How do I copy Folder to Folder with few Clicks?

This may be requesting something that cannot be done, but I think there should be a way. I want to be able to send a folder to another folder with as few clicks as possible. I need to do this as a backup on a regular basis.

I have two hard drives C and J.

Here is an example of what I want to do. Send C:\Folder to J:\Folder. Since the folder already exists on drive J it will ask me if I want to overwrite the files and I can answer "Yes to all" which will give me a backup of the primary folder on drive C that I am changing.

Presently I am opening windows explorer and going to the folder on drive C which takes several clicks. Then I right click and send to drive J which I have added to the "Send to" list. I then click "Yes to all" and I have my backup folder updated on drive J.

I would like to be able to do this from a shortcut on the desktop.

Can someone tell me how to set up the command to do this "˜send to’ and then make a shortcut on the desktop.

Daniel

 

Open notepad or any other text editor you favor. Use names and targets that fit your system.

Copy the following into the window:

c:
cd c:\
pause
copy c:\testit e:\testit /y
pause
exit

Save the file as testit.bat

Create a new desktop shortcut to testit.bat

After you confirm it works to suit you, edit to remove the two 'pause' lines since they are just there so you can see the results of running the batch file.

Deed done. There are probably more elegant ways to do the job but this one works fine.

 

Check out Replicator
You can then automate it on a schedule.

 

No experience with Replicator and it probably has additional features.

But the .bat file will work fine and you can use task scheduler on XP to automate running it on whatever schedule suits you.

 

WhitPhil, Thanks for the reference, but I prefer to handle this within windows if I can.

Newt, I followed your instructions and it worked as it should. I set up folders C:\testit and J:\testit. I even put more than one file in C:\testit and it copied them to J:\testit. J is my second hard drive.

However when I changed C:\testit to [example only, but the same number of folders] C:\Program Files\Program\Work , it said that the system could not find the file specified. I did leave a space between Work and J. The folder Work would be the folder containing the files that I wish to copy to my backup folder on drive J. Also, I opened the Work folder in Windows Explorer and copied the path from the address window and pasted it in to make sure I had the correct address.

Any suggestions as to why this is not finding the files in the Work folder.

I do not need to schedule this on a regular basis, but just want to be able to save an updated copy of my Work folder after I have made enough changes to justify it.

Thanks, Daniel

 

Further research on this matter has revealed that I can copy any files from any "C:\" folder or sub folders that I have tried with the exception of C:\Program Files. I put a test file in program files and it said that it could not find the file specified. The folder that I am trying to copy is in C:\Program Files and it would not be practical to move it somewhere else.

Is there something different about C:\Program Files folder from all the others that this command will not work.

Any ideas?

Daniel

 

It is necessary to enclose the path statement in "quotes" when there are embedded space/spaces in it.

 

Surferdude2

Thank you very much, it solved the problem. I can see the logic of it being in quotes or it cannot tell where the path ends. It was looking for C:\Program and could not find it.

You and Newt have furthered my education and I am grateful. However, I still have a ways to go and may need more help later.

Thanks again, Daniel

 

I right click on the file to move or copy and select the folder to move or copy to. I use sendtotoys from this place:

http://gabrieleponti.com/software/#sendtotoys

Works great....

 

Bill

Thanks for the suggestion, but the way I have it set up I just double click the shortcut on the desktop and my folder is copied.

I prefer not to install any more programs than is necessary. My experience seems to prove that the more programs I install the more likely I am to have problems.

Daniel