RichCopy

RichCopy

Developer(s)	Microsoft
Stable release	4.0.217
Operating system	Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2003
License	Proprietary

RichCopy is a discontinued file copy utility program developed by Ken Tamaru of Microsoft Corporation. It is multi-threaded, and may thus under some circumstances copy files faster than some other utilities available for the Windows operating system. Additionally, while having some similarities (like multithreaded copying) with the Microsoft utility, Robocopy, it provides a complete graphical user interface (GUI), whereas Robocopy is a command-line utility.^[1]

Features

• Copies several files simultaneously ("multi-threaded"), which under certain network conditions, may reduce the time required for file transfers.
• In contrast to simple Windows copy commands and the command-line utility Robocopy, a graphical user interface makes complicated backup operations easier.
• Can generate the command line of what you have specified on the gui^[2]

Criticisms

• There are bugs that were not fixed before support was discontinued. RichCopy is best utilized by experienced users who know how to verify that copy operations have completed successfully without errors.^[3]
• RichCopy is not supported by Microsoft.^[1] The program has not been updated since approximately June 2009, despite numerous users requesting for bug fixes.^[4]
• Duplicates functionality already in Robocopy

Defects

RichCopy will not copy files that are opened with certain combinations of file sharing attributes. Any process may open files for exclusive read access by withholding the FILE_SHARE_READ^[5] Another company inspired by RichCopy created GS RichCopy 360 which can copy open files and have evolved it.^[6]

See also

• Robocopy
• copy (command)
• XCOPY
• Teracopy
• rsync
• SyncToy
• Ultracopier
• SuperCopier
• GS RichCopy 360
• List of file copying software

References

1. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.04.utilityspotlight.aspx Free Utility: RichCopy, an Advanced Alternative To Robocopy. Retrieved 2010-12-04
2. https://blogs.technet.com/b/ken/archive/2009/05/20/richcopy-command-options.aspx rich copy command line
3. http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/windows/Microsoft-RichCopy-Review-107778.shtml Retrieved 2010-12-04.
4. http://blogs.technet.com/b/ken/ Retrieved 2010-12-04.
5. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa363858.aspx.
6. http://www.gurusquad.com/GSRICHCOPY360

External links

• Official sources
  • Microsoft TechNet Magazine -- Free Utility: RichCopy, an Advanced Alternative To Robocopy
  • TechNet Blog of RichCopy developer Ken Tamaru
  • TechNet - Command-line Reference - ROBOCOPY
• Other
  • TechNet Blog of Keith Combs describes advantages of using RichCopy and WinRAR to transfer multiple large files simultaneously.
  • RichCopy How-To Guide
  • Five Best Alternative File Copiers