Robocopy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Robocopy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robocopy, or "Robust File Copy", is a command-line

Robocopy
directory replication command. It has been available as part
of the Windows Resource Kit starting with Windows NT 4.0, Developer(s) Microsoft
and was introduced as a standard feature of Windows Vista, Stable release 6.1
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008. The command is
Operating system Windows NT, Windows 2000,
robocopy.
Windows XP, Windows Server
2003, Windows Vista, Windows
7, Windows Server 2008
License Proprietary

1 Features
2 Limitations
2.1 No open files
2.2 Treatment of ACLs
2.3 Wildcarding treatment
3 Common usage scenarios
4 Folder copier, not file copier
5 Bandwidth throttling
6 GUI front-end
7 Versions
8 See also
9 References
10 External links

Robocopy is noted for capabilities above and beyond the built-in Windows copy and xcopy commands,
including the following:

Ability to tolerate network interruptions and resume copying. (incomplete files are marked with a date
stamp of 1980-01-01 and contain a recovery record so Robocopy knows where to continue from)
Ability to skip Junction Points which can cause to fail copying in an infinite loop (/XJ)
Ability to copy file data and attributes correctly, and to preserve original timestamps, as well as NTFS
ACLs, owner information, and audit information using command line switches. (/COPYALL or /COPY:)
Copying folder timestamps is also possible in later versions (/DCOPY:T).
Ability to assert the Windows NT "backup right" (/B) so an administrator may copy an entire directory,
including files denied readability to the administrator.
Persistence by default, with a programmable number of automatic retries if a file cannot be opened.
A "mirror" mode, which keeps trees in sync by optionally deleting files out of the destination that are no
longer present in the source.
Ability to skip files that already appear in the destination folder with identical size and timestamp.
A continuously updated command-line progress indicator.
Ability to copy file and folder names exceeding 256 characters — up to a theoretical limit of 32,000
characters — without errors.[1]

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Multithreaded copying. (Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2) [2]

Return code[3] on program termination for batch file usage.

No open files

Notably, Robocopy will fail to copy open files. The so-called Backup mode is sometimes mistaken as an ability
to copy open files, which it is not. Backup mode instead runs Robocopy as a "Backup Operator". This allows
Robocopy to override permissions settings (specifically, NTFS ACLs).[4] [5]

The Windows Volume Shadow Copy service is the only Windows subsystem that can copy open files, which it
does by snapshotting them for point-in-time consistency. Robocopy does not use the Volume Shadow Copy
service in any way, limiting its usefulness as a stand-alone backup utility for volumes that may be in use.
However, one can use a separate utility, such as GSCopyPro or DISKSHADOW (included with Windows Server
2008), to create a shadow copy of a given volume, which Robocopy can then be directed to back up. Another
option is to run GSCopyPro[6] as it replicates much of robocopy's functionality while making use of the VSS
service. It backs up almost any open files with no isues.

Treatment of ACLs

By design, the original Robocopy version is not able to replicate security attributes of files which have had their
security permissions changed after an initial mirroring.[7] This behavior was changed on Robocopy versions
included in Windows 2008 and Windows Vista. The downside of this is that Robocopy does not behave
consistently between platforms.[8]

Wildcarding treatment

Robocopy cannot exclude files matching a wildcard including a directory e.g. /XF pictures\*.jpg generates
an error.

Copy directory contents of A to B (including file data, attributes and timestamps), recursively with empty
directories (/E):

Robocopy C:\A C:\B /E

Copy directory recursively (/E), copy all file information (/COPYALL, equivalent to /COPY:DATSOU,
D=Data, A=Attributes, T=Timestamps, S=Security=NTFS ACLs, O=Owner info, U=aUditing info), do not
retry locked files (/R:0)(the number of retries on failed copies default value is 1 million), preserve original
directories' Timestamps (/DCOPY:T - requires version XP026 or later):

Robocopy C:\A C:\B /COPYALL /E /R:0 /DCOPY:T

Mirror A to B, destroying any files in B that are not present in A (/MIR), copy files in resume mode (/Z)
in case network connection is lost:

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Robocopy C:\A \\backupserver\B /MIR /Z

For the full reference, see the Microsoft TechNet Robocopy page.[9]

It should be noted that using the /Z switch results in marked slowdown of copy operations.[10]

Robocopy syntax is markedly different from standard copy commands, as it accepts only folder names as its
source and destination arguments. File names and wild-card characters (such as "*.*") are not valid source or
destination arguments. Files may be selected or excluded using the optional filespec filtering argument. Filespecs
can only refer to the filenames relative to the folders already selected for copying. Fully qualified path names
are not supported.

