copy all files from laptop expeditiously

It's that time for a new installation of programs on my Pavilion dv9700, Vista operating system. 

With dos, I could probably write a command (if I knew the correct one), but is there a quick way to copy/paste

all files to an external disk without going through all the corners and crevices of Desktop, Documents, Scans, Downloads, etc.?

  Thanks to all for any help.