RoboCopy and Win 10 - Extra directories copied

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SepticSceptic

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#222602 20-Aug-2017 13:26

As a part of my backup strategy, I'm using Robocopy to copy files from the Documents directory from a Win 10 laptop to a server.

Normal GUI copy and paste from the Win10 laptop to the destination works fine.

When I run Robocopy, it not only copies the documents, but a lot of files not specifically seen in the documents directory. In particular, all files from the My Pictures and My Music directories.

These directories are distinct directories from the C:\users\<user> tree. ie C:\users\<user>\documents, C:\users\<user>\music and C:\users\<user>\pictures.

This is the Robocopy command:

RoboCopy c:\users\<user>\documents \\<server>\<user> /E /XA:H /R:10 /W:10 /log+:"c:\copylogs.txt"

Is there something weird with the Win10 directory structure that I'm not seeing ?

Should I be using the /MIR instead of /E ?

Cheers

timmmay

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#1849203 20-Aug-2017 13:48

Not an answer, but you're doing in incremental backup of those files once they're on the server, right?

I'd be looking for shortcuts or similar.

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SepticSceptic

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#1849245 20-Aug-2017 14:56

timmmay:

Not an answer, but you're doing in incremental backup of those files once they're on the server, right?

I'd be looking for shortcuts or similar.

Sure am :-)

Once they are on the server, they get backed up, as well as duplicated across HDD's on the server.

Files are backed up to external USB's.

All files are also copied, using Robocopy, to a HDD on another PC which is then in turn backed up to a Zoolz cold storage vault.

Robocopy works well as it does do incremental copies.

I had to add the extra last step as Zoolz doesn't allow the home edition to run on a server.

timmmay

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#1849251 20-Aug-2017 15:19

SepticSceptic:

Robocopy works well as it does do incremental copies.

Robocopy is just a copy program. You really want proper incremental backup to protect against corruption, ransomware, etc. There's a huge thread on backups which could be interesting.

SepticSceptic

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#1849264 20-Aug-2017 16:03

timmmay:

SepticSceptic:

Robocopy works well as it does do incremental copies.

Robocopy is just a copy program. You really want proper incremental backup to protect against corruption, ransomware, etc. There's a huge thread on backups which could be interesting.

True that - my bad.

Anyways, despite trawling thru directories, and some searching, I was unable to resolve my original issue - I'm sure it's something to do with Win 10 Libraries, but each directory still shows it's own dedicated directory - no shortcuts, no Library inclusions, etc.

In the end, I used Robocopy's /XD (Exclude Directory)

RoboCopy c:\users\<user>\documents \\<server>\<user> /XD "My Music" "My Pictures" /E /XA:H /R:10 /W:10 /log+:"c:\copylogs.txt"

It may not be incremental, but it copies only new files, and files that have been changed.

timmmay

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#1849269 20-Aug-2017 16:24

Yeah, like files corrupted by bad ram or encrypted by ransomware... :)

gzt

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#1849284 20-Aug-2017 17:19

SepticSceptic:Is there something weird with the Win10 directory structure that I'm not seeing ?

As timmmay mentioned in passing, it is likely there are some links of one kind or another pulling those files/directories into the backup. Robocopy has options for handling various kinds of links.

For diagnosis, dir has some options to list only those.

gzt

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#1849326 20-Aug-2017 18:23

Just checked. If you do a dir /a on the documents folder you will see them.

Robocopy has an option to copy those as junction points only. The commandline help says it is the default.

I'd also suggest a dir /a on your target to confirm what you are currently getting before making a change.

1101

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#1849655 21-Aug-2017 09:28

Robocopy works just fine as an incremental backup. A backup is really just a copy from one device to another after all.
What you may be seeing is that Win is trying to hide some dir's from you & you are actually seeing those dirs on the copy
or robocopy is treating symbolic links a a real dir or actually copy the actual dir that those links point to

Robocopy can have issues with symbolic links/junction points . Theres a switch for that
Robocopy sometimes leaves all copied files hidden
Robocopy will only make a single copy, and will copy/overwrite the good backup with corrupt/infected files if your PC has corruption etc. Workaround is
to use multiple USB HD's or multiple backup dirs on the USB HD (eg backupMon, backupWed)
The log switch can sometimes cause issues , and you'll end up with a log file too big to be of much use . Del the log file every month or so.

I use these switches
robocopy c:\ u:\backup /b /e /R:0 /W:0 /xj /A-:RASHNT /LOG+:u:\logs\robobackup.txt /XD "System Volume Information"

And robocopy wont copy locked or open files . Thats when you need a true modern backup program, not an issue if you allow for that (eg Outlook must be
closed )

kiwicam

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#1849663 21-Aug-2017 09:39

1101:

Robocopy works just fine as an incremental backup. A backup is really just a copy from one device to another after all.

A backup should be a bit more than just a copy from one device to another. The risk with Robocopy isn't the incremental aspect - that's just for efficiency. This risk is that without some scripting or other setup there's no versioning/history. If a file becomes corrupted, or encrypted by ransomware, you may miss the opportunity to restore the file before robocopy updates your backup copy and makes it a corrupted/encrypted version too.

timmmay

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#1849672 21-Aug-2017 10:03

1101:

Robocopy works just fine as an incremental backup. A backup is really just a copy from one device to another after all.

It doesn't do an incremental backup at all. Maybe it only copies information that's changed, but that's quite different from an incremental backup that keeps versions of files.

kiwicam

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#1849695 21-Aug-2017 10:19

timmmay:

1101:

Robocopy works just fine as an incremental backup. A backup is really just a copy from one device to another after all.

It doesn't do an incremental backup at all. Maybe it only copies information that's changed, but that's quite different from an incremental backup that keeps versions of files.

I think the confusion here is just around terminology. Incremental does not equal versioning. Incremental means backing up only changes, as opposed to a full backup that just re-backs up everything again - which Robocopy does thou not as efficiently as a commercial backup suite.

I believe @timmmay's concern is related to versioning. He's probably not too worried about how long your backup takes or how much storage you need :-)

SepticSceptic

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#1855215 30-Aug-2017 12:15

Thanks all for your replies.

Have sorted it out using the /XJ switch in Robocopy.

And yes, DIR /a did show the junction points for the other directories.

nathan

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#1856669 1-Sep-2017 14:45

In my mind (and I could totally have this wrong, it's been a while since I was a tech) incremental also implies delta copies, which AFAIK Robocopy doesn't do.

It will copy changes but at the file level

Not so much of an issue on a home LAN