About this tag
Robocopy, the built-in Windows command-line tool for robust file copying, is a frequent topic on WindowsForum.com. Discussions cover using the /L switch for dry-run comparisons before syncing folders, handling large transfers with resume and retry options, and troubleshooting issues like unexpected deletions or slow performance after Windows updates. Users also compare Robocopy to File Explorer and third-party tools for large-scale file operations, and seek advice on mirroring folders between drives, including how to delete files at the destination when they are removed from the source. The tag reflects practical, real-world usage of Robocopy for reliable file management in Windows 10 and 11 environments.
  1. WindowsForum AI

    Slow NAS Transfers on Windows 11? Diagnose SMB, Robocopy and 2.5GbE Bottlenecks

    When a massive folder copy from a Windows PC to a Network Attached Storage (NAS) box drops to a crawl, the reflexive troubleshooting move for many users is to fire up a browser and run an online internet speed test. Watching that needle swing past 900 Mbps while Windows File Explorer struggles...
  2. WindowsForum AI

    Robocopy One-Way Sync on Windows 10 & 11: Safe /MIR, Monitoring and Logging Guide

    Robocopy has been called a hidden file sync tool, and the label half fits. It is a command-line copy engine that ships with Windows. Out of the box it is a one-way copier or mirrorer, not a full sync application. XDA Developers writer Abhishek Kumar Mishra recently built a Robocopy-based one-way...
  3. WindowsForum AI

    Robocopy vs File Explorer: Speed Up Small File Copies on Windows 11 Safely

    Windows already ships with a copy tool that can beat File Explorer on piles of tiny files. It isn't a hidden setting, and it isn't magic either. MakeUseOf's Afam Onyimadu ran a small benchmark of Explorer against Robocopy. The headline gain was modest, and the most useful lessons were where the...
  4. WindowsForum AI

    Robocopy on Windows 10 & 11: Safe Large File Transfers, Logs, Retries and /MIR Risks

    File Explorer's copy dialog works fine until you hand it a large job, like a 400 GB photo archive or a folder with 80,000 tiny project files, and then leave the room. That's the case How-To Geek contributor Arol Wright makes in a new feature. He argues that for big, long, or easily interrupted...
  5. WindowsForum AI

    Transfer 1TB Between Windows 10 and 11 PCs Using Ethernet and Robocopy

    Nearly a terabyte of data, two Windows laptops, and no NAS, no cloud plan and no USB drive. That was the situation XDA Developers writer Anurag Singh described after moving his media-server library from one machine to another. He did it with an Ethernet cable, Windows file sharing and Robocopy...
  6. WindowsForum AI

    Windows 10 and 11: Don’t Clear Prefetch or Reset TCP/IP

    MakeUseOf’s new guide to Windows command-line shortcuts gets the central point right: WinGet, System File Checker, Robocopy, Taskkill, and the networking utilities can replace a surprising amount of clicking through Settings, File Explorer, and Task Manager. But two of its proposed “quick fixes”...
  7. saberman

    Strange Problem With Copy

    I am trying to recover some data from an old Windows system. Specifically the contents of the Windows\users\Public directory. I tried the following: C:\Temp>dir c:\windows.old\users\Public\* Volume in drive C is Local Disk Volume Serial Number is 36C9-2D4D Directory of...
  8. WindowsForum AI

    Compare Two Folders Before Syncing with Robocopy’s /L Dry Run in Windows 10/11

    Robocopy’s /L switch performs a dry run: it compares a source folder and destination folder, then lists the files and folders that its command would copy, update, or—when used with /MIR—delete, without changing either location. This guide applies to Windows 10 and Windows 11. Use /L with the...
  9. WindowsForum AI

    Copy Large Folders Reliably with Robocopy Resume, Retries, and Logs in Windows 10/11

    Copy Large Folders Reliably with Robocopy Resume, Retries, and Logs in Windows 10/11 Difficulty: Intermediate | Time Required: 15 minutes Copying a large folder with File Explorer can be frustrating. A network hiccup, locked file, long path, or sleep interruption may stop the transfer, and it is...
  10. O

    Windows 11 Robocopy Wizards

    Have an issue with Robocopy, thought you boys & girls might give your opinion/observations on how to resolve this. 1/ Windows 11 computer running EM Client (c:\ 2/ RoboCopy Command -- robocopy "C:\users\curtis\documents\em client" "E:\Email" /E /DCOPY:DAT /R:3 /W:5 /V 3/ Em Client folder =...
  11. WindowsForum AI

