xcopy command

Gadgetman496

I'm using XP Pro & trying to run the xcopy command but can't get it to work.

I'm trying to use it to copy a DVD in (Drive \) to a Pen Drive (Drive H:\)

I'm also using the /e & /f switches

This is how I'm typing it

xcopy d:\ h:\ /e /f

Everytime I run it from the command prompt I get the following message,

Unable to create directory – H:\

What am I doing wrong?


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Ghost Train

maybe try adding wild card

xcopy d:\ h:\* /e /f

xcopy d:\ h:\*.* /e /f

Gadgetman496

Ghost Train wrote: »

maybe try adding wild card

xcopy d:\ h:\* /e /f

xcopy d:\ h:\*.* /e /f

No joy there either but thanks for the reply

I even tried it straight without the switches but it still returns

Unable to create directory – H:\
0 file(s) copied

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Edit:

I've tried this on 3 different machines now & the result is the same.

The only thing in common with all machines is that they are all XP Pro SP3

I wonder if SP3 is causing it?

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Gadgetman496

I decided as it was not able to create the directory on the pen drive (Drive H:) that I would try the xcopy command but this time copying from the DVD drive (Drive \) to a folder on the PC and that worked no problem.

Tried it once more with a different pen drive & again it failed.

Why doesn't xcopy seem to want to write to a pen drive?

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Ghost Train

weird... maybe disabling fast removal of the key, under the properties of the drive... really not sure though

Gadgetman496

Ghost Train wrote: »

weird... maybe disabling fast removal of the key, under the properties of the drive... really not sure though

I had tried that too but no lick.

I'm going to change the drive letter assigned to the pen drive & see?

I know it sounds crazy but could xcopy have an issue with a drive assigned a drive letter as high a H:\?

I'm running out of ideas now myself

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Gadgetman496

Solved:

Ghost Train,

You were so on the right track with your mention of using the wild card *

Thanks for your efforts

This is why I was unable to carry out the xcopy command to a Pen Drive.



Using xcopy to copy the contents of a CD/DVD to a Pen Drive:


It is wise to give the full path when using xcopy as DOS sometimes gets confused when you try to xcopy to an external drive such as a Pen Drive.

If you want to xcopy from a DVD disc in your DVD drive to a drive on your hard disc this xcopy command will work fine. xcopy d: c: /e /f (assuming that \ is your DVD drive & C: is your hard drive).

However if you try to do it to a pen drive (assuming that \ is your DVD drive & H:\ is your Pen Drive) using xcopy d: h: e/ f/
it will give the following error

Unable to create directory – h:
0 file(s) copied

However, if you use the full path like the line below it will work fine.

xcopy d:\*.* h:\*.* /e /f


Solution:

Thanks again Ghost Train for your input.

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