Restic on Windows: Another user trying to exclude directories

hi,
Could many Windows users put working examples of what they have in their exclude-file? I’m just another grey haired user, former programmer, trying to figure out a way that actually works to exclude C:$RECYCLE.BIN and any other drives $RECYCLE.BIN. Do I need to double the $ to $$?
Does having \temp in the exclude-file mean that on any drive the \temp will be excluded?
Windows is not case sensitive but restic seems to be. On Windows to the excludes have to be in the exact correct case? There is a iexclude option but no iexclude-file option.

My exclude-file:

\$$Recycle.Bin
\swapfile.sys
\hiberfil.sys
\pagefile.sys
\Program Files\Common Files\BitDefender
\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto
\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER
\recycled
\temp
\tmp
\Users\*\appdata\index.dat
\Users\*\AppData\Local\Package Cache
\Users\*\AppData\Local\Temp\
\Users\*\AppData\Roaming\*\cache\
\Users\*\AppData\Roaming\Genie-soft\
\Users\*\local\temp
\Users\*\local\microsoft\windows\inetcache
\Windows\debug
.cache
cache
cache2
rCache_0
*~
__pycache__
*.pyc
1 Like

Note that on the previous message the lines which have
\Users*
show incorrectly in the message. They are written as
Backslash Users Backslash Star Backslash
but the middle Backslash is not shown.

1 Like

I’ve fixed this for you by adding code formatting to the file content.

1 Like

Thanks a lof for the list.

Do you have one updated or this is the last?

For Windows a better exclude command option is ‘–iexclude’ which is case insensitive exclude. Windows is case insensitive for file names.
Also the ‘–use-fs-snapshot’ will allow you to read files that are open by asking Windows to give a snapshot of the file.
The list of files is my own personal list but you can use it for your use if you wish. You are responsible for your backups. What I’ve done is created a backup before a Windows Update. After the Update do another backup and list the files added. If you see a bunch of things which you don’t want using up space in the backup then put that directory in the iexclude. An example of things that I don’t want backed up are Microsoft Edge directories. However I also exclude Google\Drive and Microsoft\OneDrive
I cannot upload the file so I will have to put it inline which may look ugly.

# $ needs to be doubled because environment variables are expanded.
# File names have to be case correct unless this is a iexclude file which it is.
# This file is now used for case insensitive file names and dir.
# restic directories and files to exclude
# Microsoft has some recommendations in the registry under the key: FilesNotToBackup
# 20200624 allow full backup of firefox & thunderbird files. The Windows option to be able to read open files will be used to backup the files.
# Rcache_0 is a "special line" which indicates do not store cache files determined by restic
*.pyc
*.tmp
**cache**
**cache2**
**~
desktop.ini
__pycache__
C:\$$Recycle.Bin\**
C:\.cache
C:\Config.Msi
C:\Program Files\UNP\SystemLogs\**
C:\Program Files (x86)\CyberPower PowerPanel Personal Edition
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\**
C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge**
C:\Program Files\BitDefender\**
C:\Program Files\BitDefender Agent\**
C:\Program Files\Common Files\BitDefender**
C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\**
C:\ProgramData\Bitdefender\**
C:\ProgramData\Hewlett-Packard\**
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Diagnosis**
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\EdgeUpdate\**
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Search\**
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\SmsRouter\**
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Network\Downloader
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Win**
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\AppRepository\**
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\ClipSVC\**
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceMetadataCache**
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\LfSvc\Geofence\GeofenceApplicationID.dat
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Power\**
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\SystemData
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\WER
C:\ProgramData\Packages\**
C:\ProgramData\USOShared\Logs\**
C:\System Volume Information
C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Package Cache
C:\Users\*\AppData\Local\Temp\
C:\Users\*\AppData\Roaming\*\cache\
C:\Users\*\appdata\index.dat
C:\Users\*\local\microsoft\windows\inetcache
C:\Users\*\local\temp
C:\Users\DefaultAppPool\ntuser.dat.LOG1
C:\Users\DefaultAppPool\ntuser.dat.LOG2
C:\Users\x\AppData\LocalLow\Adobe\AcroCef\DC\Acrobat\Cache\**
C:\Users\x\AppData\LocalLow\Microsoft\CryptnetUrlCache\**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\AMD\**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\ATI\**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\ConnectedDevicesPlatform
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\D3DSCache\
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Google\Drive\**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Edge\User Data\Default\Service Worker\CacheStorage\
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\CacheStorage\  
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\OneDrive\**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\*.exe
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\CanonicalGroupLimited**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\GameBarElevatedFT_Alias.exe
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\Microsoft.DesktopAppInstaller**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\MicrosoftEdge.exe
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Caches\**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache\*
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\usrClass**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Packages\CanonicalGroupLimited**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Packages\InputApp**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.LockApp**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Microsoft**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.SkypeApp**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.Windows**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.YourPhone**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Packages\microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Roaming\Foxit Software\Foxit Reader\**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Themes\**
C:\Users\x\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\**
C:\Users\x\NTUSER.DAT
C:\Users\x\ntuser.dat.LOG1
C:\Users\x\ntuser.dat.LOG2
C:\Windows\netlogon.chg
C:\Windows\Logs\** 
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\**
C:\Windows\Panther\UnattendGC\**
C:\Windows\Prefetch\**
C:\Windows\Resources\Themes\*\VSCache\*.*
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\LocalLow\Microsoft\CryptnetUrl*
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\ConnectedDevices**
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\FontCache**
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Ngc**
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\Temp**
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\NTUSER.DAT
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\NTUSER.DAT.LOG1
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\NTUSER.DAT.LOG2
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\DeliveryOptimization\
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\NTUSER.DAT
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\NTUSER.DAT.LOG1
C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\NTUSER.DAT.LOG2
C:\Windows\ServiceState\EventLog\Data\**
C:\Windows\servicing\**
C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\**
C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\ReportingEvents**
C:\Windows\System32\catroot\**
C:\Windows\System32\config\**
C:\Windows\System32\LogFiles\**
C:\Windows\System32\Microsoft\**
C:\Windows\System32\PerfStringBackup.INI
C:\Windows\System32\SleepStudy\**
C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\**
C:\Windows\System32\WDI\*
C:\Windows\system32\MSDtc\*
C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\**
C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\Microsoft\Windows\**
C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs\**
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\
C:\Windows\Temp\**
C:\Windows\WinSxS\**
C:\Windows\appcompat\appraiser\APPRAISER_*
C:\Windows\debug
# hiberfil.sys keep ram contents when the computer goes into hibernation
C:\hiberfil.sys
C:\pagefile.sys
C:\recycled
C:\swapfile.sys
C:\temp
C:\tmp
rCache_0

hope this helps.

2 Likes

Fantastic update! Thanks a lof for sharing!

The list of files is my own personal list but you can use it for your use if you wish. You are responsible for your backups.
Sure! No problem. It’s a very good point to start from.