_Command Line Interface CLI robocopy

jro11 · Aug 7, 2023

C:\Windows\System32>robocopy D:\Intel\ C:\Robotest\ /E /L
Result: no errors
C:\Windows\System32>robocopy D:\Intel\ C:\Robotest\ /E /L /COPYALL
Result: no errors

Traveling into the D drive:
C:\Windows\System32>robocopy D:\___________Configured Items\Home C:\Robotest\ /E /L /COPYALL

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ROBOCOPY :: Robust File Copy for Windows
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Started : Monday, August 7, 2023 12:13:08 PM
Source - D:\___________Configured\
Dest - C:\Windows\System32\Items\Home\

Files :
Options : /DCOPY

A /COPY

AT /R:1000000 /W:30

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

ERROR : Invalid Parameter #3 : "C:\Robotest"

Simple Usage :: ROBOCOPY source destination /MIR

source :: Source Directory (drive:\path or \\server\share\path).
destination :: Destination Dir (drive:\path or \\server\share\path).
/MIR :: Mirror a complete directory tree.

For more usage information run ROBOCOPY /?

**** /MIR can DELETE files as well as copy them !

C:\Windows\System32>

Q: Why is robocopy not accepting the destination directory, "C:\Robotest", it accepted before? Ane what is the solution?

garlin · Aug 7, 2023

Always use quotes when there are spaces inside the folder name.

robocopy "D:\___________Configured Items\Home" C:\Robotest\ /E /L /COPYALL

garlin · Aug 7, 2023

Before anyone jumps in with more replies, OP has a duplicate thread:
Command Line: Robocopy - Windows 10 Help Forums

jro11 · Aug 7, 2023

True. I also posted a similar thread in the Win10 forum. Truth be told, I'm struggling with the same problem in both Win10 and Win11. On Win10 I'm trying to completely backup, no, actually Empty, my C-Drive so that I can reconfigure the whole system by reinstalling Win10. On this, Win11 machine (that my wife gave me, because she hates it so) I'm trying to Copy all those files!

I don't want to be left without a lifeboat when the Win10 Reformat goes awry.

Since you, garlin, noticed my Win10 post, please let me know if you feel I should post what I learned, here. (the thread is very verbose). If I don't hear from you I will mark this subject Completed. (as a bonus, I also learned a lot about this forum's intricacies, which I won't have suffer y'all with.

If you feel I've done something wrong, that was not my purpose.

jro11 · Aug 7, 2023

Unfortunately I don't seem to have gotten to the solution of the robocopy problem...on the Win10 forum. I've been working on this one command for over 40 hours!!

...and the problem now is the quote problem you addressed in this thread...

Would it be improper for me to post the current state of this problem with W11 users?

jro11 · Aug 7, 2023

The following robocopy command

C:\Windows\System32> robocopy "D:\___________Configured Items\Home\Friends" C:\Robotest\ /E /COPYATSOU /DCOPYAT /MT:16 /NFL /NDL /NJH /NJS

returns

2023/08/07 16:56:36 ERROR 2 (0x00000002) Accessing Source Directory D:\___________Configured Items\Home\Friends\
The system cannot find the file specified.

C:\Windows\System32>

I thought that by putting the source directory in quotes (because a folder name had spaces in it) I had the source directory in quotes and that I would not get an error message.

Any ideas?

(Please excuse the emojis, I forgot to disable them. But I am very impressed with the ability to change font characteristics, LIVE!)

garlin · Aug 7, 2023

robocopy isn't different between W10 & 11. You shouldn't jump btw both forums, because it wastes the effort of someone who only visits one site.

robocopy confuses beginners because they see examples where experts throw a million options on the command line to impress you. Unless you really need them, start with the basics. "robocopy src dest /e"

Most mistakes are because you're not carefully looking at the source and dest arguments. Check the actual folders.

jro11 · Aug 7, 2023

The win10 forum had a place where one could prevent emoji's from replacing colons in the text:
Where is this feature in this forum?

Example: botest\ /E /COPYATSOU /DCOPYAT

garlin · Aug 7, 2023

Here's a secret.... type [ CODE] ... [ /CODE] between the lines to keep written text as a literal (not interpreted as smilies).
Don't type the space btw [ and C. I can't post the actual codeword without the forum eating the lines. This works on either forum.
Remember no space after the [.

[ CODE]
my command with lots of colons and weird chars
[ /CODE]

jro11 · Aug 7, 2023

THANK YOU!! (but that zombie emoji selection item in the other forum is handy!)

I have extensively (for over 40 hours! through countless youtube and non youtube sources) explored robocopy. I have begun from the most simple, entered the arguments one-by-one, and come up with the list of arguments I need.

My main task is to copy a large directory, containing many sub directories and files, (my "database, so to speak") from my Win10 machine to my Win11 machine.

I'm doing this because I need to completely reformat the Win10 machine and don't want to be left without a paddle while I contend with other problems the reformat is bound to have to contend with.

