Is there a windows copy program that can resume after a crash?
September 23, 2010 2:15 PM Subscribe
My Windows XP Pro laptop blue screens every 10-15 minutes and runs really slowly, but I can slowly copy stuff off it to an external USB drive. What software can I use to do this copy that survive the blue screen and pick back up when I get it rebooted again?
My work laptop is being replaced. I'm trying to salvage what I can off it, but it keeps bluescreening on me. I'm not trying to fix it. I just want to get what I can off it in 10-15 minute chunks. But my external USB is slow (and the processor is pegged 100% all the time because of hardware interrupts).
Is there some way I can copy things like my 32 GB user profile to the USB drive in a way that won't be completely torpedoed by the bluescreen? I don't want to recopy what I've already done.
My work laptop is being replaced. I'm trying to salvage what I can off it, but it keeps bluescreening on me. I'm not trying to fix it. I just want to get what I can off it in 10-15 minute chunks. But my external USB is slow (and the processor is pegged 100% all the time because of hardware interrupts).
Is there some way I can copy things like my 32 GB user profile to the USB drive in a way that won't be completely torpedoed by the bluescreen? I don't want to recopy what I've already done.
To get into safe mode, if it's not offered after a crash, hit F8 repeatedly on boot. Safe mode should be an option on the menu that comes up.
posted by ODiV at 2:20 PM on September 23, 2010
posted by ODiV at 2:20 PM on September 23, 2010
If you have another computer to work with, then get one of these guys, remove the laptop's hard drive and plug it into the new computer. It will read the laptop's HD as any external storage drive. Consequently, no BSODs, since Windows is not actually running on that drive.
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 2:20 PM on September 23, 2010
posted by FAMOUS MONSTER at 2:20 PM on September 23, 2010
Boot from a live cd. If its is related this would be cheaper
posted by stuartmm at 2:38 PM on September 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by stuartmm at 2:38 PM on September 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
You could also use a Linux live CD or thumb drive installation to boot the computer, and then use the linux analog to Windows Explorer to copy the data you care about across to the USB drive.
Doing this doesn't permanently install Linux on your Windows computer, and (assuming the internal drive is the source of the trouble) the system is unlikely to fail when it's running from the CD instead of the internal drive. This means your 32GB profile can be copied across without interruption.
Historically, Knoppix was the linux flavor of choice for this sort of thing. But I've been using Puppy lately, and would recommend it.
(There's a chance your BSOD's have to do with something like overheating due to a dead fan. If that's the case, it will fail no matter what OS you run on it, and your only recourse is to follow Famous Monster's advice.)
posted by richyoung at 2:39 PM on September 23, 2010
Doing this doesn't permanently install Linux on your Windows computer, and (assuming the internal drive is the source of the trouble) the system is unlikely to fail when it's running from the CD instead of the internal drive. This means your 32GB profile can be copied across without interruption.
Historically, Knoppix was the linux flavor of choice for this sort of thing. But I've been using Puppy lately, and would recommend it.
(There's a chance your BSOD's have to do with something like overheating due to a dead fan. If that's the case, it will fail no matter what OS you run on it, and your only recourse is to follow Famous Monster's advice.)
posted by richyoung at 2:39 PM on September 23, 2010
teraCopy might be able to help. Quote: TeraCopy can resume broken file transfers.
Not sure how well it can after a BSOD though. The enclosure recommendations or Live CD (Knoppix) might be better.
posted by pyro979 at 2:42 PM on September 23, 2010
Not sure how well it can after a BSOD though. The enclosure recommendations or Live CD (Knoppix) might be better.
posted by pyro979 at 2:42 PM on September 23, 2010
I use Killcopy to copy large files at work. It has a resume feature that may help you.
posted by monkey_toes at 2:51 PM on September 23, 2010
posted by monkey_toes at 2:51 PM on September 23, 2010
Sounds like a thermal problem. Charge the battery, start the copy and put the laptop in the fridge.
posted by cosmac at 3:18 PM on September 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by cosmac at 3:18 PM on September 23, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you're not adverse to using a command prompt, a quick way around this would be:
xcopy /d/e/v/y (source folder) (destination folder)
This will recursively copy all files from your source folder..skipping over any files that already exist with the same datestamp...verifying per file copied that it is fully intact with no prompting.
posted by samsara at 3:35 PM on September 23, 2010
xcopy /d/e/v/y (source folder) (destination folder)
This will recursively copy all files from your source folder..skipping over any files that already exist with the same datestamp...verifying per file copied that it is fully intact with no prompting.
posted by samsara at 3:35 PM on September 23, 2010
Boot off a USB Linux stick, copy what you need, wipe and load.
posted by Biru at 3:42 PM on September 23, 2010
posted by Biru at 3:42 PM on September 23, 2010
Response by poster: I was already using xcopy/e so xcopy /d/e/v/y worked for me.
Thanks all!
posted by cmm at 5:13 PM on September 28, 2010
Thanks all!
posted by cmm at 5:13 PM on September 28, 2010
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posted by ODiV at 2:18 PM on September 23, 2010