[Ham-Computers] RE: Copying Directories

[Hsu, Aaron (NBC Universal)]

Scratching the top of my head, I remember doing this to backup the C:
drive...

attrib +a c:\*.* /s
xcopy c:\ a: /M /E


The "attrib" sets the "archive" attribute "on" for all files on the C: drive
(and sub-directories).

The "xcopy" modifiers specify to copy all files that have the "archive"
attribute turn "on" (and turn the attribute "off" when copied) and include
all sub-directories (empty or not).

When the floppy is full, XCOPY will error out.  Replace the floppy with
another formatted blank and repeat the xcopy (without the ATTRIB).  Continue
this process until all files are copied.

This works because you've set the "archive" attribute on all the files on
the C: drive and then you've told XCOPY to copy "archive" files and turn
"off" the archive attribute after each file is copied.  So, when the disk is
full, xcopy has only turned "off" those that it was able to copy - the rest
of the files still have the archive bit turned "on".  On the next XCOPY
(with the same modifiers), it picks up where it left off and skips all the
files that have the archive bit "off".

One thing to keep in mind is that this will not work with files that are
larger than what can fit on the destination.  So, if backing up to 1.44MB
floppies, then a 1.5MB file (or larger) will not copy.  This worked great in
the pure MS/PC-DOS days when files were relatively small.  But, when files
grew larger then floppy disk capacity, other backup methods were needed.
Back then, "FastBack" and "Central Point Backup" were my backup programs of
choice (especially "FastBack" when it came to backups to floppy).

73,

  - Aaron, NN6O



-----Original Message-----
From: ham-computers-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:ham-computers-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of W9WZE Halligan's
Hallicrafters
Sent: Saturday, October 29, 2005 3:34 PM
To: ham-computers at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Ham-Computers] Copying Directories


Hello All,

Once upon a time, long long ago, when DOS was King and my life was rodent
free, I could copy an entire directory, with its sub-directories, from the
hard drive to a Zip drive or 3.5 inch disk by using the 'xcopy' command.

However, it does not seem to like my Windows 98a OS. That makes two of us!

Question: How can I copy a directory and all sub-directories from the C:\
drive to a 3.5 inch diskette or zip drive from the MS DOS window, or a
restart in the MS DOS mode, using the XCOPY command, or some other command,?

Thank you.

I do NOT want to know how for Windows, it must be DOS!

Duane W8DBF
dfischer at usol.com