Fix Robocopy Skipping All Files During Backup to External Drive

draft · backup-and-recovery backup-restorerobocopypermissions

Generated by docuprocessor (prompt article/v3) · 2026-04-22 05:26

Source thread

thread_id: spaces/AAAA05BdS6s/threads/eJ-a4cJsQKU · 27 msgs · first 2024-03-22 · participants: Tech ATech BTech C

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:01

Hey guys, I'm trying to run a manual backup at GRINBAUM office. They have a bat with robocopy commands. The commands looks fine, but when I run it it doesn't copy the files.

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A Windows Command Prompt window is open on a remote session (LogMeIn) connected to **GRINBAUM - FRONTDESK4**. Two **robocopy** commands have executed, copying folders from `C:\Users\user\Documents\Fax\EMU O.R PATIENT DOCUMENTS` to `D:\EMU O.R PATIENT DOCUMENTS` and a subfolder path to `D:\CONEY ISLAND O.R PATIENTS DOCUMENTS`, both with flags `/XA:H /E /W:0 /R:1 /REG`, logging output to `D:\Log1.txt` and `D:\Log.txt` respectively. The script completed a `timeout /t 2` (reporting "Waiting for 0 seconds") and is currently paused at **"Press any key to continue . . ."** with no visible error codes.

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:02

I noted that the ext drive is showing up like there's no data inside (1.81tb of 1.81tb) but there are few gigs there

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**Drive Status Display – Windows Explorer / File Explorer** A Windows storage device panel shows a **Toshiba EXT external hard drive assigned drive letter D:**. The capacity readout displays **"1.81 TB free of 1.81 TB"**, indicating the drive is at or near full available capacity with no data written. The storage bar appears **empty/unfilled**, consistent with the free space reading.

Tech B 2024-03-22 16:06

what are you seeing in the log file?

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:07

i just found this

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:07

(no text)

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**ROBOCOPY log output (Windows, Friday March 22, 2024, 12:00:51 PM).** Source path: `C:\Users\user\Documents\Fax\EMU O.R PATIENT DOCUMENTS\`; Destination: `D:\EMU O.R PATIENT DOCUMENTS\`. Two highlighted errors are visible: **"Files : timeout"** (magenta highlight) and **"ERROR : Invalid Parameter #9 : "/R"** (magenta highlight), with options string `/S /E /DCOPY:DA /COPY:DAT /XA:H /REG /R:1 /W:0` displayed.

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:07

but the timeout parameter syntax is ok I think

Tech C 2024-03-22 16:07

The Microsoft Windows “robocopy” utility may skip files for many reasons. Here are just a few: 1. File has too deep of a path (Windows has a 256/260 folder and name restriction) 2. Permissions/no access. 3. The file could be deemed a virus or similar, but whitelisted in Microsoft Defender or similar antivirus. 4. Filename issues (characters) 5. Network interruption (depending on source/destination) 6. File size 7. Conflicts (also source/destination) 8. The mirror option was enabled and an exact copy already exists (although this is technically not a “skip”).

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:07

(no text)

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The screenshot shows a **Robocopy log summary** dated **Friday, March 22, 2024 at 12:00:52 PM**. Key statistics show: **190 directories skipped** (0 copied), **687 files skipped** (0 copied), **683.58 MB skipped** (0 copied), with **0 mismatches**, **0 failures**, and **2 extra directories / 1 extra file** noted in the Extras column. The "Skipped" column header and its values (190, 687) are highlighted in magenta/pink.

Tech B 2024-03-22 16:10

change parameters to these: /XA:H /E /W:0 /R:1 /REG >D:\Log.txt

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:10

without timeout?

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:10

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:12

same thing happens

Tech B 2024-03-22 16:13

can u copy files manually? maybe the disk is corrupted?

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:13

Yes, I can

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:13

But it's weird that the disk is showing up as 100% free space

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:14

And the disk is formatted as exFAT , not NTFS

Tech B 2024-03-22 16:14

thats irrelevant

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:15

Should I format that drive and try to copy the files again?

Tech B 2024-03-22 16:15

try this script with a single file copying to the same C drvie and see if it works for you, as a test. then try changing the letter and see if that single file can be copied to the ext drive

Tech B 2024-03-22 16:16

if works - great, add one directory and see if it works. if does not - then it might be an issue with the drive. have them unplug-replug, format, whatever works

Tech B 2024-03-22 16:16

or maybe run checkdisk on it first

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:21

hmmm it's working in another directory

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:21

I added a folder before the one that the files were getting saved

Tech B 2024-03-22 16:22

could be related to the permissions

Tech B 2024-03-22 16:23

do u run this bat file as admin?

