Roxanne, et al,

Using xcopy for backup purposes is apparently NOT reliable and can cause
problems! The following URL, http://www.pcguide.com/art/xcopy.htm, has a
very nicely written step by step guide that demonstrates how xcopy can
change the short file names during a copy operation, and why that can be
A Bad Thing. If/when this happens, the user might not even be aware that
any damage has been done for quite some time, and when those errors do
pop up, he/she is not likely to attribute the errors to the xcopy
operation. I realize that several members of this list have endorsed the
use of the xcopy command to clone disks and partitions in the past,
within certain limits, but I think we need to revisit this topic once
again.

Until I have more information, you can believe that *I* won't be using
xcopy to clone a disk or partition anymore.

Jeff Delzer


Roxanne Pierce wrote:
>
> In Win95, the simplest way and cheapest, too, is to click the start button,
> click run, and type the following in the run box:
>
> xcopy.exe c:\*.* d:\*.* /R /I /C /H /K /E /Y
>
> That copies all directories and subdirectories; hidden, system, and read-only
> files (including the registry) from one hard drive to another.  I used it
> yesterday to copy 800MB of information from one drive to another; it took about
> ten minutes (on a Pentium 100.)  I use it extensively for both my systems and
> for client systems.  I have not sold a tape drive for backup in six months,
> because I have opted to provide dual-hard drive systems in which the above
> command, and a similar command for changed files only, provide all the backup
> the client needs.
>
> For the curious, the command to copy changed files is:
>
> xcopy.exe c:\*.* d:\*.* /M /R /I /C /H /K /E /Y
>
> The first time it is used, it will copy all files.  It will then reset the
> attribute bit, and future use will only copy changed files.
>
> Roxanne Pierce
> R2 Systems, San Diego
> mailto:[log in to unmask]
>
> On Sunday, February 22, 1998 08:27, William Rysanek
> [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] wrote:
> > What is the easiest way to copy the contents of one harddrive to a new
> > hard drive?  I am running Win95 and need more space and have recently
> > purchased a bigger drive.
> > Thanks
> > Bill Rysanek

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