Robocopy (Robust File Copy) is one of Microsoft's most powerful command-line utilities for copying, synchronizing, and backing up files and folders. Built into modern versions of Windows, Robocopy is designed to handle large datasets, network interruptions, file permissions, and complex directory structures more efficiently than traditional copy methods.
A commonly used Robocopy command for creating a safe copy of one drive to another is:
robocopy D:\ E:\ /E /COPY:DAT /DCOPY:DAT /MT:32 /R:0 /W:0 /XJ /FFT /TEE /V /LOG:E:\CopyDToE.logUnlike mirror operations, this command safely copies files without deleting anything already present in the destination drive. It is ideal for backups, drive migration, external storage, and disaster recovery preparations.
D:\This is the source drive containing the files and folders to be copied.
E:\All copied files are written to the destination drive.
Existing files remain untouched unless the source contains a newer version.
Copies:
Without this switch, empty directories would not be copied.
Copies only:
It intentionally does not copy:
This makes the command safer when copying to drives with different security requirements.
Copies folder:
Folder permissions remain unchanged.
Enables multi-threaded copying using 32 simultaneous threads.
| Storage Type | Suggested Threads |
|---|---|
| HDD | 8-16 |
| SATA SSD | 16-32 |
| NVMe SSD | 32-64 |
| Network Share | 16-32 |
Retry count is zero.
If a file is locked or inaccessible, Robocopy skips it immediately instead of waiting.
Ideal for servers where Outlook PST files, databases, or browser cache files may be in use.
Wait time between retries is zero seconds.
Since retries are disabled, the command continues immediately.
Excludes NTFS Junction Points.
This prevents:
Especially useful when copying Windows user profiles.
Uses FAT File Time tolerance.
Robocopy allows a two-second timestamp difference before deciding that a file has changed.
Benefits include:
Displays output on screen while simultaneously writing it to the log file.
Useful for monitoring long copy operations.
Verbose mode.
Every processed file is displayed.
Provides detailed information useful for troubleshooting.
Creates a comprehensive log file containing:
Logs are invaluable for auditing and troubleshooting.
This command will:
✔ Copy all folders
✔ Copy all files
✔ Copy empty folders
✔ Preserve timestamps
✔ Preserve file attributes
✔ Preserve folder timestamps
✔ Skip identical files
✔ Copy only changed files
✔ Skip locked files immediately
✔ Use 32 simultaneous threads
✔ Display progress
✔ Generate a detailed log file
It does not:
❌ Delete destination files
❌ Mirror the source
❌ Remove extra files from destination
❌ Copy NTFS permissions
❌ Copy ownership
❌ Copy auditing information
❌ Copy Junction Points
Destination only grows.
Deleted source files remain safely stored in the backup.
Perfect for:
Mirror mode deletes files that no longer exist in the source.
Destination becomes an exact copy.
Ideal only for synchronization when both locations must remain identical.
Suppose:
Source
D:\Photos\contains
Vacation.jpg
Family.jpgDestination
E:\Photos\already contains
Vacation.jpg
Family.jpg
OldPicture.jpgAfter running the command:
Vacation.jpg
Family.jpg
OldPicture.jpgAll remain.
Nothing is deleted.
If a destination file is:
Only changed files consume copy time.
If Outlook, SQL Server, Chrome, or another application locks a file:
Robocopy reports an error and skips the file immediately.
The remainder of the copy continues uninterrupted.
Compared to Windows Explorer, Robocopy offers:
This command is ideal for:
Because this command never deletes destination files, it is considered one of the safest Robocopy configurations.
It minimizes the risk of accidental data loss while efficiently updating the backup with new and modified files.
For production environments, consider adding:
/ZRestartable mode.
/NPSuppress percentage progress for smaller log files.
/ETADisplay estimated completion time.
/LOG+Append to an existing log instead of overwriting it.
The command:
robocopy D:\ E:\ /E /COPY:DAT /DCOPY:DAT /MT:32 /R:0 /W:0 /XJ /FFT /TEE /V /LOG:E:\CopyDToE.logis an excellent choice for safely copying files from one drive to another while preserving timestamps and attributes. Since it never deletes existing files from the destination, it provides an extra layer of protection against accidental data loss, making it suitable for backups, migrations, and routine file maintenance. With multi-threaded performance, detailed logging, and robust error handling, Robocopy remains one of the most reliable file copy tools available in Windows.
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