Network File Copying

I use XP Home on my i8200 (which uses simple file sharing). I selected a few folders to be shared on my network so I can handle the backups from my computer (My Documents, etc.). The shared folders do show up in Network Places and I can access them. I want to be able to copy the My Documents folder and all it's sub folders and files to my back up hard drive but when I do, it just copies the shortcut to the actual folder on the remote computer. If I select a subfolder of the shared folder, it will copy it and it's subs. How do I copy starting with the main shared folder?

Also, I tried to share the entire root drive so I wouldn't have to individually select different folders (not a high security issue here) but when I try to copy some folders, I get a not accessible or not authorized message. Is there a tip for sharing the root drive with full access?

Thanks for any help,
Jamie

 

Are you trying to copy it from the desktop? Maybe you actually need to go in and copy the 'my documents' folder from

C:\Documents and Settings\Admin\My Documents


Just a thought.

 

Yes, I am trying to copy the actual folder under my user name.
Thank you for your suggestion.

 

I'd use XCOPY in a batch file to do this. XCOPY is a command line application. If you open up a command prompt (Start > Run > Command) and at the command prompt type:

XCOPY /?

You'll get a list of the command switches. For example

XCOPY C:\myfolder \\Server\backupfolder /E /C /I /H /R /Y

Will copy the folder "myfolder" on your C: drive to the shared folder "backupfolder" on the PC called "Server ". It will copy all the sub-directories in myfolder (including empty ones), it will continue even if an error occurs, it will generate new folders if they don't already exist in the destination folder, it will copy hidden and system files, it will overwrite read-only files in the destination folder, and it will not prompt you for each file.

If you add the /D switch (without specifying a date) it will only copy across files that have changed since the last time the command was run. If you want to schedule the XCOPY, this will greatly reduce the process time as only changed files will be copied across.

You can enter the XCOPY command in a text file (with Notepad) and then rename the file so that the extention is changed from .txt to .bat. It will then become a batch file. Running the batch file (double clicking on it, or typing its name at the command prompt [in the folder where it is stored]) will run the command. You can create a batch file and then point the scheduler at it to run the command at regular intervals.

If you want to be really slick you can output the XCOPY output to a text file that can then be e-mailed to you as report using something like Blat. Your command line would then look something like:

XCOPY C:\myfolder \\Server\backupfolder /E /C /I /H /R /Y /D > XCOPYreport.txt

 

If you are using simple file sharing the My Documents folder can't be shared across a network. If you want to copy it then do the copy from the I8200. Example I have an external USB 160 gig drive hanging off my laptop. None of the other computers can see it (I disable simple filesharing, I have Pro) XP Home won't allow it.
If I want to back all the stuff from the other computers on that 160 gig then I have the backup program set from the computer it is attached too.
So you can send the My Documents Folder to another computer.

 

Thank you for that tip Maggie, I'll try sending it instead.

Another question...When I share the entire root drive of my desktop, then try to access it's My Documents folder from my laptop, I get the "folder not accessible, may not have permission" error.
But if I share the My Documents folder directly, I can access it from the laptop. Why can't I acces it when the root drive is shared?
Thanks again!

 

I think it is the simple filesharing. There are restrictions and there is no way to set permissions. You probably can't open Program Files either.
With simple filesharing it is Everyone can get in. What you can do once your in???
I put Pro on my I8200 I did have Home for awhile but couldn't get used to it. Too many restrictions. So it has been years since I had to network with it.

 

It's actually the other way around Maggie. It's the simplifications in XP Home. Both Windows XP Home and Pro have identical network features. That is how it works with simple file sharing with both XP Home and XP Pro (when not joined to a domain).

With simple file sharing enabled, there are no restrictions and everybody has network access. It doesn't allow you to share the Program Files folder. You can share subfolders. Unlike XP Pro, you can boot your computer into Safe Mode with Network which temporarily disables SFS and temporarily removes these restrictions.

 

There you go I've been using Pro and 2000 for so long with simple filesharing disabled I have no idea how it works using simple filesharing. I thought all those system folders were untouchable with simple filesharing.