How do I keep Windows "copy files" from dying on an error?

I'm trying to backup my hard drive by dragging/dropping certain big
folders from my main PC (running XP Pro) to my external backup drive.

Often I'll drag a huge folder with thousands of files to the backup
drive. Many times I'll have a situation where several hundred files are
copied over the course maybe 30 minutes, when suddenly I get an error
such as:

Error Copying File or Folder
Access denied
The source file may be in use.

Now, often it's a file that I don't really care about, so I'd be happy
if Windows just ignored it and kept going with the copy. Instead, the
entire copy operating grinds to a halt, and there's no easy way for me
to resume where it left off, since I can't be sure which files have been
copied and which haven't. All I can do is restart the copy operation
with that file unselected, have it start ALL OVER again, and hope that
it doesn't happen again in 30 minutes on a different file.

Is there a way to tell Windows how to resume a copy operation after an
error has occurred?

Barring that, is there a 3rd-party freeware app that will do it?

Thanks to anyone who can help!

learn to use Xcopy, instead of drag and drop. See Windows Help and
Support for instructions on usage.

George Adams wrote:

> I'm trying to backup my hard drive by dragging/dropping certain big
> folders from my main PC (running XP Pro) to my external backup drive.
>
> Often I'll drag a huge folder with thousands of files to the backup
> drive. Many times I'll have a situation where several hundred files are
> copied over the course maybe 30 minutes, when suddenly I get an error
> such as:
>
> Error Copying File or Folder
> Access denied
> The source file may be in use.
>
> Now, often it's a file that I don't really care about, so I'd be happy
> if Windows just ignored it and kept going with the copy. Instead, the
> entire copy operating grinds to a halt, and there's no easy way for me
> to resume where it left off, since I can't be sure which files have been
> copied and which haven't. All I can do is restart the copy operation
> with that file unselected, have it start ALL OVER again, and hope that
> it doesn't happen again in 30 minutes on a different file.
>
> Is there a way to tell Windows how to resume a copy operation after an
> error has occurred?
>
> Barring that, is there a 3rd-party freeware app that will do it?
>
> Thanks to anyone who can help!

Try MS SyncToy for copying the remainder of the files. Or all of the files.
It's a free program you can find at the MS Download Center.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en




"George Adams" <g_adams27@hotmail.SPAMBGONE.com> wrote in message
news:eurbsJG0HHA.5152@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> I'm trying to backup my hard drive by dragging/dropping certain big
> folders from my main PC (running XP Pro) to my external backup drive.
>
> Often I'll drag a huge folder with thousands of files to the backup drive.
> Many times I'll have a situation where several hundred files are copied
> over the course maybe 30 minutes, when suddenly I get an error such as:
>
> Error Copying File or Folder
> Access denied
> The source file may be in use.
>
> Now, often it's a file that I don't really care about, so I'd be happy if
> Windows just ignored it and kept going with the copy. Instead, the entire
> copy operating grinds to a halt, and there's no easy way for me to resume
> where it left off, since I can't be sure which files have been copied and
> which haven't. All I can do is restart the copy operation with that file
> unselected, have it start ALL OVER again, and hope that it doesn't happen
> again in 30 minutes on a different file.
>
> Is there a way to tell Windows how to resume a copy operation after an
> error has occurred?
>
> Barring that, is there a 3rd-party freeware app that will do it?
>
> Thanks to anyone who can help!