Copying new files from one disk to another

[Robert]

I would like to copy files from one hard drive to another. The thing is, I
don't want to replace any files. If there is already a file with the same
name on the target disk, there should be no copy and we move on to the next
file. How can I do this? Some dos code, maybe?

Robert

 

[John John - MVP]

Use Robocopy, it's available at the Microsoft site.

John

 

[Twayne]

I would like to copy files from one hard drive to another. The thing
is, I don't want to replace any files. If there is already a file
with the same name on the target disk, there should be no copy and we
move on to the next file. How can I do this? Some dos code, maybe?

Robert

If you know DOS at all, XXCopy.exe at xxcopy.com will do that and a lot
more for you. Batch capable, of course. I use it for certain important
backups I don't want to wait for nightly incrementals to back up. Can
really make DOS dance. Look at the Tech Bulletins listed for using
XXCopy; it has hundreds of switches available to do things.
Also uses all xcopy commands. In fact, it's a super-set of xcopy, just
a lot more capable.

HTH,

Twayne

 

[Robert]

Thank you. I looked at xxcopy.com and they don't mention anything about
skipping existing files. What is a Tech Bulletin?

 

[Robert]

Thank you. No. I will not modify my source disk.

 

[Robert]

Thank you. Does this work on Windows XP Home?

Use Robocopy, it's available at the Microsoft site.

John

 

[John John - MVP]

I haven't specifically tried it on XP Home but I can't see why it
wouldn't work.

John

 

[Twayne]

Thank you. I looked at xxcopy.com and they don't mention anything
about skipping existing files. What is a Tech Bulletin?

It's a strange naming convention, but they're explanation of each set of
switches for xxcopy use.

You can skip files in a couple different ways: See Excluding or
Exclusion if you're searching for the switches. You can use wild
cards, tell it not to copy if the file already exists, a file of names
not to copy, several don't copy if ... possibilities.
Here's an excerpt from tech bulletin 5:
----------
Some examples of the /X switch

The exclusion parameter must be specified immedately after /X
(without a space).

/Xc:\mydir\myfile.txt // specifies just a single file
/X*.tmp // all files that end with ".tmp"
/Xabc* // all files that start with "abc"

To improve readability, we suggest inserting a colon after X.
Here are more examples:

/X:mydir\ // the entire directory, "mydir" in the source
/X:mydir\*\* // same as /Xmydir\ which is a shortcut
/X:mydir\*\*.tmp // inside mydir, all files matching "*.tmp"
/X:my*xyz\*\abc*.c // in directories that match my*xyz, all
"abc*.c"
/X:*\cache\ // multiple-level subdirectories
/X:*\cache\*\* // same as above with a trailing backslash
/X:*\cach?\*\* // multiple-level subdir spec may have
wildcards
/X:"\Program Files\" // use quotes (") with a pattern with a space


------------

Those are just the switch parts, mind you. There are others for working
from files and so on in other bulletins.

I've used it for a long time and haven't found anything yet directory
or file-wise that it can't do. I use it to add dates to some of my
backup files for a poor man's versioning system and several other
things. You can put together some really complex commands with it once
you get used to it. It's also recursive-safe: if for instance you saved
a backup to the same drive you want to backup, it'll automacally know to
skip over the backup it just created somehow. I don't do that so it's
not of much interest to me; have only read about it.

HTH,

Twayne

 

[Twayne]

Thank you. Does this work on Windows XP Home?

Yes, it will. It's a bit easier to use than XXCopy with a few less
controls but might work for you. I haven't used it in years now.
Twayne

 

[Robert]

Thank you.

It's a strange naming convention, but they're explanation of each set of
switches for xxcopy use.

You can skip files in a couple different ways: See Excluding or
Exclusion if you're searching for the switches. You can use wild
cards, tell it not to copy if the file already exists, a file of names not
to copy, several don't copy if ... possibilities.
Here's an excerpt from tech bulletin 5:
----------
Some examples of the /X switch

The exclusion parameter must be specified immedately after /X
(without a space).

/Xc:\mydir\myfile.txt // specifies just a single file
/X*.tmp // all files that end with ".tmp"
/Xabc* // all files that start with "abc"

To improve readability, we suggest inserting a colon after X.
Here are more examples:

/X:mydir\ // the entire directory, "mydir" in the source
/X:mydir\*\* // same as /Xmydir\ which is a shortcut
/X:mydir\*\*.tmp // inside mydir, all files matching "*.tmp"
/X:my*xyz\*\abc*.c // in directories that match my*xyz, all "abc*.c"
/X:*\cache\ // multiple-level subdirectories
/X:*\cache\*\* // same as above with a trailing backslash
/X:*\cach?\*\* // multiple-level subdir spec may have wildcards
/X:"\Program Files\" // use quotes (") with a pattern with a space


------------

Those are just the switch parts, mind you. There are others for working
from files and so on in other bulletins.

I've used it for a long time and haven't found anything yet directory or
file-wise that it can't do. I use it to add dates to some of my backup
files for a poor man's versioning system and several other things. You can
put together some really complex commands with it once you get used to it.
It's also recursive-safe: if for instance you saved a backup to the same
drive you want to backup, it'll automacally know to skip over the backup
it just created somehow. I don't do that so it's not of much interest to
me; have only read about it.

HTH,

Twayne

 

[Robert]

Thank you.

I haven't specifically tried it on XP Home but I can't see why it wouldn't
work.

John