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I want to make an exact copy of a Windows User Profile and I thought robocopy would be the right tool for such a task. Now I am facing a little paradox situation

run robocopy as admin

robocopy C:\Users\myuser C:\Users\Public\myuserbackup /E /B /COPY:DATSOU

has been trying all night to get over one file which was not allowed to be copied (even though the admin should be supposed to be able to do anything)

sending the same command as the user whose profile I'm duplicating I get an error that basically say that user is not allows to send such kind of a command (maybe the /B option is what this complaint is about).

Is there any way to tweak the command to play nicely?

vrms
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  • Are you trying to copy the profile that you are currently logged in to? Or is the profile still logged in in the background? – Tobias Jun 28 '18 at 14:29
  • any method that work's would be fine. I mean I have the admin password for that machine, so I can use that if it helps. – vrms Jun 28 '18 at 14:45
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    No, if you are logged in with the user that you try to copy this would fail as far as i know. So my question was not a workaround, but the search for the problem... which file is it that does not get copied? – Tobias Jun 28 '18 at 14:47
  • Taking bets on the file that won't copy...I'm guessing NTUSER.dat – EBGreen Jun 28 '18 at 15:30
  • no, not NTSER.dat. Not at the machine right now so I only recall it was someting in AppData. If you can't be logged in I wouldn't know a way to give the command AS that user (maybe there is one, I'm just not aware of). I am not really aware whether the user was still logged in in the background when the command failed as the admin. Will try again tomorrrow and report back. Thanks everybody thus far. – vrms Jun 28 '18 at 19:34
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    Try adding the `/XJ` option, you might be stuck on one of the junction points. But it should also be noted that there isn't a whole lot you can usefully *do* with an exact copy of a user profile. – Harry Johnston Jun 29 '18 at 03:43
  • I want ot make a backup of a profile before I do an operation which I am not 100% certain whether it's outcome may or may not do anything bad to the profile. and (as much as I understand the matter `robocopy`will preserve timestamps (in opposite to a copy and paste process). – vrms Jun 29 '18 at 07:28
  • Why not just configure system restore to cover the files then use that? – EBGreen Jun 29 '18 at 11:52

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