Guest mcp6453 Posted September 29, 2008 Posted September 29, 2008 I'm trying to make a copy of a folder on my XP SP3 data drive by dragging it and dropping it onto a USB drive connected to the same computer. For some reason that I don't understand, when Windows Explorer encounters a folder with no files in it, it throws up an error and then stops. If I kill the folder and try again, WE throws up on the next folder with no files. Sure, there is no downside in deleting all folders with no files in them, but there are many, many folders on the drive. Please help me understand why WE would choke on copying and folder with no files and whether there is a solution for copying all of the folders (including the zero-byte ones) with Windows Explorer. (I'm aware of utilities that will copy such files and folders, but I'm hoping that there is a setting or configuration with WE that will keep me from having to add another utility.)
Guest Lanwench [MVP - Exchange] Posted September 29, 2008 Posted September 29, 2008 Re: Copying Folders with No Files mcp6453 <mcp6453@gmail.com> wrote: > I'm trying to make a copy of a folder on my XP SP3 data drive by > dragging it and dropping it onto a USB drive connected to the same > computer. For some reason that I don't understand, when Windows > Explorer encounters a folder with no files in it, it throws up an > error and then stops. If I kill the folder and try again, WE throws > up on the next folder with no files. > > Sure, there is no downside in deleting all folders with no files in > them, but there are many, many folders on the drive. Please help me > understand why WE would choke on copying and folder with no files and > whether there is a solution for copying all of the folders (including > the zero-byte ones) with Windows Explorer. (I'm aware of utilities > that will copy such files and folders, but I'm hoping that there is a > setting or configuration with WE that will keep me from having to add > another utility.) I don't use Windows Explorer to copy folders/files unless they're tiny/simple. I use robocopy and it works like a champ. Install the windows 2003 resource kit - it has this and more - and then run robocopy /??? in a command line to find all the parameters. Once you get it down, there's nothing like it.
Guest Pegasus \(MVP\) Posted September 29, 2008 Posted September 29, 2008 Re: Copying Folders with No Files "mcp6453" <mcp6453@gmail.com> wrote in message news:OjN1UxjIJHA.1304@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > I'm trying to make a copy of a folder on my XP SP3 data drive by dragging > it and dropping it onto a USB drive connected to the same computer. For > some reason that I don't understand, when Windows Explorer encounters a > folder with no files in it, it throws up an error and then stops. If I > kill the folder and try again, WE throws up on the next folder with no > files. > > Sure, there is no downside in deleting all folders with no files in them, > but there are many, many folders on the drive. Please help me understand > why WE would choke on copying and folder with no files and whether there > is a solution for copying all of the folders (including the zero-byte > ones) with Windows Explorer. (I'm aware of utilities that will copy such > files and folders, but I'm hoping that there is a setting or configuration > with WE that will keep me from having to add another utility.) The behaviour you observe is specific to your machine. Windows Explorer does not normally behave like this. I suggest you try the same process in Safe Mode. If the problem persists then quoting the exact error message you see would be a good starting point. By the way, what's "WE" in "WE throws up"?
Guest Kelly Posted September 29, 2008 Posted September 29, 2008 Re: Copying Folders with No Files >By the way, what's "WE" in "WE throws up"? Windows Explorer throws up? -- All the Best, Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP) Taskbar Repair Tool Plus! http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm SupportSpace http://www.supportspace.com/pages?aiu=kellyskorner "Pegasus (MVP)" <I.can@fly.com.oz> wrote in message news:%23YjcVSlIJHA.3708@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... > > "mcp6453" <mcp6453@gmail.com> wrote in message > news:OjN1UxjIJHA.1304@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl... >> I'm trying to make a copy of a folder on my XP SP3 data drive by dragging >> it and dropping it onto a USB drive connected to the same computer. For >> some reason that I don't understand, when Windows Explorer encounters a >> folder with no files in it, it throws up an error and then stops. If I >> kill the folder and try again, WE throws up on the next folder with no >> files. >> >> Sure, there is no downside in deleting all folders with no files in them, >> but there are many, many folders on the drive. Please help me understand >> why WE would choke on copying and folder with no files and whether there >> is a solution for copying all of the folders (including the zero-byte >> ones) with Windows Explorer. (I'm aware of utilities that will copy such >> files and folders, but I'm hoping that there is a setting or >> configuration with WE that will keep me from having to add another >> utility.) > > The behaviour you observe is specific to your machine. Windows Explorer > does not normally behave like this. I suggest you try the same process in > Safe Mode. If the problem persists then quoting the exact error message > you see would be a good starting point. By the way, what's "WE" in "WE > throws up"? >
Guest mcp6453 Posted September 29, 2008 Posted September 29, 2008 Re: Copying Folders with No Files Kelly wrote: >> By the way, what's "WE" in "WE throws up"? > > Windows Explorer throws up? > Correct. "WE" == "Windows Explorer"
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