For example, in order to copy the file foo.txt from directory c:\bar to c:\baz, one could use the following
syntax:

Robocopy c:\bar c:\baz foo.txt

Robocopy's "inter-packet gap" (IPG) option allows some control over the network bandwidth used in a session.
In theory, the following formula expresses the delay (D, in milliseconds) required to simulate a desired
bandwidth (BD, in kilobits per second), over a network link with an available bandwidth of BA kbps:

In practice however, some experimentation is usually required to find a suitable delay, due to factors such as the
nature and volume of other traffic on the network. The methodology employed by the IPG option may not offer
the same level of control provided by some other bandwidth throttling technologies, such as BITS (which is used
by Windows Update and BranchCache).

Although Robocopy itself is a command-line tool, Microsoft Technet has provided a GUI front-end. The GUI
requires the installation of the .NET Framework 2.0 (40 MB), if it is not already installed. It was developed by
Derk Benisch, a systems engineer with the MSN Search group at Microsoft.[11] The Microsoft Robocopy GUI
also includes version XP026 of Robocopy. When downloaded from the TechNet link below, the version reported
is "Microsoft Robocopy GUI 3.1.1."

There are other non-Microsoft GUIs for Robocopy:

"WinRoboCopy" revision 1.2.4482.39775 released in April 9, 2012.[12]

"Easy RoboCopy" latest version 1.0.13 released in January 11, 2012.[13]
A program by SH-Soft, also called "Robocopy GUI" v1.0.0.24 (October 8, 2005).[14]

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A copying program with a GUI, RichCopy, is also available on Microsoft's Technet. While it is not based on
Robocopy, it offers similar features, and it does not require the installation of the .NET 2.0 framework. [15]

Product version File version Year Origin Other

1.70 - 1997 Windows NT Resource Kit
1.71 4.0.1.71 1997 Windows NT Resource Kit
1.95 4.0.1.95 1999 Windows 2000 Resource Kit
1.96 4.0.1.96 1999 Windows 2000 Resource Kit (c) 1995-1997
XP010 5.1.1.1010 2003 Windows 2003 Resource Kit
XP026 5.1.2600.26 2005 Downloaded with Robocopy GUI v.3.1.2
XP027 5.1.10.1027 2008 Bundled with Windows Vista, Server 2008 and later (c) 1995-2004
6.1 6.1.7601 2009 Bundled with Windows 7 (c) 2009

copy (command)
XCOPY
List of DOS commands
rsync
SyncToy
RichCopy
List of file copying software

1. ^ "Robocopy XP010 FAQ" (http://windowsitpro.com/Windows/Articles/ArticleID/44324/pg/2/2.html) .

