicative of plural files, and an associated percentage of remaining capacity of said backup storage device associated with said first criteria;   said processor running a first software program, which determines if a remaining storage capacity of said backup storage device has been decreased such that at least one next file to be transferred from said primary storage device to said backup storage device cannot be contained in said backup storage device, and said first software program operating to obtain a second criteria denoting files to be purged from said backup storage device such that a remaining storage capacity of said backup storage device will become sufficient to contain the at least one next file to be transferred from said primary storage device to said backup storage device.   
     
     
         13 . A system as in  claim 12 , wherein said first software program also operating for checking a remaining capacity of said backup storage device after files from said primary storage device have been transferred to said backup storage device, and if the remaining capacity is less than at least one of the said percentage of remaining capacity of said backup storage device listed in at least a first group of said first list of files, controlling files residing on said backup storage device to be copied from said backup storage device to said network storage device then purged from said backup storage device if they match the first criteria. 
     
     
         14 . A system as in  claim 12 , further comprising a connection to at least a first external bus on said personal computer, and wherein said backup storage device is connected to said first external bus. 
     
     
         15 . A system as in  claim 12 , wherein said first criteria comprises names representing part or all of a name of files and/or names of directories and subdirectories. 
     
     
         16 . A system as in  claim 12 , wherein said first criteria comprises file extensions denoting types of files. 
     
     
         17 . A method of backing up files, comprising:
 storing a first list of excluded files that are not to be transferred from a primary storage device of a computer to a backup storage device as part of a backup operation when the backup storage device is connected, said storing comprising storing said first list of files arranged in groups, with each group comprising first criteria indicative of plural files, and an associated percentage of remaining capacity of said backup storage device associated with said first criteria;   using a processor of said computer for running a first software program, which determines if a remaining storage capacity of said backup storage device has been decreased such that at least one next file to be transferred from said primary storage device to said backup storage device cannot be contained in said backup storage device, and said first software program operating to obtain a second criteria denoting files to be purged from said backup storage device such that a remaining storage capacity of said backup storage device will become sufficient to contain the at least one next file to be transferred from said primary storage device to said backup storage device.   
     
     
         18 . A system as in  claim 17 , wherein said first software program also operating for checking a remaining capacity of said backup storage device after files from said primary storage device have been transferred to said backup storage device, and if the remaining capacity is less than at least one of the said percentage of remaining capacity of said backup storage device listed in at least a first group of said first list of files, controlling files residing on said backup storage device to be copied from said backup storage device to said network storage device then purged from said backup storage device if they match the first criteria.