If error occurs when copying the copy process aborts?

[Pheasant Plucker®]

Hi there,

I have been trying in vain to do a file-by-file copy of a complete hard disk
to a directory on my server as I wish to take a machine off-line for good
but want to keep a complete backup of its files in a non-compressed format.

This sounds good in theory but in practice of during the copy process an
error occurs (something that I would class as non-critical) the whole copy
process aborts.

Is there an easy way to do a complete file copy from one machine to another
(I am even thinking of the old XCopy days from MS-DOS here).

--
Thanks & regards,
-pp-

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: If error occurs when copying the copy process aborts?


"Pheasant Plucker®" <pheasant@plucker.not> wrote in message
news:OgDJynK7IHA.4988@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Hi there,
>
> I have been trying in vain to do a file-by-file copy of a complete hard
> disk
> to a directory on my server as I wish to take a machine off-line for good
> but want to keep a complete backup of its files in a non-compressed
> format.
>
> This sounds good in theory but in practice of during the copy process an
> error occurs (something that I would class as non-critical) the whole copy
> process aborts.
>
> Is there an easy way to do a complete file copy from one machine to
> another
> (I am even thinking of the old XCopy days from MS-DOS here).
>
> --
> Thanks & regards,
> -pp-

You cannot copy a complete hard disk while Windows is up and
running. Many files are locked and cannot be accessed. Here are
a few options:
- Use xcopy.exe with the /s /h /c switches.
- Use robocopy.exe with the /s /r:2 /w:2 switches
- Boot the machine with a Bart PE boot CD, then run xcopy or robocopy
- Connect the disk as a slave disk to some other WinXP PC, then run
xcopy or robocopy.

The first two options will skip locked files. The last two options will
create a full copy of the source disk.

 

[Anthony Buckland]

Re: If error occurs when copying the copy process aborts?


"Pheasant Plucker®" <pheasant@plucker.not> wrote in message
news:OgDJynK7IHA.4988@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Hi there,
>
> I have been trying in vain to do a file-by-file copy of a complete hard
> disk
> to a directory on my server as I wish to take a machine off-line for good
> but want to keep a complete backup of its files in a non-compressed
> format.
>
> This sounds good in theory but in practice of during the copy process an
> error occurs (something that I would class as non-critical) the whole copy
> process aborts.
>
> Is there an easy way to do a complete file copy from one machine to
> another
> (I am even thinking of the old XCopy days from MS-DOS here).
>
> --
> Thanks & regards,
> -pp-

How do you back up? I use Acronis True Image, and one recent
backup is on my hard drive in the Secure Zone (hidden partition
accessible only to TI). I can mount this as another partition, and
select everything in it, in about 30 sec from the word Go.

None of the files in this backup image are locked, so I could then
copy all or part of them to a chosen destination.

Next question, do you want _all_ the files? You'll get such
monsters as the registry, which is relevant only to your machine
and its current state, plus all your program files, which have been
installed for your current machine in its current state, and so on.
OTOH, you will get such somewhat-hidden things as your
Outlook Express message files (assuming you use OE), which
could be a really good thing.

 

[Pheasant Plucker®]

Re: If error occurs when copying the copy process aborts?

Hi Pegasus,

Thanks for the reply - I realise I can't copy certain files while Windows is
up & running but I have a dual boot system on that particular machine & was
hoping that if I boot W2K I could do a file-by-file copy of the XP HDD or
vice-versa by booting WinXP and copying files from the W2K HDD but it still
bombs out...

Think I'll just update my copy of Norton Ghost! and be done with...:-/

Thanks & regards,
-=pp=-


"Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com.oz> wrote in message
news:%23OzaFuK7IHA.616@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>
> "Pheasant Plucker®" <pheasant@plucker.not> wrote in message
> news:OgDJynK7IHA.4988@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> > Hi there,
> >
> > I have been trying in vain to do a file-by-file copy of a complete hard
> > disk
> > to a directory on my server as I wish to take a machine off-line for
good
> > but want to keep a complete backup of its files in a non-compressed
> > format.
> >
> > This sounds good in theory but in practice of during the copy process an
> > error occurs (something that I would class as non-critical) the whole
copy
> > process aborts.
> >
> > Is there an easy way to do a complete file copy from one machine to
> > another
> > (I am even thinking of the old XCopy days from MS-DOS here).
> >
> > --
> > Thanks & regards,
> > -pp-
>
> You cannot copy a complete hard disk while Windows is up and
> running. Many files are locked and cannot be accessed. Here are
> a few options:
> - Use xcopy.exe with the /s /h /c switches.
> - Use robocopy.exe with the /s /r:2 /w:2 switches
> - Boot the machine with a Bart PE boot CD, then run xcopy or robocopy
> - Connect the disk as a slave disk to some other WinXP PC, then run
> xcopy or robocopy.
>
> The first two options will skip locked files. The last two options will
> create a full copy of the source disk.
>
>

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: If error occurs when copying the copy process aborts?

Yes, you can copy your WinXP folders while running under
Win2000. If you can't then you should post precise details:
- What files/folders you cannot copy
- What message(s) you see on the screen.


"Pheasant Plucker®" <pheasant@plucker.not> wrote in message
news:uuGJhhg9IHA.5668@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Hi Pegasus,
>
> Thanks for the reply - I realise I can't copy certain files while Windows
> is
> up & running but I have a dual boot system on that particular machine &
> was
> hoping that if I boot W2K I could do a file-by-file copy of the XP HDD or
> vice-versa by booting WinXP and copying files from the W2K HDD but it
> still
> bombs out...
>
> Think I'll just update my copy of Norton Ghost! and be done with...:-/
>
> Thanks & regards,
> -=pp=-
>
>
> "Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com.oz> wrote in message
> news:%23OzaFuK7IHA.616@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>>
>> "Pheasant Plucker®" <pheasant@plucker.not> wrote in message
>> news:OgDJynK7IHA.4988@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> > Hi there,
>> >
>> > I have been trying in vain to do a file-by-file copy of a complete hard
>> > disk
>> > to a directory on my server as I wish to take a machine off-line for
> good
>> > but want to keep a complete backup of its files in a non-compressed
>> > format.
>> >
>> > This sounds good in theory but in practice of during the copy process
>> > an
>> > error occurs (something that I would class as non-critical) the whole
> copy
>> > process aborts.
>> >
>> > Is there an easy way to do a complete file copy from one machine to
>> > another
>> > (I am even thinking of the old XCopy days from MS-DOS here).
>> >
>> > --
>> > Thanks & regards,
>> > -pp-
>>
>> You cannot copy a complete hard disk while Windows is up and
>> running. Many files are locked and cannot be accessed. Here are
>> a few options:
>> - Use xcopy.exe with the /s /h /c switches.
>> - Use robocopy.exe with the /s /r:2 /w:2 switches
>> - Boot the machine with a Bart PE boot CD, then run xcopy or robocopy
>> - Connect the disk as a slave disk to some other WinXP PC, then run
>> xcopy or robocopy.
>>
>> The first two options will skip locked files. The last two options will
>> create a full copy of the source disk.
>>
>>
>
>