Windowsitpro.com. 2004-11-15. http://windowsitpro.com/Windows/Articles/ArticleID/44324/pg/2/2.html. Retrieved
2012-11-11.
2. ^ "Multi-threaded robocopy for faster copies - Grant Holliday's Blog - Site Home - MSDN Blogs"
(http://blogs.msdn.com/b/granth/archive/2009/12/07/multi-threaded-robocopy-for-faster-copies.aspx) .
Blogs.msdn.com. 2009-10-23. http://blogs.msdn.com/b/granth/archive/2009/12/07/multi-threaded-robocopy-
for-faster-copies.aspx. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
3. ^ "Return codes that are used by the Robocopy utility in Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2"
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/954404/en-us) . Support.microsoft.com. 2012-02-17. http://support.microsoft.com
/kb/954404/en-us. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
4. ^ "Robocopy.exe - Robust File Copy Utility - Version XP010" (http://theether.net/download/Microsoft/Utilities
/robocopy.pdf) . http://theether.net/download/Microsoft/Utilities/robocopy.pdf. "Backup mode copies [...] enable
you to copy some files as a Backup Operator that you would not be able to copy as a normal user."
5. ^ "Default groups" (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc756898(v=ws.10).aspx) . Microsoft TechNet.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc756898(v=ws.10).aspx. "Backup Operators [...] Members of this group
can back up and restore all files [...], regardless of their own individual permissions on those files."
6. ^ "GuruSquad" (http://www.gurusquad.com/) . GuruSquad. http://www.gurusquad.com/. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
7. ^ "Microsoft's Robocopy compromise" (http://www.zdnet.com.au/blogs/snorage/soa/Microsoft-s-Robocopy-
compromise/0,2000064373,339291041,00.htm) . ZDNet. 2008-08-04. http://www.zdnet.com.au/blogs/snorage
/soa/Microsoft-s-Robocopy-compromise/0,2000064373,339291041,00.htm. Retrieved 2012-11-11.

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8. ^ "Ugly bug in Robocopy - ignoring security on file level - Martin Zugec blog" (http://msmvps.com/blogs
/martinzugec/archive/2008/03/03/ugly-bug-in-robocopy-ignoring-security-on-file-level.aspx) . Msmvps.com.
2008-03-03. http://msmvps.com/blogs/martinzugec/archive/2008/03/03/ugly-bug-in-robocopy-ignoring-security-
on-file-level.aspx. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
9. ^ "Robocopy" (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc733145(WS.10).aspx) . Technet.microsoft.com.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc733145(WS.10).aspx. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
10. ^ "Robocopy" (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc733145(WS.10).aspx#CommunityContent) .
Technet.microsoft.com. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc733145(WS.10).aspx#CommunityContent.
Retrieved 2012-11-11.
11. ^ "Utility Spotlight Robocopy GUI" (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc160891.aspx) . TechNet
Magazine (Microsoft Corporation and CMP Media, LLC). November, 2006. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us
/magazine/cc160891.aspx. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
12. ^ "WinRoboCopy - UpWay2Late.com Software" (http://www.upway2late.com/projects/winrobocopy) .
Upway2late.com. http://www.upway2late.com/projects/winrobocopy. Retrieved 2012-11-11.
13. ^ "Easy RoboCopy" (http://tribblesoft.com/EasyRoboCopy.php) . TribbleSoft. http://tribblesoft.com
/EasyRoboCopy.php. Retrieved 2012-11-23.
14. ^ "SH-RoboCopy GUI" (http://www.sh-soft.com/front_content.php?idcatart=156) . SH-Soft. http://www.sh-soft.com
/front_content.php?idcatart=156. Retrieved 2012-11-23.
15. ^ Hoffman, Joshua (November, 2006). "Free Utility: RichCopy, an Advanced Alternative to RoboCopy"
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.04.utilityspotlight.aspx) . TechNet Magazine (Microsoft
Corporation and CMP Media, LLC). http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.04.utilityspotlight.aspx.
Retrieved 2008-07-17.

Official sources
TechNet - Command-line Reference - ROBOCOPY (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library
/cc733145(WS.10).aspx)
Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads
/details.aspx?familyid=9d467a69-57ff-4ae7-96ee-b18c4790cffd&displaylang=en) (Official
download source for robocopy.exe XP010.)
Robocopy GUI from Microsoft Tech-Net (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine
/cc160891.aspx)
RichCopy, an Advanced Alternative to RoboCopy (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine
/2009.04.utilityspotlight.aspx)
Other
ROBOCOPY.exe (XP Resource Kit/Standard Vista command) (http://ss64.com/nt/robocopy.html)
Robocopy.exe Robust File Copy Utility Version XP010 (http://theether.net/download/Microsoft
/Utilities/robocopy.pdf) (35-page manual about Robocopy version code "XP010". PDF-Version of
the "robocopy.doc"-file distributed with Robocopy GUI.)
/z performance issues (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc733145(WS.10).aspx)

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Categories: MS-DOS/Windows Command Prompt commands File copy utility Windows disk file systems
Microsoft Windows file system technology

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