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-MFra-21-Topaz II
21-Topaz II
October 14, 2016
Solved

How to use the command "robocopy", in safe mode, to copy from c:\xxxx to a pen drive?

  • October 14, 2016
  • 3 replies
  • 11561 views

Hello everyone,

I have a question, although this isn't,  perhaps, the page suitable for such problem . Anyway, I'll try. I want to save some folders with the  Windows command prompt, in safe mode before doing a complete system recovery. I would like to know what are the most convenient options to copy from c:\xxxx  in a pen drive an entire folder and all subfolders  , with the command "ROBOCOPY" from the command prompt? Of course, are welcome several tips about.

Thank you

F. M.

Best answer by RichardJ

robocopy <source> <destination> /S will copy the source and all subfolders except empty ones. Changing the option to /E will include empty subfolders.

For example robocopy c:\folder1\folder2\*.* f:\folder3 /S will copy the contents of folder 2, and all subfolders, to folder3. If the name of a folder has a space in it, use quotes, for example robocopy "c:\folder 1\folder 2\*.*" "f:\folder 3" /S

3 replies

R
RichardJ19-TanzaniteAnswer
19-Tanzanite
October 14, 2016

robocopy <source> <destination> /S will copy the source and all subfolders except empty ones. Changing the option to /E will include empty subfolders.

For example robocopy c:\folder1\folder2\*.* f:\folder3 /S will copy the contents of folder 2, and all subfolders, to folder3. If the name of a folder has a space in it, use quotes, for example robocopy "c:\folder 1\folder 2\*.*" "f:\folder 3" /S

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-MFra-21-Topaz IIAuthor
21-Topaz II
October 15, 2016

Hi Richard

it was easier to use the "old" command xcopy.

Anyway, thank you very much.

W
Werner_E25-Diamond I
25-Diamond I
October 14, 2016

If you are unsure and don't like to play around with robocopy's many command line switches, you may also consider using one the many freely available GUI-frontends for robocopy, like

Microsoft Robocopy GUI

YARCGUI

RobocopyMonitor

Robocopy GUI

etc.

    A
    AlvaroDíaz12-Amethyst
    12-Amethyst
    October 14, 2016

    Hi F.M.

    The parameter /L is for simulate the copy, without doing nothing.

    In safe mode you can't use a windows GUI, but can use some filemanagers, like volkov commander, or better (but its'n which I use) farmanager, which it's actually the best that I know for console mode. I know that farmanager can call robocopy from the panels, but never try it in safe mode, and don't know if it can works, because far calls power shell and this it is not always available.

    Maybe can ask in the far forum: https://forum.farmanager.com/

    Best regards and very good luck!

    Alvaro.

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      -MFra-21-Topaz IIAuthor
      21-Topaz II
      October 16, 2016

      Hi A.D.

      The fact is that, on the HP's recovery panel, of one of my laptops, there are various options, which may include the backup before recovery. In the help of the backup panel, there is the button, guide to the backup, which shows the list of extensions of all files that can be saved. The extensions: mcd, xmcd, mcdx, are not present, however htm is present. So, to avoid losing files, I decided to make a copy manually. Maybe it was not necessary.

      Many greetings

      F. M.

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