File Explorer rename files with the same name when copying

Orerockon · 24 Oct 2015

Quite frankly I'm surprised no one has brought this up (or I am using the wrong search terms). When copying files in explorer, Windows 7 (I can't remember anything older than that LOL) I am asked what I want to do with copying files that have the same name as existing files in the destination folder. One click, keep the old file and rename the new one, bam, done. Now, trying the same thing in Win 10, I get a really stupid box, Replace the files in the destination (same as the old), Skip these files (ditto), or Let me decide for each file (abotu the same, I don't have any Win 7 boxes to check). So I click on Let me decide... and a list of all the files comes up with checkboxes for each and every one, and two to select all the files in one or both folders. So now I have an extra step compared to Win 7, I have to check off these boxes, then continue. All I had to do is click on copy and rename the files in Win 7. Does anyone else think this is a really stupid and unnecessary complication of a really common thing to do in Explorer? More to the point, is there some setting that I can turn off, to let it replace or rename everything with one simple mouse click? I've tried the old Robocpoy and Rich Copy and they're not acceptable, even more steps that explorer.

Slightly related question: is there a fully featured alternative to file explorer (by that I mean everything that Win 7 File explorer could do)? Coupled with other "deimprovements" like destroying the insanely useful "recent files & folders" in the folder pane every save/save as menu in every program and replacing it with the fatally flawed "Quick Access" I'm wanting to ditch it altogether. It would be really special if we just could revert to the old File explorer and make life a heck of a lot easier.

matteoautomata · 30 Jul 2016

I had this same issue. There are some alternatives mentioned in this other thread:
Can the "Replace or Skip Files Confirmation" window be changed

I found the following info to be helpful:
How the Windows 8 copy file conflict dialog slows you down - XP was my idea (includes pictures of each different dialog)

Task	Windows classic dialog	Windows Vista/7 dialog	Windows 8 dialog
Rename to keep both files	Not available in Windows XP	1 click (single file), 2 clicks (all files)	4 clicks to rename all (keep both versions for all files)

It clearly illustrates how much more of a pain it is with the new version

EDIT: Here's another link to a related post on eight forums:
Copy but keep both files option?

Berton · 30 Jul 2016

When Copying or Moving from one place to another I'm given a choice/list of which to compare as to size and date then replace or keep both.

If wanting a second copy in the same Folder I right-click and drag a file to a white-space area and choose Copy here, adds - Copy to the file name but before the .xxx/Extension if File Explorer or the older Windows Explorer is set to show extensions of known file types.
Examples:
windows10.0-kb3170410-x64_998d936f7bb6523c2d1ec61d1b9538b82f67ca93.msu
Copy becomes:
windows10.0-kb3170410-x64_998d936f7bb6523c2d1ec61d1b9538b82f67ca93 - Copy.msu

Compounding the issue is that any Directory or Folder in DOS or Windows cannot contain 2 or more files of the exact same name, one has to be at least 1 character different, that's just for the file name, not the extension. Adding a character or changing a character of the extension will render it unusable.