How XP decides which file to copy - whats the order / priority?

  • Thread starter Thread starter twmonahan
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twmonahan

When copying folders or files, you can watch the names flash by on the
box (that has the animated folder floating across along with the
progress bar).

The names tend to be random (or are they?). I would assume it
copies by date or alphabetically - but it doesn't look this way.

If I had several folders each containing several files and decided to
mass copy (drag and drop them to another drive)... how does explorer
decide which folder and file to work with first?
 
When copying folders or files, you can watch the names flash by on the
box (that has the animated folder floating across along with the
progress bar).

The names tend to be random (or are they?). I would assume it
copies by date or alphabetically - but it doesn't look this way.

If I had several folders each containing several files and decided to
mass copy (drag and drop them to another drive)... how does explorer
decide which folder and file to work with first?
Click to expand...

Who cares? Does it make any difference?
 
If they told you, they'd have to shoot you.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
When copying folders or files, you can watch the names flash by on the
box (that has the animated folder floating across along with the
progress bar).

The names tend to be random (or are they?). I would assume it
copies by date or alphabetically - but it doesn't look this way.

If I had several folders each containing several files and decided to
mass copy (drag and drop them to another drive)... how does explorer
decide which folder and file to work with first?
Click to expand...

In the latter half of the 19th Century, Lord Maxwell concluded that
improbable answers to certain questions were the result of "demons"
that might serve as what could be described as policemen. Since this
particular question is similar to that was posed to counter the 2nd
Law of Thermodynamics, then there must be a "demon" to determine the
order by which files are processed. Such perturbances obviously lend
logic to answering questions like this. <:-}}
 
In the latter half of the 19th Century, Lord Maxwell concluded that
improbable answers to certain questions were the result of "demons"
that might serve as what could be described as policemen. Since this
particular question is similar to that was posed to counter the 2nd
Law of Thermodynamics, then there must be a "demon" to determine the
order by which files are processed. Such perturbances obviously lend
logic to answering questions like this. <:-}}
Click to expand...

I love it!
 
most likely in the order they actually appear on the hard drive.
sorting alphabetically or by date does not necessarily re-order their location on the hard drive.



(e-mail address removed)



When copying folders or files, you can watch the names flash by on the
box (that has the animated folder floating across along with the
progress bar).

The names tend to be random (or are they?). I would assume it
copies by date or alphabetically - but it doesn't look this way.

If I had several folders each containing several files and decided to
mass copy (drag and drop them to another drive)... how does explorer
decide which folder and file to work with first?
 
I've noticed that weird copying order before when you select all files, and
I think it was true with Win98 too (it's not unique to XP).
 
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