Where is robocopy

This option defines in milliseconds the frequency in which robocopy will wait between sending new packets. A reader on Reddit discovered the hard way to not use mapped drives as a destination directory. Instead, always use always use a UNC path. You might run into issues with the character limit if you do. Check out this Microsoft doc for more information.

The copied files will not be readable and will generate errors when trying to manipulate them. Serverfault link with more info. Robocopy uses backup mode to use the SeBackupPrivilege for reading files and the SeRestorePrivilege user right to access any files it needs. This ignores any ACEs that would normally prevent you from accessing those files. The SeBackupPrivilege and SeRestorePrivilege user rights are normally assigned to users in the Backup Operators and Administrators groups but sometimes they can get removed.

Backup module eliminates that risk and temporarily grants the user executing robocopy those rights. The large majority of the options available to you are to exclude files and directories many different ways.

You can use a wildcard to filter on files matching a specific file name string or extension. Y0u can also provide multiple sets of file name matches by separating them with a space as shown below. Robocopy allows you to filter items not just by file but by directory name too. Below you will find all of the robocopy options that will exclude files and folders based on various timestamp attributes. You have seen that dozens of options are available to you.

Thankfully, you have a better option than memorizing and ensuring all of these options are spot on every time. Robocopy job files are text files containing one option per line. Once created, you can then either use robocopy to modify them or a simple text editor. A typical job file created with robocopy has an RCJ extension and looks like the below snippet.

You can see that you can provide comments in the job file using :: which is most of what this file has. Also, note that even if an existing job file already exists, robocopy will always overwrite the existing one. Backup or version control your job files! Let me know if you were able to get this to be included.

Robocopy reads all of the parameters inside of the job file. It then executes just as if you provided the options directly on the command-line. However, it would be better explained as creating a job file without running a job. Since job files are just text files, you could edit them with your favorite text editor or you could have robocopy do it for you.

You can add the new option like below:. You can even combine the use of job files too. When specifying multiple job files in the same run, all of the options used in that run will be combined together. For example, perhaps you have a large list of files to exclude from your backupfiles copy job. Open up a text editor, and add the following to create an exclude. Robocopy combines all options into one. Copies files in backup mode. Backup mode allows Robocopy to override file and folder permission settings ACLs.

This allows you to copy files you might otherwise not have access to, assuming it's being run under an account with sufficient privileges. Specifies which file properties to copy.

Specifies what to copy in directories. Deletes destination files and directories that no longer exist in the source. Adds the specified attributes to copied files.

Removes the specified attributes from copied files. Creates multi-threaded copies with n threads. The default value for n is 8. Copies only files for which the Archive attribute is set, and resets the Archive attribute. Includes only files for which any of the specified attributes are set.

Excludes files for which any of the specified attributes are set. For a backup program this is usually the desired behaviour. The Junction Point itself will not be copied either with or without these flags. These options accept any combination of the following letters, when several are specified, will match if any or all items match:. All versions of Robocopy will copy security information ACLs for directories, version XP will not copy file security changes unless the file itself has also changed, this greatly improves performance.

To run ROBOCOPY under a non-administrator account will require SeBackupPrivilege backup files privilege , to copy security information auditing privilege is also required, plus of course you need at least read access to the files and folders. Triggers Tab Create a new trigger Select when you want the task to begin, "On a schedule" is a good option to start Change the Settings to how often you want to run the task and when date and time you want it to start and reoccur Advanced settings allow some additional options Click OK when finished to create the task.

Change the path and filename inside the quotes to match where your script is located and what it is named. Conditions Tab Additional options should you choose to use them. Defaults generally are fine for most tasks.