RoboCopy GUI

Those who are familiar with the utilities included in Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit, might have also tested the numerous functions of Robocopy.exe, one of its included tools.

However, since it is a command-line utility, users might have a hard time benefiting from all its functions, so a third-party application was developed, with the sole purpose of creating an interface to an otherwise fully-featured tool.

RoboCopy GUI relies on Windows 2003 Resource Kit Tools as users need to manually specify the path to the location of robocopy.exe, so it is necessary to download and install Windows 2003 Resource Kit Tools before using RoboCopy GUI. One can also specify the default source and target folders.

The main function of the robocopy command is to allow users to easily copy files and folders from one directory to another without having this process aborted when network interruptions are detected – the copying task is resumed once the connection is re-established. Users can define the number of retries that need to be performed when the process is not successful.

The main window of RoboCopy's GUI allows users to configure additional settings, such as copying all subdirectories (excepting or including the empty ones) or erasing the source folder when the copying process is complete.

Another way that one can use to customize the functionality of RoboCopy GUI is to specify the file information that needs to be copied when processing items – as such, users can choose whether to back up the details regarding ownership, auditing, date or security.

Before proceeding with the tasks, users can activate the log function, thus making sure they can review all the details about the folders they have copied.

RoboCopy GUI might serve as a great app provided one already has installed Windows 2003 Resource Kit Tools on their PC and wants to fully enjoy the versatility and flexibility of the robocopy tool. However, if the host computer is running Vista or Windows 7, users are advised to look elsewhere (RichCopy could be a viable solution), as RoboCopy GUI might not be as effective on new OS flavors.