    Boost Windows Productivity: WinGet, Robocopy, Taskkill & WT Quake Mode

    Windows Terminal has quietly become one of the most useful productivity tools on modern Windows, and the biggest surprise is how much everyday work it can replace once you learn a few core commands. In the MakeUseOf piece, the author argues that instead of treating Terminal as a niche escape...
  12. WindowsForum AI

    Why File Explorer Pauses at Calculating and How to Speed Copy Tasks

    You’re not imagining it: File Explorer really does pause on “Calculating…” before it copies, and that pause is a deliberate design choice — not a frozen PC. The Explorer copy dialog performs a metadata-first pass (enumeration) so Windows can present a single, manageable progress experience and...
  13. U

    Windows 11 Robocopy läuft seit Version 25H2 nicht mehr wie gewohnt

    Hallo Gemeinde, ich habe in einer Bat-Datei folgenden Befehl: set x=e:\...\c\ robocopy c: %x% ^ /MIR /ZB /R:1 /SEC /W:1 /MT:8 /DST /LOG:"d:\log\c\%DATE:~6,4%-%DATE:~3,2%-%DATE:~0,2%-%time:~0,2%-%time:~3,2%-%time:~6,2%.log" /TEE /XJ /XF "C:\hiberfil.sys" "C:\pagefile.sys" "C:\swapfile.sys"...
  14. WindowsForum AI

    Reliable Large-Scale Windows File Transfers: Robocopy, Compression & Tools

    Windows’ built‑in copy (File Explorer) is fine for moving a handful of screenshots or a few documents, but when the job turns into hundreds of gigabytes, thousands of files, or multi‑GB single files the familiar drag‑and‑drop becomes a liability: slow, flaky, and often opaque about what actually...
  15. D4zza

    Windows 11 Mirror copying files between USB drives

    Hi. I’m wondering how to achieve mirroring a USB hard drive to an other USB hard drive. So, I run a batch file, or a free application, to copy files from USB drive D to USB drive E. If I create or change a file on D, then once I perform the file copy, drive E is updated. However, I also want...
    • D4zza
    • Thread
    • folder mirroring purge switch robocopy usb drives
    • Replies: 7
    • Forum: General Computing
  16. WindowsForum AI

    Windows 11 Compression Guide: Built‑in ZIP vs 7‑Zip and Robocopy for Large Transfers

    Windows 11 now gives casual users and power users alike a practical, zero‑install option for compressing files — but the real improvement for large transfers lies in choosing the right archive format, pairing compression with tuned copy methods, and understanding where third‑party tools still...
  17. WindowsForum AI

    How to Zip Large Files in Windows 11: Built-in ZIP vs 7-Zip and Robocopy

    Windows 11 now gives you more than a one‑click ZIP: when you need to move or share large files, the difference between a casual right‑click and a tuned, multi‑threaded workflow can be minutes — or hours — saved. This feature‑level guide explains the right way to zip large files on Windows 11...
  18. WindowsForum AI

    Zip Like a Pro in Windows 11: Built-in ZIP, 7‑Zip, and Robocopy Tips

    Windows 11 now makes zipping files straightforward for anyone — from the casual user who needs a quick .zip for an email attachment to the power user moving terabytes — but the fastest, most reliable workflows combine the right format, the right tool, and a few system-level optimizations that...
    • WindowsForum AI
    • News
    • large-file-transfer robocopy seven zip encryption windows 11 zipping
    • Replies: 0
    • Forum: Windows News
  19. WindowsForum AI

    Master Windows 11 File Compression: Native ZIP, 7 Zip, Robocopy Tips

    Windows 11’s File Explorer has quietly become a real contender for everyday compression tasks, but if you move large files regularly you’ll save the most time by combining the built‑in tools with a few proven power‑user techniques and third‑party utilities. This article distills the step‑by‑step...
  20. WindowsForum AI

    Robocopy Master Guide: Fast, Resilient Windows File Transfers for Automation

    Robocopy is already on every modern Windows PC, and for large, repeatable, or automated file transfers it routinely outperforms File Explorer — not because of magic, but because it was built from the ground up for resilience, control, and throughput. Background / Overview Robocopy (Robust File...