Because robocopy is no different in Win10 and Win11 that's exactly why I am addressing both forums. The Win10 forum just happens to be where I started. I'm not forcing anyone on the Win11 forum to start through the whole thing from scratch--I, with the help of two other people, already got through that.

And if there's anything I learn from one forum that the other didn't cover, I'll post it on the other forum so that all can benefit.

Now, without the crazy emoji's, this is my latest dilemma.

Code:

C:\Windows\System32> robocopy "D:\___________Configured Items\Home\Friends" C:\Robotest\ /L /E /COPY:DATSOU /DCOPY:DAT /MT:16 /NFL /NDL /NJH /NJS

2023/08/07 17:55:36 ERROR 2 (0x00000002) Accessing Source Directory D:\___________Configured Items\Home\Friends\

The system cannot find the file specified.

C:\Windows\System32>

Most mistakes are because you're not carefully looking at the source and dest arguments. Check the actual folders.

BTW: To address The reason I am still working with the code on the Command Line (/L)—and am therefore NOT going to check what’s happened in the "actual" source or destination—is because I don’t want to chance completely screwing up my source or destination computer because of an error message that shows up because I didn't get the code straight before doing the file/folder transfers.

garlin · Aug 7, 2023

How do I say this politely? I have no idea what your folder structure looks like. If the basic robocopy command works for a different set of folders, then you're overlooking a detail about the other folders.

If the basic copy fails, none of the "/L /COPY

ATSOU /DCOPY

AT /MT:16 /NFL /NDL /NJH /NJS" matters. Take a break, there's something you're overlooking. Look inside the source folder.

Error code 0x00000002 is File Not Found.

jro11 · Aug 7, 2023

Incidentally, all of the assistance you provided (and was provided earlier by the other folk) was stuff I could not have known by searching any of the information I so assiduously found on the internet. You probably have no idea what its like typing the same line into the Command Line Terminal (both the one with Admin privileges and the other) for hours on end.
These are the sources I studied

and these are the additional sources I

referred to, and not one mentioned that I had to enclose a directory address in quotes (though seeing some addressed this way I tried them--using both single and double quotes). What do you think the chances are that I'll find on my own the solution to the fact quotes around the extended directory listing now don't work, or, just as bad, why just being safe and enclosing every directory listing in quotes (though I've seen it done) doesn't work either.

pparks1 · Aug 8, 2023

Let's get super simple, type in

dir "D:\___________Configured Items\Home\Friends" and give us a screenshot of what you see.

For example, I created a test folder with some stuff in it, this is what mine looks like

hsehestedt · Aug 8, 2023

Question: Is your goal here to make an exact duplicate of the source folder "D:\___________Configured Items\Home\Friends" to the destination "C:\Robotest"?

If so, consider modifying the command like this:

robocopy "D:\___________Configured Items\Home\Friends" C:\Robotest /MIR /MT:16 /NFL /NDL /NJH /NJS

As an initial test I would leave off the /COPY and /DCOPY switches. Typically, you don't need those unless you have been specifically manipulating NTFS file permissions on your system (you would know if you did!).

Another question: Are you SURE that you are typing the correct number of underscores in the path? To make absoutely sure try this:

For the path "D:\___________Configured Items\Home\Friends", if you are in Windows 11, go to File Explorer and navigate to "D:\___________Configured Items\Home". Then right-click on "Friends in the right pane and select "Copy as path". This will copy the full path which you can simply paste into your command line ensuring that there are no typed errors. To paste into the command line simply right-click. You will need to add the quote marks manually.

I don't have Win 10 in front of me, but if I recall, you can accomplish the same thing by right-clicking on the folder while at the same time holding down SHIFT.

Next, I noticed that you referenced one of your folders like this:

C:\Robotest\

From a command line, this is fine, but be very careful if you do this in a batch file! If you end a path with a backslash AND you enclose the path in quotes, it may fail!

Example "C:\Robotest\"

To fix this, add another space after the backslash like this:

"C:\Robotest\ "

The reason for this is that a batch file will interpret the sequence of backslash double-quote mark (\") as an escape sequence effectivly making the second quote mark look like it does not exist.

Finally, to make sure that the path you are typing is correct, try another command with the same command. For example:

D:
CD "D:\___________Configured Items\Home"

If the second command fails, then you are not typing the path correctly!

pparks1 · Aug 8, 2023

i use robocopy extensively to copy my serverdata directory to a secondary drive. I run a 7 day rotation, with a different scheduled task for each day of the week. Here are my 7 commands, which are in 7 different batch files and I call each one on it's respective day of the week.
C:\windows\system32\robocopy.exe D:\ServerData E:\RedundantCopy\Monday\ServerData /E /MIR
C:\windows\system32\robocopy.exe D:\ServerData E:\RedundantCopy\Tuesday\ServerData /E /MIR
C:\windows\system32\robocopy.exe D:\ServerData E:\RedundantCopy\Wednesday\ServerData /E /MIR
C:\windows\system32\robocopy.exe D:\ServerData E:\RedundantCopy\Thursday\ServerData /E /MIR
C:\windows\system32\robocopy.exe D:\ServerData E:\RedundantCopy\Friday\ServerData /E /MIR
C:\windows\system32\robocopy.exe D:\ServerData E:\RedundantCopy\Saturday\ServerData /E /MIR
C:\windows\system32\robocopy.exe D:\ServerData E:\RedundantCopy\Sunday\ServerData /E /MIR

This makes an exact duplicate of whatever I have in D:\ServerData to my E:\RundandantCopy\DayOfTheWeek\ServerData directory.

