File Copy - Error message?

[PT]

I try backing up a folder with a large number of files to an external disk.
As it proceeds, I get a number of pauses, each with a message to the effect
that the file contains information that may be lost and should I continue.
I say yes and it proceeds copying for a while when the message pops up.

When I say yes, what type of info is being lost? Any way to avoid the
truncation?.

 

[John Inzer]

I try backing up a folder with a large number of files to an external
disk. As it proceeds, I get a number of pauses, each with a message
to the effect that the file contains information that may be lost and
should I continue. I say yes and it proceeds copying for a while when
the message pops up.
When I say yes, what type of info is being lost? Any way to avoid the
truncation?.

================================
They might be thumbs.db files...this can be
disabled by opening a folder and go to...
Tools / Folder Options / View tab...

Check the box...
Do Not Cache Thumbnails / Apply / OK...

BTW...these are hidden files so you cannot
see them unless you open a folder and go to...
Tools / Folder Options / View tab...and Tick...
Show Hidden Files And Folders / Apply / OK.

Once the files are visible...open the folder
you are copying to a different drive and delete
all the thumbs.db files...now try to backup
your files to the other drive and see if you
still receive the error message.

Here's more info on thumbs.db:

Stop Windows from saving the thumbnail cache (THUMBS.DB)
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article03-204

--


John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

 

[John Inzer]

Here's some info I copied from somewhere...
and I don't know who to give credit for it but
it may offer some ideas also:

===

DLA: The file 'thumbs.db' has extra information attached to it that
might be lost...
Description
Adding Data: Missing Data

Symptom
When attempting to drag a folder onto a DLA disc, the message,
"The file 'thumbs.db' has extra information attached to it that might be
lost if you continue to copy. The contents of this file will not be
affected. Information that might be lost includes: :encryptable :$DATA"

Solution
'Thumbs.db' is a cache file created by Windows that allows the
contents of a folder to be displayed quickly. Instead of having to
regenerate all the thumbnail images every time a folder is viewed, this file
contains the small, thumbnail images that are displayed when you view the
contents of a folder in "Thumbnail" view.
This file has multiple data streams, which includes encryption
information. It is this encryption information which will be lost when
writing these files to the disc.

There is no need to include these files when saving a folder to
your optical drive. Removing the thumbs.db file will not affect the contents
of the folder being copied either on the hard drive or on the optical disc.

If this warning is bothersome, thumbnail caching can be turned
off, and the existing thumbs.db files can be deleted.

To stop caching thumbnails:
1.. Click the Start button
2.. Select Control Panel
3.. Select Folder Options
4.. Click the View tab
5.. Check "Do not cache thumbnails"
6.. Click the OK button
To delete the existing thumbs.db files:
1.. Click on the "Start" button.
2.. Click on "Search."
3.. Click on "All files and folders."
4.. In the "All or part of the file name" box type "thumbs.db"
5.. In the "Look in:" drop-down menu select "Local Hard Drives
(C"
6.. Click Search. A list of the files found appears in the
right window.
7.. Click in the right window where the files are listed and
press the control button and the A button to select all the files (Ctrl+A).
8.. Press the "Delete" key on the keyboard, and confirm the
deletion.

===

--

John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk
===============================================

 

[Olórin]

I try backing up a folder with a large number of files to an external disk.
As it proceeds, I get a number of pauses, each with a message to the effect
that the file contains information that may be lost and should I continue.
I say yes and it proceeds copying for a while when the message pops up.

When I say yes, what type of info is being lost? Any way to avoid the
truncation?.

Sounds like you're copying from an NTFS drive to a FAT32 one. If so, the
warning is telling you about losing metadata stored in "alternate data
streams" (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897440.aspx)
that are associated with some of the files, since ADS aren't supported under
FAT32.

If you didn't create the streams yourself (which sounds very likely to be
the case!) then the copying won't lose you anything that you want. (But the
metadata *won't* be restored if the files are copied back from your external
disk.) There is no way to avoid this "truncation" short of using an
NTFS-formatted destination drive.

If the source and destination drives are both NTFS (or both FAT), then I've
no idea! Please post back with the *exact* text of the warning message.

Don't know why copying the thumbs.db files might throw up a warning......

 

[Gerry]

John

From here perhaps?
http://snipurl.com/b7x24 [support_sonic_com]

--



Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[John Inzer]

John

From here perhaps?
http://snipurl.com/b7x24 [support_sonic_com]

=================================
Wow...good detective work. I did not
recall where I copied that info from.

The last entry looks like the source.

--


John Inzer MS-MVP
Digital Media Experience

Notice
This is not tech support
I am a volunteer

Solutions that work for
me may not work for you

Proceed at your own risk

 

[Gerry]

That was my conclusion John.

Google produced a single result first time. It's an amazing tool!

--



Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John

From here perhaps?
http://snipurl.com/b7x24 [support_sonic_com]

=================================
Wow...good detective work. I did not
recall where I copied that info from.

The last entry looks like the source.

 

[Twayne]

I try backing up a folder with a large number of
files to an external
disk. As it proceeds, I get a number of pauses,
each with a message
to the effect that the file contains information
that may be lost and
should I continue. I say yes and it proceeds
copying for a while when
the message pops up.
When I say yes, what type of info is being lost?
Any way to avoid the
truncation?.

If you're copying to a CD/DVD drive or to a
different OS, then you will get that message.
What's being lost is the Summary Comments and
Notes, etc, you may have added to the files in
explorer. No actually useful/needed parts of the
program are being lost. ADS (Alternate Data
Stream) info is not copied in such instances,
which refers to my description above.
In other words, Properties, Summary, anything
you added there or that was originally with the
file under Comments and a couple other simple
things are being lost. You can look up ADS or
Alternate Data Streams in a seacrch engine for
more specific, detailed information.

HTH

Twayne