DOS - Use Xcopy or a batch file to copy all subdirectories

[lotrtrotk]

I have a computer that will not boot into windows anymore. I was able to find a dos-usb flash driver in order to copy files to it, and restore them to a new machine. The problem is, the computer has a large amount of subdirectories, and it would take ages to copy everything using the copy command on each individual directory. I tried to use xcopy (took the xcopy.exe file from windows, and put it on my dos boot disk) In the command prompt in windows, the xcopy works. But on the dead computer, xcopy says "Cannot run in dos". Just wondering if there is a version of this program that WILL run in dos. If not, the other option is to make a batch file that will loop through all directories below the current one, and copy them to a location specified. I am very much a novice with dos. Please Could somebody lead me in the right direction.

[edfair]

Don't know what version of DOS you are using but that version has an xcopy that will work with it. Unfortunately it is not included in most boot disks you can download or on the emergency boot disks you create.
I would suggest that you download a bootdisk for the windows version you have installed and copy the xdisk from \windows\command to the boot disk.

[lotrtrotk]

The boot disk that I found that has the USB driver on it, says "Starting windows 98...". So I am assuming that I am using the version of dos that comes with 98. The computer was originally using XP before it crashed.

is there a command I can type to find out for certain which dos version I have? Once I know that... can I just download a boot disk for that version, and copy the "xcopy.exe" to my usb boot disk, and it should work?

[GaryRouth]

If the disk drive is of any size at all, and if you have another XP machine around, you'd probably have the easiest time saving your files by slaving the drive in another PC and copying the files there (in Windows).

The "Helper PC" needs to be virus-free, and it also helps to scan your current data before saving it, since you really don't need copies of viruses []

Here's a link on that procedure: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=106182 ... I wrote that Tips&Tricks article in much too big a hurry, so my apologies if it's not as clear as it could be. Post a note here if you have any questions about that.

If you decide to clean the hard drive in another computer, you also have the option to put it back in it's original box, boot from your XP CD (if you have one [not a Recovery CD]), and try a repair reinstall.

If you have any questions as to the health of the hard drive, run the diagnostics available from the hard drive manufacturer's website.
. . . Gary

[P.S. ...a DOS disk or a Win98/98se disk (which would have DOS 6 or 7 on it) won't recognize any XP NTFS partitions, if you used XP's native file system ]

[galaxian]

Gary's is an excellent solution.

Remember that any Copy from the DOS level, will only copy short file names.

[glc]

You could also investigate the freeware XXCOPY utility.

[fudtone]

You never know when you might need this.

http://bootdisk.com/

[lotrtrotk]

In response to Gary's suggestion.

Slaving the drive would be my very first plan of attack had this been a desktop PC.. but it is a Laptop hard-drive. Not sure how (or if its even possible) to hook up a Laptop's hard-drive as master/slave.

I also have tried the restore AND repair install.

You could also investigate the freeware XXCOPY utility.

do you have a link?

My biggest problem is that I dont know how to check my version of dos, so if I found the xcopy program, I wouldnt know which version to get.

[glc]

www.xxcopy.com - a Google search would have given you this.

http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp...HD-108&cat=HDD

Laptop drives do have a jumper block that uses micro sized jumpers.

[lotrtrotk]

Ok, I tried xxcopy. It also says program cannot be run in dos mode

That notebook HD adaptor looks like an interesting buy. If I decide to go with something like that (could be useful to have for future anyways), where do I find the jumper blocks for the master/slave setting. There are four pins right next to the connection pins that would be the only thing that looks even remotly like jumpers. these must be them in brakets (view looking straight on at the connection pins).

[::] :::::::::.::::::::::::

If I'm correct... which pins to I connect to make slave?

[edfair]

once in DOS with the floppy type "ver". That will probably show as windows 98 version 4.10.xxxx. And the XP utilities won't work with it.
The laptop drive will probably be a 46 pin block, the extra pins are the power connections.

[glc]

If the drive doesn't have the jumper settings on a label on the drive, look it up at the manufacturer's support site. Laptop drives generally come jumpered either Single or Cable Select.

Notebook drives generally have 47 pins. 43 of them (2 rows of 22 with one missing pin in the center bottom row) are for IDE and power - and there's 4 pins off by themselves - this is the jumper block.

Example: http://www.hitachigst.com/tech/techlib.nsf/techdocs/4263DBA17850A40186256D1F005559B0/$file/T7K60_ig.pdf

[lotrtrotk]

Originally Posted by glc Notebook drives generally have 47 pins. 43 of them (2 rows of 22 with one missing pin in the center bottom row) are for IDE and power - and there's 4 pins off by themselves - this is the jumper block.

Ok, that's exactly what I was thinking were the jumper pins. No diagram though, guess it's google time.

Originally Posted by edfair once in DOS with the floppy type "ver". That will probably show as windows 98 version 4.10.xxxx. And the XP utilities won't work with it. The laptop drive will probably be a 46 pin block, the extra pins are the power connections.

Thanks edfair. I'll try and find a version of xcopy for ver 4.10.2222 (my version)

[ITlover]

Hello

Can any one give me the commands of dos.

I want the commands of copying and pasting ,what command do we use when copying or moving a file or more then one file from a drive to another drive?

[glc]

Assuming you use xcopy - xcopy32 or copy uses the same syntax:

xcopy (source path) (destination path)

You can use wildcards, * means anything and everything, ? means anything in that specific position.

xcopy d:\stuff\*.doc c:\things will copy all .doc files from d:\stuff to c:\things.

xcopy d:\stuff\*.do? c:\things will copy all .doc, .dot, .do (whatever).

There are switches that will help.

xcopy d:\stuff\*.* c:\things /s/e will copy everything in d:\stuff to c:\things including subdirectories and their files, even empty subdirectories - in other words, the entire d:\stuff structure.

xcopy /? will give you all syntax and switches available.