I’m trying to backup all of my folders/files on my C drive, but some seem to be copy protected. When I try to execute a drag and drag copy of a 100 MB folder to a new external HD, Windows refuses, telling me “Error copying file or folder.”
When I rightclick, hit “properties” and uncheck “Read only” under Attributes, then apply and save, this doesn’t work either. For some reason, some of the folder just can’t be copied. I’m using Windows XP.
Any ideas?
(Yes, I realize this is the slowest way possible to transfer the contents of my C drive to my G drive. Please clue me in to a faster way.)
I’d recommend using robocopy, a robust command-line copying utility from Microsoft. It can be downloaded as part of the Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools. Note that you don’t actually have to run the installer; the file can be expanded with any zip program.
Running the command robocopy c:\SourceFolder g:\DestinationFolder /MIR /R:3 /W:3 /LOG:c:\copylog.txt will make an exact replica of the source folder in the destination folder. If it is unable to copy any files it will retry 3 times (/R:3) with a 3 second interval (/W:3) and then go on. It will create a detailed log of what happened (/LOG:c:\copylog.txt).
The most likely reason for the errors is that you’re trying to copy files which are in use.
There’s a backup program built-in to Windows XP. Right click on the C: drive in My Computer, select Properties and then the Tools tab and you should see a button that says “Backup Now.”
As Number said, most likely you’re trying to copy files that are in use.
Actually XP chokes on a mass copying all the time and not just with in use files. I’ve done mass cut and paste audio file copying before, and at some point, for some reason, XP just decides it’s had enough, and starts choking on specific files. These audio music files aren’t in use in any way, shape or form. Eventually I just have to start selecting smaller and smaller groups and try to avoid the “trip” file that blows the mass copy.
Not in XP Home. One file that’s always in use when you’re logged in is C:\Documents and Settings\Username
tuser.dat. It’s far easier to use a proper backup utility like the other ones mentioned above.
You’re right. I use a free program called SyncToy to back up the My Documents folder from my computer. It’s one of the Microsoft Powertoys programs and is available for free from the Microsoft website. The nice thing about it is that it won’t abort the copy if a file is in use, and also, it’s good for subsequent backups, since it keeps track of which files have changed.
Yup, we see the same thing with copying simple JPG files that are in no way, shape, or form in use that we can tell. Windows will refuse to copy many of them, and we have to resort to something dumb like opening them in Irfanview, then doing “Save As…” to get them to copy. Now, it seems odd that Irfanview can open and save these reputedly uncopyable files, but oh well… :rolleyes: