Help! Need a robust copying tool which copies all files

[Odelot]

I'm still looking for a robust copying tool which will copy all files from a set of directories to an external drive. I've tried numerous things such as XCopy, Robocopy, FastCopy as well as a few others - and none of these can be counted on to copy all the files. I then have to run Total Commander or right click (and select properties) on directories in both the source and destination to find the culprit files. In the most recent instance of using XCopy, I was able to find a culprit file using the right click method and was then able to simply drag and drop it in the destination directory. It seems as if it didn't copy because of a long file name. But why would it copy easily in drag and drop and not in XCopy?

Does anyone know of a robust copying tool which will just merely duplicate the directories onto the external drive? I repeatedly run into this issue and find it difficult to imagine that such a tool doesn't exist.

 

[samuria]

All should do that robocopy can produce a report if some are failing they are either locked you don't have permission or a disk fault

 

[WinDozeUser]

Perhaps some answers can be found here:

MS-DOS xcopy command help

or

Xcopy Command (Examples, Options, Switches, and More)

 

[Golden]

Does anyone know of a robust copying tool which will just merely duplicate the directories onto the external drive? I repeatedly run into this issue and find it difficult to imagine that such a tool doesn't exist.

Robocopy does that without fail - you need to look into the parameters/switches properly.

 

[Odelot]

Robocopy does that without fail - you need to look into the parameters/switches properly.

It's my understanding that FastCopy and Robocopy work off the same code. I've used FastCopy several times and it doesn't always copy all files.

When I've found the culprit files, some of the issues have been:
1) Directories didn't retain the properties (e.g. new directory will have the files in it, but right click and properties shows it to be empty)
2) Doesn't copy files with long file path name
3) Permission issues

 

[Odelot]

Perhaps some answers can be found here:

MS-DOS xcopy command help

or

Xcopy Command (Examples, Options, Switches, and More)

XCopy failed to copy files with a long file name. Is there a code in XCopy which I may have failed to include which will force it to copy all files - even those with too long a file name?

 

[giobaxx]

I have the need and i was looking for the best combination of switches to backup a folder over the network but i had some doubt. I started from here:
robocopy D:\data \\Server_Share /mir /XA:SH /R:3 /W:5 /np /log:backup_log.txt

but the user is a bit worried to use the /mir switch who delete a folder in the destination if is removed from the source. So I thought to use the /e switch:

robocopy D:\data \\Server_Share /e /XA:SH /R:3 /W:5 /np /log:backup_log.txt

In this case I copy all everytime a run the command overwriting folder and/or files with same name. Correct? If yes this could make the copy slower. So with the /e swicth there is a way to tell "copy the file only if the file is newer"

What make some doubt is what i found on this link:

ROBOCOPY - Create Backup Script - Windows 7 Help Forums

where are used the switch /e and /mir together:

robocopy F:\Data3 Q:\Backups\Data3 /e /mir /np /log+:backup_log.txt

if /mir is /e plus /purge has sense use them together?? what they do together?

Do you have any adivice? considering also that i have to backup over the network?

 

[Odelot]

Robocopy does that without fail - you need to look into the parameters/switches properly.

Do you have the proper syntax to use for Robocopy?
This is what I used to learn the syntax for XCopy. Xcopy Command (Examples, Options, Switches, and More)

 

[Golden]

Type this at the command prompt:

robocopy /?

 

[essenbe]

Moderated posted at Help! Need a robust copying tool which copies all files - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[dsperber]

I'm still looking for a robust copying tool which will copy all files from a set of directories to an external drive.

I'm not sure I fully appreciate what you're looking for that makes it unique or special from a good "backup/restore" software product that deals with folders and files.

I can highly recommend NovaBACKUP from NovaStor (not free, but very modestly priced). It supports both "backup/restore" of selected folders and files, as well as "copy" of selected folders and files. The BACKUP function is like ZIP in that all selected folders/files from selected drives are placed into a single target output file. The COPY function is what you'd expect, namely a complete copy of the selected folder/file tree structure from source to destination.

It has a very intuitive "old fashioned" simple and text-based Explorer-tree-like interface (i.e. not GUI), and also utilizes VSS Shadow Copy so that you can backup/copy "open files". You won't miss getting a file because it is "in use" by some program while the backup/copy job gets run.

There's no problem with long file names. And the backup/copy job can be run with a specific user logon, if you have some special access/permission concern.

Product has a free 30-day trial, if you want to see if it works for your needs. But again, very modestly priced.

 

[FreeBooter]

I hope batch script created by my friend Hackoo and modified by me is what you are looking for.

 

[Richter Scale]

If you just want a dynamic versatile utility that will sync folders this is a great program.

FreeFileSync - Free Data Backup and File Synchronization Software

I haven't challenged the robustness of this yes, (Hidden and locked files or empty folders or over network sync), but it is awesome and fast.