Can no longer copy files

  • Thread starter Thread starter Walter R.
  • Start date Start date
W

Walter R.

I have 2 hard drives with 3 and 4 partitions, each.

I don't know what I did but I have lost the ability to copy or move any
file/s from ONE of my partitions to a folder in any other partition.

Windows explorer will copy any file from any partition to any other
partition, EXCEPT it will not copy any file or folder from Partition E
(Backup) to any other partition or folder.

I get a message panel: Error Copying File -- Cannot Copy File -- OK. No
explanations why it refuses to copy.

All partitions have both the "Recycled" and the "System Information" file. I
removed and re-connected the restore facility. No luck.

I changed the file attributes to "archive". No luck

Thanks for any help.
 
Walter R. said:
I have 2 hard drives with 3 and 4 partitions, each.

I don't know what I did but I have lost the ability to copy or move any
file/s from ONE of my partitions to a folder in any other partition.

Windows explorer will copy any file from any partition to any other
partition, EXCEPT it will not copy any file or folder from Partition E
(Backup) to any other partition or folder.

I get a message panel: Error Copying File -- Cannot Copy File -- OK. No
explanations why it refuses to copy.

All partitions have both the "Recycled" and the "System Information" file. I
removed and re-connected the restore facility. No luck.

I changed the file attributes to "archive". No luck

Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

Try doing it from a Command Prompt in order to get some
proper feedback:

- Click Start / Run / cmd {OK}
- Type this command:
copy "E:\Some Folder\Some Subfolder\Some File.doc" c:\
 
If I try to copy from the command prompt, I get the message 'Windows cannot
find 'copy'

Any other ideas? Maybe I should do a repair install of windows?
 
I do not know what you typed and where you typed
it but it is physically impossible for the "copy" command
not to be recognised, because it is a so-called "internal"
command. If you can start a Command Prompt then
the "copy" command will work.

I suggest you try again. Make sure to follow my
instructions literally. If still unsuccessful, press the
Print Screen button on your keyboard, then open
MS Word and click Edit/Paste. If you attach this
screen shot to your reply then you might turn me
into a believer, but not before.
 
Hi again, Pegasus

OK I would like to copy all the contents of Drive E into Drive H (formatted
and empty)

I typed into the run command: Copy E:\* H:\ Windows does not even open the
black Dos screen but gives me the message: Windows cannot find 'copy'. ---
Therefore, I cannot send you an image.

I tried to copy the contents to a CD ROM but Nero would not copy them. I
tried to copy them in safe mode. No luck, either.

I have no trouble accessing any files in E:, I can even run an application
from E:, I just cannot copy or move any of the files in E:\ to any other
place.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks for your help
 
Walter R. wrote ::
Hi again, Pegasus

OK I would like to copy all the contents of Drive E into Drive H (formatted
and empty)

I typed into the run command: Copy E:\* H:\
Click to expand...

Copy is not an executable(as Pegasus said,it is an internal command) so you
cant run from Run command. Open a command prompt then try to do what
Pegasus said.

1) Start > Run > "C:\Windows\System32\Cmd.exe"
2) Type:
Copy "C:\Windows\Web\Wallpaper\Bliss.bmp" "C:\"


Good Luck, Ayush.
 
We're getting closer. In my first reply I asked you to open
a Command Prompt, by doing this:

Click Start / Run / cmd {OK}

You now report that you did NOT succeed in doing this,
hence it's no wonder that the "copy" command did not
work either.

Unfortunately you chose not to tell us what happened when
you tried to open a Command Prompt. This is essential
information!
 
I am sorry I did not follow your instructions. (It's been a long, long time
since I used the command line.)

OK, now I typed in "cmd" and I got the Dos screen. I typed in copy E:\*
H:\ -- The response: 'The system cannot find the file specified'

Somehow, Windows cannot see the H: partition

I checked for viruses and Trojans etc: Nothing.

If I put a new file into this partition, I CAN copy it out of there. Only
the old stuff in E: is stuck in there (10 years of backups).
 
Your report is somewhat contradictory. First you say that
Windows cannot see the H: partition and then you say that
you can put new files into it. You cannot have it both ways!

The copy command you used is not very useful. Try this one
instead:

xcopy /s /d /c /h e:\*.* h:\
 
Pegasus, you really deserve the title MVP!! You are a genius!

Your last instructions worked and this time I followed them to the letter.
Four GB of backups are now backed up on my other drive. (Belts and
Suspenders)

When I applied your script, Windows came back with 'Overwrite
H:\Recycled\desktop.ini (yes/no/all), I replied with 'All'. It then started
to copy all the files.-- Is this an indication of how I screwed up my
system?

I thank you very, very much.
 
Since H: is your backup volume, I do not think you can
"screw up" anything. After all, you did not do anything
to your source drive E:.

Once again we have a contradiction. You report that
the command worked very well but you also started this
thread by saying that you could no longer access files on
drive E:. Can't have it both ways! Somehow I suspect
that we're looking at things with different eyes and use
different words to describe them. You now have a few
options to choose from:
- Try the backup again from within Explorer.
- In future use the command I gave you.
- Put the command I gave you inside a batch file so that
you can invoke it via a shortcut.
- Let an expert have a look at your machine with his
own eyes. This can be achieved remotely.

By the way, while it's good to see that you're backing up
your important files, I am concerned that you're stopping
at the 50% mark. A good, solid, reliable backup must be
made to an independent storage medium that resides a
long way away from the PC for most of the time. At present
your backup disk is exposed to user errors, corruption by
Windows, fire, theft and lightning.
 
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