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Copy without losing file permissions

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by srippey

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I have an NT domain controller, and I am going to replace it with a windows 2000 domain controller. The NT domain controller has user files on it. Is there an easy way to copy these files off to another server without losing the permissions? For some reason most of the user's folders give them full control, but Administrators have only "special access", so I can't even copy it to another location.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. :)

16 replies

by cactus pete

You should be able to use the backup account to copy the files. I believe xcopy is the utility you would want to use.

by srippey

Ok, does the pro version of XCopy allow long filenames? In reading the notes on the freeware version, it only supports 8 character names.

by joseph moore

XCOPY that comes with Win2K (which is just about the same that comes with NT4) can support long file names.
You will have to put the Win2K server as a member server of your NT4 domain, or set up the Win2K server as a Domain Controller of its own domain with a Trust between your NT4 PDC for the copy job to work properly.

Here is an example of XCOPY with some good switches:

XCOPY C:\TEMP\*.* X:\ /E /C /Q /H /K /O /X /Z

The /O switch is the copy ACL and file ownership switch. The others are also useful.

by joseph moore

Here is the XCOPY help:

Copies files and directory trees.

XCOPY source [destination] [/A | /M] [/D[:date]] [/P] [/S [/E]] [/V] [/W]
[/C] [/I] [/Q] [/F] [/L] [/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. 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.

by joseph moore

/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.
/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.

by shmaltz

Backup those files then restore it to the new location, and when you restore make sure that you select the option preserve security.

by shakeelr7

Hello,

My friend, In order to upgrade ur NT 4.0 Network to 2000, u have to face a lot of problems. What every u do, do not forget to backup ur system first. I would like to recommend that its better to arrange other systems and do that same with these systems in order to do any kind of experiment on current running network. The problem u asked could be search at Microsoft site or at the previous questions answers.

Bye

by calle lindström

Hello

In Nt server, when You create a user account, and
use profile tab forcreating home directory, current user only have full rights.
Log on as an administrator, go to the properties/security/owner (in users home folder)
and take ownership to administrator, make shore you to klick replace owner on subfolders and files. Aftyer that, you can give full rights to your self, or anybody you want.

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