How can I 'Copy and Replace' not 'Move and Replace'.


  1. Posts : 178
    Windows 7 home
       #1

    How can I 'Copy and Replace' not 'Move and Replace'.


    For some reason W7 has decided to change 'Copy and Replace' with 'Move and Replace' when picking a file up with the left mouse and dragging it to another folder where an old version of the file exists.

    My Excel SS is in two places: My desktop and USB which I use for backup. I would simply open the folder on the USB pick up the file on the desktop with the left mouse and drag it to the USB folder. Then I would get the message 'Copy and Replace'.. But not anymore it's become 'Move and Replace'.

    I know I can 'Copy and Replace' by holding down the Ctrl key but I dont want to.

    It looks like there should be a simple answer

    Can anyone help? I swear I didnt change anything.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 20,583
    Win-7-Pro64bit 7-H-Prem-64bit
       #2

    Hi,
    Have you ever tried right click drag and drop ?
    There will be a list option after you drop,
    Cheers.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 71,977
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
       #3

    Hello UKdodger,

    In addition, you could use "Copy To Folder" for this if you like. :)

    Context Menu - Add Copy To Folder and Move To Folder
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 6,458
    x64 (6.3.9600) Win8.1 Pro & soon dual boot x64 (6.1.7601) Win7_SP1 HomePrem
       #4

    Any chance that they Ctrl key is stuck? (I have two on my KB, so test both)

    Try turning the keyboard upside down and tapping lightly on the back a few times.

    I'll see if I can find anything else that might help, but that's all I have at the moment. Sounds silly, but often the simple solutions work.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 2,465
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       #5

    This is a standard behavior in Windows, since much before Win7.
    When drag-drop with left mouse button, if the files are put on the same drive, it moves them. If the files are dropped on a different drive, it copies them instead.
    No idea what's the rationale behind that, but that's the normal behavior of Windows Explorer, and has worked that way for quite some time.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 4,049
    W7 Ultimate SP1, LM19.2 MATE, W10 Home 1703, W10 Pro 1703 VM, #All 64 bit
       #6

    Alejandro85 said:
    This is a standard behavior in Windows, since much before Win7.
    When drag-drop with left mouse button, if the files are put on the same drive, it moves them. If the files are dropped on a different drive, it copies them instead.
    No idea what's the rationale behind that, but that's the normal behavior of Windows Explorer, and has worked that way for quite some time.
    That is my recollection too.

    I've used the keyboard overrides for many years.
    I used to use right mouse button Drag & Drop, before I knew about the keyboard overrides.
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 6,458
    x64 (6.3.9600) Win8.1 Pro & soon dual boot x64 (6.1.7601) Win7_SP1 HomePrem
       #7

    Alejandro85 said:
    This is a standard behavior in Windows, since much before Win7.
    When drag-drop with left mouse button, if the files are put on the same drive, it moves them. If the files are dropped on a different drive, it copies them instead.
    No idea what's the rationale behind that, but that's the normal behavior of Windows Explorer, and has worked that way for quite some time.
    I started writing the same explanation, but I read the first post again.

    Ukdodger is trying to Drag and Drop a file from the desktop to a USB device.
    This should be a copy operation, but it's a move operation on that machine.

    Are the mouse buttons somehow reversed?
    Look in Control Panel > Mouse and check the button assignments.

    I know, you didn't change anything :) This becomes is a process of elimination.
    You might also look in Control Panel > Troubleshooting > Hardware > Configure a device
    Press advanced and unTick Apply Repairs Automatically
    Then read through the list of issues found and decide if you need to apply the fix
    (I have some devices intentionally disabled, and I don't automatically apply Windows Updates - those are two fixes the troubleshooter wanted to apply on my machine)

    Please provide feedback on the steps you have taken and if they failed or succeeded in solving the issue.

    Thanks
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 178
    Windows 7 home
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Slartybart said:
    Alejandro85 said:
    This is a standard behavior in Windows, since much before Win7.
    When drag-drop with left mouse button, if the files are put on the same drive, it moves them. If the files are dropped on a different drive, it copies them instead.
    No idea what's the rationale behind that, but that's the normal behavior of Windows Explorer, and has worked that way for quite some time.
    I started writing the same explanation, but I read the first post again.

    Ukdodger is trying to Drag and Drop a file from the desktop to a USB device.
    This should be a copy operation, but it's a move operation on that machine.

    Are the mouse buttons somehow reversed?
    Look in Control Panel > Mouse and check the button assignments.

    I know, you didn't change anything :) This becomes is a process of elimination.
    You might also look in Control Panel > Troubleshooting > Hardware > Configure a device
    Press advanced and unTick Apply Repairs Automatically
    Then read through the list of issues found and decide if you need to apply the fix
    (I have some devices intentionally disabled, and I don't automatically apply Windows Updates - those are two fixes the troubleshooter wanted to apply on my machine)

    Please provide feedback on the steps you have taken and if they failed or succeeded in solving the issue.

    Thanks
    Cheers for your help. Well I tried that without result. It didnt find anything that needed fixing.

    This happened before a long time ago but for the life of me I cant remember what the fix was. I think it had something to do with where the main file was. I was fiddling about copying from different places. It's infuriating that I cant remember. I did have a windows auto update just before this started a few days ago.

    Ah. I just tried the same procedure on my laptop using the same USB. It works as before - 'Copy' not 'Move'. But the laptop also went through an update the same day as the desktop. It's very perplexing.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 6,458
    x64 (6.3.9600) Win8.1 Pro & soon dual boot x64 (6.1.7601) Win7_SP1 HomePrem
       #9

    Do you have a restore point from before the time this issue began?

    Try that. You might be able to isolate the cause after the system has been "rolled back" in time.
      My Computer


 

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