xcopy (Pro)

[Cah]

I've been trying to create a batch file containing the xcopy command but I can't get it to work. I can get the copy command to work and xcopy will work inside the run box but not from inside a bat file. Is it possible and if so, how is it done?

Thanks,

Chris (Hunt)

[Leif]

There is some sample code to run a backup using xcopy here - does that help?

[Cah]

Thanks Leif, that's a useful and interesting article but unfortunately it doesn't help me. I tried very similar code to that mentioned and it doesn't do anything. For some reason xcopy will only work from the run box on my machine. It won't work from the command prompt. I get the following when I try it:

'xcopy' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

Any ideas?

Chris

[Leif]

What happens if you enter
help xcopy
at the command prompt?

[Cah]

That's interesting. I get the same error message:

'help' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

I wonder if this problem is somehow connected to the missing gpedit.msc snap-in problem I'm having. Something is screwy.

Chris

[Leif]

Can you run *any* DOS-type commands in the command prompt?
DIR?

Edited to add:

. . . and maybe some interesting info here at zdnet : "DOS is Dead, Long Live the Command Line" . . .

[Cah]

Yes, I can use dir and even copy.

Will check out your link.

Thanks,

Chris

[Leif]

While you are at it, have a look at xxcopy . . .

[bigaldoc]

This may be totally dumb, but is it possible that there could be a difference in how you run the command prompt - COMMAND as opposed to CMD?

Edited to add: How about your PATH setting? Is it possibly not showing the Windows and System directories for some reason?

[Cah]

Hi Big Al, I think you may be on to something. I checked the path setting and it was pointed at L: the drive I use for storing temp folders. What should the path be? I changed it to c:windowssystem32 but command prompt still won't recognise the help command or xcopy.

Thanks,

Chris

[Leif]

<P ID="edit" class=small>(Edited by Leif on 03-Jan-03 12:39. )</P>Ignore this post - I just reread your earlier posts to see you've been there, done that...

Just as a matter of interest, can you run
help
from the command prompt. It should list *all* the commands available to you....

[bigaldoc]

Let me see if I copied these correctly:

%SystemRoot%system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%Syst em32Wbem;C:Program FilesDiskeeper
.COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH

I did this just in case there's more than one element screwed up in your environment variables. When I look at the above two lines inside the System app, the first is called PATH and the %systemroot% stuff shows up as C:WINDOWS

That second line, when you're in there looking, is called PATHEXT. I made a screenshot just in case it would help. I have no idea how one would "rebuild" the environment variable if there's more corruption.

[Leif]

More reading for you, I'm afraid:
Command-line reference A-Z
and
New ways to do familiar tasks which states "Windows XP retains and enhances almost all MS-DOS functionality."
(Both from MS TechNet)

[Cah]

Genius, Big Al, pure Genius! I copied the settings you supplied and now my command prompt works as it should. Moreover you were right about the gpedit.msc problem - that had the same cause - two problems slain by the same stone. Thank you very much!

Chris

[Cah]

Thanks for the posts Leif. I think the same information is in the command line reference help files accessed by typing hh ntcmds.chm in the run box. I got that from the first article you linked me to. The command line reference is very useful and thanks to Big Al and you I now have a Bat file that works.

All the best,

Chris