Question on Robocopy

[Will]

We want to use the robocopy utility to copy large multi-gigabyte backup
files from a local hard drive to a central file server. My question is
what would happen if robocopy started to copy over a large file that was
being actively written to by the native Windows backup application? Will
robocopy simply refuse to copy any of the file at all? Will it copy up to
the last byte being written and then hang? In general would it be a safe
practice to use robocopy on a backup file that is being actively created?

--
Will

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Re: Question on Robocopy


"Will" <westes-usc@noemail.nospam> wrote in message
news:v9GdnaLPVsWdljbVnZ2dnUVZ_rPinZ2d@giganews.com...
> We want to use the robocopy utility to copy large multi-gigabyte backup
> files from a local hard drive to a central file server. My question is
> what would happen if robocopy started to copy over a large file that was
> being actively written to by the native Windows backup application? Will
> robocopy simply refuse to copy any of the file at all? Will it copy up
> to
> the last byte being written and then hang? In general would it be a
> safe
> practice to use robocopy on a backup file that is being actively created?
>
> --
> Will
>

Either robocopy will lock the file or your application will, depending
who gets it first. The other application won't be able to open the file.