Windows Gurus please command to copy all directories from Disk A to B

Hi folks - especially Windows Gurus please

Is there a Windows command to copy all the directories and their files and sub directories from one disk or directory to another -- not a CLONE disk but just a file and directory copy with recursion if necessary. It should ignore existing files on the destination if they are newer than the files on the source.

The Linux equivalent is simple : rsync -r -t -v --progress -s /<dev1> /<dev2> where<dev> = /dev/sdx etc.

I'm sure there must be a Windows command to do it - I don't need any 3rd party GUI type things to achieve IMHO a simple process which is essentially building a data backup job to run periodically on users clients computers - the backup will then go to a remote (LAN actually) server.

Note that rsync command with those particular parameters only copies non existing files to the target disk - but can copy if the files on destination are older than on source disk and a whole other slew of options etc.

These things in theory should be simple -- but it always seems to me (possibly because I don't tend to use Windows as my main desktop) that Windows makes some essentially simple tasks far more complex than they need to be.

Thanks in advance

Cheers
jimbo

These may be of interest:
shadow copies

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...w-copy-service
What Are “Shadow Copies”, and How Can I Use Them to Copy Locked Files?

idgat said:

Have a look at Windows built-in command line Robocopy.

Windows doesn't really make things hard, it's just that this type of thing is not meant to be done ... there's the issue of capturing/identifying/copying system and hidden.

You won't be able to do this while a system is running (i.e. copy the running system drive) - many files are locked/protected when in use and can't be accessed to copy.

Not fair to try and compare it to Linux because the architecture of the OSes is totally different.

Hi there
Thanks - that looks good
The command was intended to be run on users own data areas so data is backed up either on demand or at EOD (End of day). There's nothing wrong IMO with users especially on networked computers wanting to back up their own "Home" type directories on demand so can be done while their system is running.

Of course they can always back up data themselves to local storage but having a script they can run on demand like "Send directory / file" or "retrieve file / directory" seems fine to me.

In some places as well use of external local storage devices is discouraged even on BYOD (Bring your Own Device) sites.

Cheers
jimbo

@jimbo45
I have a batch script that will do total copy first and then incrementally, it just copies the new files and changed files.

Hi there
Thanks folks

Marking as solved.

Cheers
jimbo