Copy entire C: contents

[Terry Pinnell]

Because my regular backup software on this Win 10 PC is suddenly not
working I'd be very grateful if someone could suggest a reliable batch
file I can use until I get it fixed please?

I could do this in File Explorer but, although I'm no programmer, I
suspect a batch would be quicker and safer?

I want to copy the entire contents of my OS (SSD) file C: to
D:\2ndCopyCtoDDaily, about 160 GB, preserving all folder names. As the
volumes are large I want to use the existing destination.

Even better, unless it's too complicated, I'd like to exclude my 50GB
Dropbox folder, C:\Users\Terry\Dropbox\, as I have managed to keep that
working in Second Copy.

Terry

[Zaidy036]

Post by Terry Pinnell
Because my regular backup software on this Win 10 PC is suddenly not
working I'd be very grateful if someone could suggest a reliable batch
file I can use until I get it fixed please?
I could do this in File Explorer but, although I'm no programmer, I
suspect a batch would be quicker and safer?
I want to copy the entire contents of my OS (SSD) file C: to
D:\2ndCopyCtoDDaily, about 160 GB, preserving all folder names. As the
volumes are large I want to use the existing destination.
Even better, unless it's too complicated, I'd like to exclude my 50GB
Dropbox folder, C:\Users\Terry\Dropbox\, as I have managed to keep that
working in Second Copy.
Terry

Make a batch using RoboCopy and specify what to include or exclude. Read
the RoboCopy manual available by Google search. Lots of info online for
RoboCOpy.

But your main problem is that a copy in the same machine, even to
another HDD, is not a reliable backup but is only a copy. A reliable
backup must be to an external device at a physical distance from your
machine or even better off site. It also should be disconnected when you
are not accessing it, i.e., not reachable from the Internet, so that
ransom or other "bad actors" cannot reach it.

[Grant Taylor]

Post by Terry Pinnell
Because my regular backup software on this Win 10 PC is suddenly
not working I'd be very grateful if someone could suggest a reliable
batch file I can use until I get it fixed please?

It's my understanding that traditional copy / xcopy / robocopy like
commands /can't/ /successfully/ copy a full NT (et al.) system /because/
of files that are /system/ open and / or locked, e.g. the registry /
swap file / SAM DB.

You can /usually/ successfully copy /usr/ /data/.

At least that's been my experience when trying to copy a running NT et
al. system.

[Terry Pinnell]

Post by Grant Taylor

Post by Terry Pinnell
Because my regular backup software on this Win 10 PC is suddenly
not working I'd be very grateful if someone could suggest a reliable
batch file I can use until I get it fixed please?

It's my understanding that traditional copy / xcopy / robocopy like
commands /can't/ /successfully/ copy a full NT (et al.) system /because/
of files that are /system/ open and / or locked, e.g. the registry /
swap file / SAM DB.
You can /usually/ successfully copy /usr/ /data/.
At least that's been my experience when trying to copy a running NT et
al. system.

OK, thanks both. So I guess I'll just try to manually identify the
folders, other than C:\Users\, that carry important (changing) data, and
use File Explorer.

[mark downsouth]

Post by Terry Pinnell

Post by Grant Taylor

Post by Terry Pinnell
Because my regular backup software on this Win 10 PC is suddenly
not working I'd be very grateful if someone could suggest a reliable
batch file I can use until I get it fixed please?

It's my understanding that traditional copy / xcopy / robocopy like
commands /can't/ /successfully/ copy a full NT (et al.) system /because/
of files that are /system/ open and / or locked, e.g. the registry /
swap file / SAM DB.
You can /usually/ successfully copy /usr/ /data/.
At least that's been my experience when trying to copy a running NT et
al. system.

OK, thanks both. So I guess I'll just try to manually identify the
folders, other than C:\Users\, that carry important (changing) data, and
use File Explorer.

Windows still ships with built-in backup options, if you are using a third party backup and it no longer works, then using the built-in one might do the trick. If the built-in is the one that isn't working then using robocopy's /backup switch might be the best bet.

Make sure your user account is a member of the Backup Operators group.

You can use the following switches:

robocopy c:\ d:\ /s /v /z /b /xjd /eta

Which does the following:
/s copies sub-directories even empty ones
/v verbose mode
/z restartable mode
/b backup mode will bypass permissions and allow files to be copied
/xjd excludes data junctions for folders this will keep it from getting caught in an endless loop with the Documents and Settings legacy data junction and others
/eta shows eta of current copy operation

[Tom Del Rosso]

Post by Terry Pinnell
I want to copy the entire contents of my OS (SSD) file C: to
D:\2ndCopyCtoDDaily, about 160 GB, preserving all folder names. As the
volumes are large I want to use the existing destination.

Keep the destination path name short, so it doesn't fail to copy source
files with very long path names.