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Solve : Clean up my backup directory, in DOS?

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I have a batch file that COPIES all "My Documents" files to a second, backup, hard drive.
It copies only new files and ones that have been updated.
I use XCOPY for this process. ( it really works fast and efficient)

Now I've cleaned out a number of files from my main drive and I'd like to also clean up my backup drive in like manner.

Can I write a batch file to compare the two directories and remove the files from the backup directory that no longer exist in the primary directory?

Dos has changed a lot since I learned it in the early '80's so I would surely like some help here.

Thanks in advance,
The Shadow you can try this vbscript . comment out objFS.DeleteFile(strFilePath) before running it and check if its what you want. then uncomment it for actual removal.Wow!

I'm barely a DOS guy and definitely NOT a vbscript guy, so that's all greek to me.
But I'll seriously try to decipher it and see if I can make it work for me.

I regret that I never learned Visual Basic scripting, but I was really too busy fixing computers, for the past 29 years.

On first glance it looks like it wants to delete files in drive A that already exist in drive B.
That's exactly the opposite of what I want to do.

I want to delete the files from drive B that no longer exist in drive A. (old backup files)
Or more specificly, I want to delete the files on Drive D: , my backup drive, that I've already deleted from Drive C:.

I feel certain that this can be done with a simple batch file but my knowledge of DOS is just too limited for me to write this batch file. Sorry!

The Shadow that can be changed easily by reversing equal sign. Instead of checking for equal, now you check for not equal. anyway, since you want batch, use the if statement with exists to check for files. see if /?I am trying to make a basic batch file to copy files from C to E drive, similar to what TheShadow did. I opened Notepad and used the following:
copy C:\users\walt\documents\excel\(source doc) e:\backups\excel
pause

The error I get is that the system can't FIND the file specified. I checked the properties of the source doc to make sure the path is correct and it appears to be OK. I'm sure I am missing SOMETHING easy and would appreciate any guidance. ThanksQuote from: walt13 on November 15, 2009, 03:36:44 AM

I am trying to make a basic batch file to copy files from C to E drive, similar to what TheShadow did. I opened Notepad and used the following:
copy C:\users\walt\documents\excel\(source doc) e:\backups\excel
pause

The error I get is that the system can't find the file specified. I checked the properties of the source doc to make sure the path is correct and it appears to be OK. I'm sure I am missing something easy and would appreciate any guidance. Thanks


C:\>xcopy /?
Copies files and directory trees.

XCOPY source [destination] [/A | /M] [/D[:date]] [/P] [/S [/E]] [/V] [/W]
[/C] [/I] [/Q] [/F] [/L] [/G] [/H] [/R] [/T] [/U]
[/K] [/N] [/O] [/X] [/Y] [/-Y] [/Z]
[/EXCLUDE:file1[+file2][+file3]...]

source Specifies the file(s) to copy.
destination Specifies the location and/or name of new files.
/A Copies only files with the archive attribute set,
doesn't change the attribute.
/M Copies only files with the archive attribute set,
turns off the archive attribute.
/D:m-d-y Copies files changed on or after the specified date.
If no date is given, copies only those files whose
source time is newer than the destination time.
/EXCLUDE:file1[+file2][+file3]...
Specifies a list of files containing strings. Each string
should be in a separate line in the files. When any of the
strings match any part of the ABSOLUTE path of the file to be
copied, that file will be excluded from being copied. For
example, specifying a string like \obj\ or .obj will exclude
all files underneath the directory obj or all files with the
.obj extension respectively.
/P Prompts you before creating each destination file.
/S Copies directories and subdirectories except empty ones.
/E Copies directories and subdirectories, including empty ones.
Same as /S /E. May be used to modify /T.
/V Verifies each new file.
/W Prompts you to press a key before copying.
/C Continues copying even if errors occur.
/I If destination does not exist and copying more than one file,
assumes that destination must be a directory.
/Q Does not display file names while copying.
/F Displays full source and destination file names while copying.
/L Displays files that would be copied.
/G Allows the copying of encrypted files to destination that does
not support encryption.
/H Copies hidden and system files also.
/R Overwrites read-only files.
/T Creates directory structure, but does not copy files. Does not
include empty directories or subdirectories. /T /E includes
empty directories and subdirectories.
/U Copies only files that already exist in destination.
/K Copies attributes. Normal Xcopy will reset read-only attributes.
/N Copies using the generated short names.
/O Copies file OWNERSHIP and ACL information.
/X Copies file audit settings (implies /O).
/Y Suppresses prompting to confirm you want to overwrite an
existing destination file.
/-Y Causes prompting to confirm you want to overwrite an
existing destination file.
/Z Copies networked files in restartable mode.

The switch /Y may be preset in the COPYCMD environment variable.
This may be overridden with /-Y on the command line.

C:\>As it turns out, I had a problem with a "long file" name. After I changed it to "on*.xls" it recognized it fine. Thanks for the xcopy info - I'll do some experimenting with it.


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