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How can I copy files that are in use, and that are available over a network?

I am trying to copy some data files, but it always says that it cannot be copied because the file is in use.

I am using Windows XP, can someone please suggest a way to copy the in-use files over a network?

2 Answers 2

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In order to do that you would need access to the server the files are stored on, and then do what is known as a shadow copy. HoboCopy is a good tool for doing shadow copies.

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  • i did try it but i get this error "There was a COM failure"
    – LiveEn
    Mar 17, 2011 at 10:19
  • VSS snapshots cannot be created over the network. Mar 17, 2011 at 16:36
  • is there any other way to make a copy?
    – LiveEn
    Mar 21, 2011 at 13:26
  • Not without access to the actual physical server (or it's console through RDP) and an Administrative account.
    – Majenko
    Mar 21, 2011 at 13:31
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You could try a combination of hobocopy and psexec. Something like this:

psexec \remotemachine -u username \path\to\hobocopy \path\to\src \path\to\dest

Which would run hobocopy on the remote machine, where it would be able to make shadow copies. Note that \path\to\src and \path\to\dest and \path\to\hobocopy are on the remote machine, although you could make the destination path something like \\localmachine\share\path\to\dest to do a network copy back over to your own machine. Seems like it would be easier just to copy it locally and then go retrieve the file as a separate step.

You'll need to make sure hobocopy is available on the remote machine, too, including installing the C runtime there if necessary.

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