Best way to copy huge folder

[Thump553]

I'd like to copy a file folder (approximately 900 GB) from one external USB hard drive to another under Windows XP (or Vista). Speed is not critically important, but getting an accurate and reliable copy is.

I've tried using Windows Explorer but any hiccup along the way wrecks the whole copying procedure.

I'd prefer not to copy the entire hard drive if possible, just the one gigantic file folder.

Any suggestions?

 

[abaez]

Free version of syncback can do it, or the free one from MS too. Synctoy? I think

 

[redbeard1]

It continues past errors.

Teracopy

 

[EagleKeeper]

If possible, compress the folder first

 

[Nothinman]

I'd say rsync but I'm not sure how well it runs on Windows so robocopy's probably you're best bet.

 

[Red Squirrel]

A simple option without any extra software is xcopy. Ensure to read the flags properly as there's one that also includes system and hidden files. If you don't specify that flag lot of stuff wont copy. there's other flags to tell it to continue if there's errors etc. That's usually what I do in Windows and it works great.

 

[Absolution75]

robocopy /MIR is good - you can set it to enable resume too

 

[corkyg]

And, you have a free, built in work around in XP, Vista, and 7. Use the Backup/Restore function. You can backuop the huge folder to any drive and restore it to any drive.

 

[armstrda]

I would second the xcopy, you can even have it verify after copying. The other tool I think is called winDiff or something, basically it can give you a quick GUI view of differences between the source and backup.

 

[redbeard1]

I normally use xcopy when tranferring data between servers, as with the right set of switches you can continue past errors /c, and copy by date /d. Going by date will only bring over changed files. The switches I normally use are /heckod.

That said, I regularly have xcopy fail during multi gigabytes of copying. Usually it comes up with a memory error of some sort and stops. The other thing that will throw it for a loop is funky permissions. That is why I searched and found the free version of the program I listed above. Besides it continues on errors, it also logs the error so you can go back and figure out the problem.

The last time I used it, I was able to complete some copying that xcopy could not finish, and it also reported errors that I found out was from the file location having too many characters in the folder structure names.

 

[0roo0roo]

copyhandler

 

[Thump553]

Thanks for all the replies, everyone. Some great suggestions here that I wasn't aware of at all. Will give them a try, hopefully one will allow me to easily accomplish my goal of a easily swapable backup of this data folder.

 

[redbeard1]

Well?

 

[Thump553]

So far. all I've tried is MS Synctoy. Seemed to work great, but just noticed last night that if I have two similar but nonidentical directories, it was consistently hanging up at the first place that was different (rather than synchronizing).

Teracopy or WinDiff will probably be my next try.

 

[armstrda]

You can also try Beyond Compare 3 (this is what I use for all my diffing/comparing needs). You can try it for 30 days for free (and the 30 days are only counted on days where you launch the program). I use this software to "sync" my photos/videos to and from my WHS to my different computers. All in all that's about 400G and it has no problems with it.

 

[RaiderJ]

Vote for Teracopy. Been using Allway Sync too - can auto-detect removable drives and sync when they are plugged in.

 

[Thump553]

My results:

Stumbling around the internet trying to find out why MS's Synctoy didn't work right for me, I eventually came across a link to File Synchronizer which seems to fit the bill for me perfectly. Its primary qualifications are:

1) It's see easy to use even a caveman could do it (or someone who barely glances at the doc),

2) It has worked flawlessly for me so far, including during a cloning that crashed due to a power failure,

3) It doesn't leave tags or hidden files all over your folders like MS's Synctoy does, and it doesn't choke on long filenames or filenames with obscure characters in them, like Synctoy does, and

4) It's freeware.

Only two main drawbacks: no real progress bar and it seems kind of slow (but speed is not important at all for me in a backup program).

 

[redbeard1]

Hmm... Veerrry Interesting

 

[Teching]

Originally posted by: Thump553
My results:

Stumbling around the internet trying to find out why MS's Synctoy didn't work right for me, I eventually came across a link to File Synchronizer which seems to fit the bill for me perfectly. Its primary qualifications are:

1) It's see easy to use even a caveman could do it (or someone who barely glances at the doc),

2) It has worked flawlessly for me so far, including during a cloning that crashed due to a power failure,

3) It doesn't leave tags or hidden files all over your folders like MS's Synctoy does, and it doesn't choke on long filenames or filenames with obscure characters in them, like Synctoy does, and

4) It's freeware.

Only two main drawbacks: no real progress bar and it seems kind of slow (but speed is not important at all for me in a backup program).

Thank you very much I have been looking for the similar app myself, because i also have the problem of transfering huge files...