This gives me a 7 day rotation.

The /E gets empty subdirectories
The /MIR mirrors my source and destination.

Thus, If I have deleted something over the course of the week on my D:\ServerData directory, it will now also delete it in the respective E:\RudandantCopy\DayOfTheWeek\ServerData location.

jro11 · Aug 8, 2023

Thank both of you!

I've bookmarked your responses

Found the problem. Started the BIG COPY

BIG COPY: Start Time: 2135 End Time: 2157

(I need to learn how to program a routine that will make a sound when the copy is completed...)
it never stops...

(I closed the Robocopy thread on the Win10 forum, because Robocopy is an equivalent process in Win10 and Win11)
But now I believe I am asking about something that is uniquely Win11 (its Task Manager)

Is there a way to monitor something that tells me something is happening (besides the blinking light on the External Drive D)? I remember reading that looking at Task manager might offer clues--I actually thought I could observe the (multi) threads for signs of activity...

LesFerch · Aug 9, 2023

It sounds like you finally got things sorted, but it's sad to hear that you spent dozens of hours just trying to get your command line correct.

As noted, quotes are essential in any command line when an item contains spaces.

Also note that AI chat systems, such as CharGPT, are very good for learning how to use a command line. You can paste your command and error message and ask what you did wrong. Or ask it to provide the correct command line given the source, destination, and options you'd like. AI is not perfect, but it can save you a lot of hours. IMO, AI chat is much better for learning commands than videos.

However, you could have saved yourself a lot of headaches by using a copy tool that has a point and click interface. There are many, but I recommend FastCopy. It can be operated via command line or GUI.

Also note if you wish to back up an entire volume, including the operating system, you'll need an imaging program, such as Macrium Reflect.

jro11 · Jan 3, 2024

LesFerch said:
It sounds like you finally got things sorted, but it's sad to hear that you spent dozens of hours just trying to get your command line correct.

As noted, quotes are essential in any command line when an item contains spaces.

Also note that AI chat systems, such as CharGPT, are very good for learning how to use a command line. You can paste your command and error message and ask what you did wrong. Or ask it to provide the correct command line given the source, destination, and options you'd like. AI is not perfect, but it can save you a lot of hours. IMO, AI chat is much better for learning commands than videos.

However, you could have saved yourself a lot of headaches by using a copy tool that has a point and click interface. There are many, but I recommend FastCopy. It can be operated via command line or GUI.

Also note if you wish to back up an entire volume, including the operating system, you'll need an imaging program, such as Macrium Reflect.

Thank you! (I'm reviewing old threads I started.) I didn't know AI chat systems could be used to learning CLI (and I imagine Registry changes?)

I'm still extensively worried about finally wiping this (Win11) computer clean, reinstalling Win11 onto it from an external drive (so as to avoid OneDrive), and then moving all the stuff I hope is important (e.g., Outlook has been very flaky and I'm worried about the integrity of my .pst file which contains practically everything relating to contacts, phone numbers, etc) BEFORE I contact Macrium and have them tutor me through how to run the program. To create an image any other way would carry over this junkpile of OneDrive generated data onto the new install...

Haydon · Jan 3, 2024

jro11 said:
Thank you! (I'm reviewing old threads I started.) I didn't know AI chat systems could be used to learning CLI (and I imagine Registry changes?)

I'm still extensively worried about finally wiping this (Win11) computer clean, reinstalling Win11 onto it from an external drive (so as to avoid OneDrive), and then moving all the stuff I hope is important (e.g., Outlook has been very flaky and I'm worried about the integrity of my .pst file which contains practically everything relating to contacts, phone numbers, etc) BEFORE I contact Macrium and have them tutor me through how to run the program. To create an image any other way would carry over this junkpile of OneDrive generated data onto the new install...

It sounds like your best bet is to simply manually copy the contents of your library folders of your old W10 computer on an external drive and paste those contents on your new W11 computer. That way you don't carry over unwanted system files and hidden files.

If you use RoboCopy, Macrium, or any other apps, make sure you exclude anything system/hidden from your old W10 computer from getting carried over to your new W11 computer and the best exclusion is what you get manually as in the previous paragraph

You want to carry over your data and nothing else.

Good luck!

_Command Line Interface CLI robocopy

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