Windows 7: Major problems copying and moving files

What good is an operating system if you can't safely move and copy files? I have had this (and similar problems) happen several times in Windows 7. I am trying to move large (video) files. I dragged the files into a sub folder. Windows Explorer indicated move into x folder. But Windows then shows the files in both the source and destination folders. (So I thought they must have been copied instead.) So I deleted the files from the source area, but then they were gone from both places. (I always do shift-delete, so they were gone, gone!) Now I'm looking at the folder/directory from a command prompt and it doesn't match what I see in Windows explorer. (There seems to be some confusion with moving verses copying and also--especially--updating or refreshing what is contained in folders.) This is not the first time. I have been burned with this several times. My only solution is to not trust what I am seeing and reboot my computer. Come on guys! This is a basic operating system function that I'm attempting here!!! I am an old DOS guy from way back. I am using an i7 processor and Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit).

I can consistently duplicate this. Move a file to subfolder. File still shows in source folder. Delete from source folder. File is deleted from subfolder (and then also disappears from source folder).

Are you using Libraries to move those files back and forth?

Eldongr, welcome to the Seven Forums.

I tried, three different rigs, two Ultimates and a Home Premium, and can not reproduce this issue.

If you drag and drop with left mouse button, the file is immediately moved to target folder and disappears from original folder when move is finished. With larger files, moving can take some time; during this time, the file is shown on both folders.

Dragging and dropping with the right mouse button is my method. When you do this, a tooltip tells Moving to (target) folder, but when you relese right mouse button in target folder, you get a context menu which let you choose between Move, Copy or Create shortcut.

Right button Drag:



Right button released:



Kari

Yes. This appears to be an issue with accessing folders through libraries. When I navigate using libraries I get different results than when looking at the same folder without libraries. Perhaps this is a user error, but I think not. Shouldn't copy, move, and viewing folder contents be the same regardless of how you navigated to the folder?

Libraries are not the actual file, they just represent files in other locations, thats what those pretty pictures are about. There is a setting to allow Libraries for moving files around but you would be far better served by simply going into the User folders to move those larger files around. It works more consistantly that way.

For instance, instead of going into Libraries to perform your file transfers, you should go into the "User name" User files, then use the My picture,My music, My documents, any of the User folders in order to move those files around.

Then also use the little blue Network icon, lower left after clicking on the file icon, then choose the> User name icon to transfer those files to other machines. It should work better for you after that. You will need to share the User folders on all machines for access to all the User folders.

There is also a way to enable file transfers using Libraries but it needs to be enabled on all machines.

Wow. This is a dangerous "feature." I see that doing file transfers/maintenance while in libraries is a bad thing. So much for their usefulness if you ask me. Unfortunately when you delete files from a library, it also deletes them from the original folder (and what you see is NOT what you get) as far as file status/location...
Thanks

Oh yes, I didn't think OP might be moving files inside the library. Then, of course, this can happen.

Let's say your Videos library contains two folders, X:\Videos and Y:\Videos. You open Libraries > Videos and Y:\Videos side by side, dragging a file from Video library (actual location X:\Videos) to Y:\Videos.

Because Y:\Videos is included in Video library, the file is of course shown on both also after the move. Only its actual de facto location is changed; opening X:\Videos don't show it any more because it was moved.

Conclusion: Library function is working as it was planned to work, as it is supposed to work. It shows the file, wherever it is actually located, as long as the location folder is included in library.

I can not see what is so difficult in this kind of behavior. Just remember library shows the content of all included folders.

Kari

I had something similar happen. It has to due with libraries. I figured it out and posted the solution in my original thread.

WMP Creates Duplicate Files

Let me suggest you try TerraCopy, it has a built-in verifyer and ignores issues like the library one in my experience. On the plus side, you move/copy speed will (in theory) improve.