Tech A 2024-03-22 16:23

yes

Tech B 2024-03-22 16:27

remove XA:H if does not work - escalate, as its hard to help liek that w/o seeing the results

---
title: "Fix Robocopy Skipping All Files During Backup to External Drive"
category: backup-and-recovery
tags: ["backup-restore", "robocopy", "permissions"]
source_thread_id: "spaces/AAAA05BdS6s/threads/eJ-a4cJsQKU"
source_space: "spaces/AAAA05BdS6s"
generated_at: "2026-04-22T05:26:58"
participants: ["Tech A", "Tech B", "Tech C"]
---

# Fix Robocopy Skipping All Files During Backup to External Drive

## Problem

A robocopy backup script was skipping all files when copying from `C:\Users\user\Documents\Fax\EMU O.R PATIENT DOCUMENTS\` to an external Toshiba drive (D:). The robocopy log showed 190 directories skipped, 687 files skipped (683.58 MB), with 0 files copied. The external drive displayed as completely empty (1.81 TB free of 1.81 TB) in Windows Explorer despite containing some data. The drive was formatted as exFAT rather than NTFS. Initial robocopy parameters included `/S /E /DCOPY:DA /COPY:DAT /XA:H /REG /R:1 /W:0` and generated an "Invalid Parameter #9 : '/R'" error along with timeout errors.

## Resolution

1. Simplify the robocopy parameters to `/XA:H /E /W:0 /R:1 /REG` to eliminate invalid parameter errors
2. Test robocopy with a single file copy to the same C: drive to verify the command syntax works
3. Test copying the single file to the external drive to verify drive accessibility
4. If single file copying works, gradually add directories to isolate problematic paths
5. Check if the issue is related to the specific destination folder structure - try creating an intermediate folder before the target directory
6. Run the batch file as administrator to ensure proper permissions
7. If files are still being skipped, remove the `/XA:H` parameter which excludes hidden files
8. Verify manual file copying works to confirm the drive is not corrupted
9. Consider running checkdisk on the external drive if issues persist

The issue was resolved by adjusting the destination folder structure, suggesting the problem was related to permissions or path handling rather than drive corruption.

## References
- Source discussion: `spaces/AAAA05BdS6s/threads/eJ-a4cJsQKU`
- Attachments:
  - ![image.png](../attachments/eJ-a4cJsQKU.3UVC2lxWAKA/image.png) — **Drive Status Display – Windows Explorer / File Explorer**

A Windows storage device panel shows a **Toshiba EXT external hard drive assigned drive letter D:**. The capacity readout displays **"1.81 TB free of 1.81 TB"**, indicating the drive is at or near full available capacity with no data written. The storage bar appears **empty/unfilled**, consistent with the free space reading.
  - ![image.png](../attachments/eJ-a4cJsQKU.T1-eJt_o7Jk/image.png) — **ROBOCOPY log output (Windows, Friday March 22, 2024, 12:00:51 PM).**
Source path: `C:\Users\user\Documents\Fax\EMU O.R PATIENT DOCUMENTS\`; Destination: `D:\EMU O.R PATIENT DOCUMENTS\`. Two highlighted errors are visible: **"Files : timeout"** (magenta highlight) and **"ERROR : Invalid Parameter #9 : "/R"** (magenta highlight), with options string `/S /E /DCOPY:DA /COPY:DAT /XA:H /REG /R:1 /W:0` displayed.
  - ![image.png](../attachments/eJ-a4cJsQKU.eJ-a4cJsQKU/image.png) — A Windows Command Prompt window is open on a remote session (LogMeIn) connected to **GRINBAUM - FRONTDESK4**. Two **robocopy** commands have executed, copying folders from `C:\Users\user\Documents\Fax\EMU O.R PATIENT DOCUMENTS` to `D:\EMU O.R PATIENT DOCUMENTS` and a subfolder path to `D:\CONEY ISLAND O.R PATIENTS DOCUMENTS`, both with flags `/XA:H /E /W:0 /R:1 /REG`, logging output to `D:\Log1.txt` and `D:\Log.txt` respectively. The script completed a `timeout /t 2` (reporting "Waiting for 0 seconds") and is currently paused at **"Press any key to continue . . ."** with no visible error codes.
  - ![image.png](../attachments/eJ-a4cJsQKU.tMvsJuvY40g/image.png) — The screenshot shows a **Robocopy log summary** dated **Friday, March 22, 2024 at 12:00:52 PM**. Key statistics show: **190 directories skipped** (0 copied), **687 files skipped** (0 copied), **683.58 MB skipped** (0 copied), with **0 mismatches**, **0 failures**, and **2 extra directories / 1 extra file** noted in the Extras column. The "Skipped" column header and its values (190, 687) are highlighted in magenta/pink.

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