# File Copy Software **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 3, 2008, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/file-copy-software/447850 "2008-05-03T03:56:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2008, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/file-copy-software/447850/1 "2008-05-03T03:56:45Z")
Is there software that will copy files from a CD-ROM to a hard disk and not choke on unreadable files without having to use Windows’ copy feature one file at a time. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2008, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/file-copy-software/447850/2 "2008-05-03T04:57:53Z")
In Windows Explorer you can highlight as many files as you want to copy enmass. As for unreadable files, well, if they are unreadable they are unreadable. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2008, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/file-copy-software/447850/3 "2008-05-03T05:33:33Z")
I think what he’s complaining about is Window’s misfeature of stopping the \*entire transfer \*every time a single file can’t be copied (something the rest of the OSes got right 20+ years ago) leaving you with a partially-copied version. Vista, of all things, actually fixes this, although it does it in typical Vista “are you sure you’re sure you’re sure you’re sure” multi-dialog fashion, with “use same answer for all” checkboxes that sometimes work and sometimes don’t based on the phase of the moon. ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2008, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/file-copy-software/447850/4 "2008-05-03T05:34:39Z")
Is there software that will only skip the unreadable file and not quite altogether? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2008, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/file-copy-software/447850/5 "2008-05-03T06:15:58Z")
[Robocopy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robocopy) might work for you. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_B.Phart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Capt\_B.Phart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_B.Phart)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2008, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/file-copy-software/447850/6 "2008-05-03T09:04:51Z")
I’ve used [Jfilerecovery](http://www.jfilerecovery.com/) on crappy disks with success. With repeated trys it’s given good copies of files Explorer has choked on \*\*However \*\*-- it may not be exactly what your looking for since it doesn’t skip files, it transfers everything that can be transferred (even letting you swap the disk to different drives to re-read duff bits) It transfers ALL files, including the incomplete ones, (which would be a **very** bad thing with program files) so you’d have to manually delete them (it does tell you where the problems are, but IIRC, no actual skip option) (BTW it’s Java based, should run on Macs too) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2008, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/file-copy-software/447850/7 "2008-05-03T11:17:11Z")
```auto C:\>XCOPY /c ``` has worked in DOS & Windows for the last 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![Will\_Repair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@Will\_Repair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Will_Repair)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/file-copy-software/447850/8 "2008-05-06T13:12:43Z")
**LSLGuy** , I did xcopy /? but missed that. **Capt B. Phart** and **Dewey Finn** , I’ll try them. Thanks all. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2008, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/file-copy-software/447850/9 "2008-05-06T13:44:40Z")
I use xcopy - it can be a bit of a pain if you’re copying from a deeply-buried, weirdly-named folder to another one similarly hard to find from the command prompt. but you can save time and effort like this: [ul] [li]Open a command window[/li][li]type XCOPY \[/li][li]Using Windows Explorer, locate the source folder[/li][li]Drag the folder icon onto the command window[/li][li]The path name will be automatically inserted at the prompt[/li][li]etc.[/li][/ul]