why cant we copy users folder

[DonM123]

I copy my users folder so I get all the information in it and windows somehow has the ability to have 2 folders named USERS that must be merged. How is it that two folders with the name users exists. Why is it when I copy a group of files and folders that the computer wants to overwrite one file with another. THis just baffles. me IN dos you cant have two folders or files with the same name It wont let you. So how does this work out like this.

 

[RolandJS]

I get that error all the time when I accidentally highlighted the same folder in both the copy board and the paste board -- simply reject the offer to merge.

 

[DonM123]

This was the second time I copied the users folder- thinking WHAT how can this be. I rightclickdrag the "users" folder to a thumb drive. Then when I went to retreive the files it turned out the windows hid the folder and so I had to reclone back the old os then renistal win 10 and now finally copy the files. This time I copied the desktop and the libraries. I guess it does not really matter how I do it but I hope to find a good way to copy all information from all users. Of course if someone makes directory and saves their files there like I do ... I still cant stand to put a file someplace that I can not find in windows explorer readily.

I am not sure how one would highlight something in both copy board and paste board..

 

[samuria]

You will have a problem copying all users files as you won't have permission to access some they will be owned by the user

 

[RolandJS]

"...I am not sure how one would highlight something in both copy board and paste board..."
Picture this: I goto folder Barkies, wanting to copy the contents of source Barkies onto/into target Barkies elsewhere.
Not watching what I'm doing, I highlight target Barkies to Copy. Now, Paste operations: I go to another area, the area where the target Barkies reside -- highlight target Barkies and click Paste. Because both source Barkies and target Barkies were highlighted, Windows asks me if I want to merge both Barkies, I simply reject the offer.
Now, if one highlighted target Barkies in one area, and forgot where the explorer should be going, and instead accidentally attempt to copy Barkies in that original target area -- Windows will give an error that X cannot be copied onto X, a folder cannot be copied onto itself.

 

[Callender]

I actually use software to backup User profiles but as I have only one user profile on my machine I cannot test it for multiple user profile backups.

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EDIT: As someone has gone to the trouble of writing software to backup user profiles it does suggest that copy/ paste might present issues. Maybe it's a permissions/ locked files/ system files thing.

 

[RolandJS]

Callender, I couldn't find a hot-link to your nifty program idea -- where do I download that program from?

 

[Callender]

Callender, I couldn't find a hot-link to your nifty program idea -- where do I download that program from?

I will send you a PM with the link.

 

[RolandJS]

Got 'em! Callender, good stuff

 

[Megahertz07]

Windows don't allow you to copy a file that is in use. As many files are in use on the logged in account, you can't copy them.

If you want to copy a users account, log in on another Administrator account (if you don't have, create one).

As the user folder has system and hidden files, modify the folder options to show them.

 

[DonM123]

Thank you for your Replies. I also would like to know the name of this utility that someone made for backing up users accounts.
I went to
Geeks Toolbox and did not find anything there. Nice website though.

 

[DonM123]

Who uses DataGrab ? Do you like it