Windows 10: How is copying files in Windows 10?

In Windows 7, it can be a real bother to leave a folder to copy to another drive, with some files in the folder being new versions to replace versions already existing in a same-name folder on the drive that's being copied to... and at some point into the transfer a dialogue will pop up asking whether to merge folders, and then whether to copy and replace, or rename some files, and then the same question for some archives... and there's no telling at what point of the transfer these prompts will appear.

When the transfer is 50+ GB, it's often convenient to leave it to copy and walk away to do another thing while it copies. Course, if a user isn't there to tell the prompts what to do when they show, the whole transfer sits and waits, and when the user returns, expecting things to be done, they might find they still have to wait nearly the entire time that was remaining when they left.

This issue would be resolved if there were checkboxes in the transfer window to designate what to do with certain types of conflicts that may or may not arise:

x merge same-named folders
x replace same-named files
x make backup / duplicate of same-named files


Something to that effect.

If Windows 10 hasn't already improved the transfer management, I'd like to see it done before its official release.

:)

 

problem in copying files in win 10

not able to copy files in file explorer in partition drive or pen drive in windows 10.how can it be fixed

 

Copying files to usb drive is too slow speed in Windows 10

Hi Prashant,

Let's troubleshoot the issue by following steps provided by ThofikhAhamad's on October 6, 2015. Just click this

link to see the forum post.

Let us know how it goes.

Regards.

 

Well, that was actually "fixed" in Windows 8. It will now complete the transfer of all files it can successfully transfer, then prompt you for what to do with the remaining files. In this way, you only have to worry about the files that failed and all the good files will have completed. In addition, it offers a cool graph of transfer speed as well as lines showing average speed.

Another nice feature is that you can pause copies, or cancel specific ones.

Windows 10 is no exception to this and uses the same method. You can read about it in many places.

 

That's good to know, though it sounds like it is still is only a halfway solution towards the example I put forth in the OP. It'd be nice to return to transfers and find that everything is done according to the user's will, and that nothing remains to be dealt with. The folders and files that are waited upon could still be many GB and take a while to transfer.

 

There is a hide merge conflict checkbox in folder options
The decision to replace or create a copy (2), (3), (4) still remains up to the user.
The copy process is vastly improved - you can hide same files so you don't have to make decisions on those (or make backups of backups of backups - all the same file made with previous versions of windows or other means).

The improvements mean that the first time might be more work than you want, but after that, there should only be a few files that meet the criteria of being the same. That is, unless you're a pack rat like me *Wink

You might be using the wrong tool - backup sounds more like what you're doing. This tool has different mechanisms to test the file before performing the copy/backup, most notably is the archive bit set.

 

What I don't understand is what Windows 7 is doing during the "Preparing to copy" stage.

It certainly isn't checking for conflicts, so it can alert the user before starting the operation.

MS could have created an "advanced copy" GUI tool using check boxes, etc. as Delicieuxz suggested.

 

Well, it's mostly scanning the folder tree to determine file sizes, and number of files. So that it can display the percentage and files/size remaining.

 

I created a feature request listing on Windows User Voice to propose the inclusion of advanced copy management options. People can vote for the idea if they also want it, here:

Provide advanced copy file options in the manner of checkboxes in the transfer window to designate what to do with certain types of conflict – Feature Suggestions for Windows

 

You can use the robocopy command (it is command line not checkboxes I'll grant you) but it should let you do what you want. If you prefer a GUI front end you can get one from technet

 

What's windows 7. Have we drifted - again. Well it lasted 5 posts this time - lol.

 

The OP mentioned "issues" with W7 file copying/moving.

I also believe that an "Advanced Copy" GUI tool could be handy (especially when copying 1000s of files in a single operation).

W10 doesn't seem to have one.

 

Robocopy is built into windows 10 (as it was in 8 and 7 and before that for all I know). The GUI you need to get from TechNet (if you don't like command line). It is also faster than copy paste.

As @Slartybartfast said though Copy Paste is perhaps the wrong tool. Copy Paste is not the same as backup - there are too many considerations. If you want to backup and have a pre-defined strategy for existing files then use File History, or xcopy or robocopy or any of the hundreds of 3rd party backup softwares there are. If you don't know what you want to do with existing files on the backup you can think about it at the time.

Making copy/paste more complicated would not make anything better for anyone and if I was in charge of MS development I'd quite simply not do it.

 

I know Robocopy is available via the Command Prompt.
I didn't know there was a GUI for it. *Redface

Given that one exists, why not include it in Windows?

Why would a separate "Advanced Copy" GUI tool have any affect on the standard tools?

 

I use robocopy to backup my important stuff to a Ironkey secure usb disk.
Each time in Windows 10 it re creates all the files. I don't understand why it date changing on my D: drive. Kinda strange
Code: robocopy D:\_Backup %~dp0_Backup /E /COPYT /PURGE[/quote]