Question Copy NTFS Permissions

[njuser66]

I have been checking out reviews and articles for Teracopy, Robocopy, Cho EazyCopy and Fastcopy.

If I decide to go with Fastcopy (which seems to be widely liked and faster than alternatives , I wanted to make sure I select the options correctly assuming I want an exact duplicate of the original drive contents (from one NTFS drive to another NTFS drive (for my Plex media files as I am upgrading to a larger drive):

1. 'ACL' option: on or off? (assume on)? I know this if for permissions, so I should select it (for my 'NTFS to NTFS' use case) unless I am missing something?

2). 'Alternate Stream' option on or off? Assume I should also select on for this, but any confirmation would be appreciated.

Thanks!

PS: GS Rich Copy 360 seems to be faster, but I don't know much , only reviews and mentions of it. Also seems to not have a free version. which may be why most people select one of the many FREE alternatives I mentioned in my first line...

 

[hotaru.hino]

I'd leave both options off. I believe in most file operations, the files inside inherent from the immediate parent. And typically except for special OS folders (including the user folder), the default permissions at least are everyone in the Users group can read/write/execute.

If you want an exact copy, then you can't get any more exact than cloning the drive. Or if you're feeling really adventurous (as in, doing this wrong will destroy the data instead), you could use Linux's dd command.

 

[njuser66]

you could use Linux's dd command.

Is Linux's dd command run on windows ?

 

[ex_bubblehead]

Robocopy is actually your best bet. It will copy across all permissions as well when you use the proper switch/s. It's also already present on systems running Windows 10:

RoboCopy - Ultimate Guide with Examples

Learn how to use Robocopy with this complete guide full of everyday to use examples. All the switches, commands, options that you must know

lazyadmin.nl

MS-DOS and Windows Command Line Robocopy Command

Robocopy command information for MS-DOS and the Windows command line. Page includes robocopy command availability, syntax, and examples.

www.computerhope.com

 

[njuser66]

I read a lot about Robocopy, it is a free and powerful command line tool but while searching about it for my issue I found that some users have issues with copying permissions using it and I found some users recommend tools as an alternative to Robocopy from what I mentioned like TeraCopy, Gs Richcopy 360, FastCopy.....etc.

Really I am confused and I am about to believe that the problem is in my OS

 

[hotaru.hino]

What's your exact concern with making sure permissions are being copied? Do you have folders or files that have specific, down to the user and flags that need to be preserved for some reason or another? If the answer is "no," then again, the default permissions outside of the OS partition is typically the "Users" group has RWX access, regardless of who originally did the operation.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

I read a lot about Robocopy, it is a free and powerful command line tool but while searching about it for my issue I found that some users have issues with copying permissions using it and I found some users recommend tools as an alternative to Robocopy from what I mentioned like TeraCopy, Gs Richcopy 360, FastCopy.....etc.

Really I am confused and I am about to believe that the problem is in my OS

You'll rarely, if ever, read about the successes. Those that had problems likely encountered them because they didn't use the proper switches, understand how they work/interact with other switches or had existing file system issues. I personally have never had an issue with Robocopy in many (10's of) thousands of uses.

 

[TideMozer]

You should select the ACL and Alternate Stream options when copying files from one NTFS drive to another NTFS drive.

• The ACL option copies the access control list (ACL) for each file. This is a list of permissions that control who can access the file and what they can do with it. If you want to maintain the same permissions on the copied files, you should select this option.
• The Alternate Stream option copies any alternate streams that are associated with the files. Alternate streams are additional data streams that can be stored alongside a file. They are often used for storing metadata, such as thumbnails or encryption keys. If you want to copy all of the data associated with the files, you should select this option.

For me I still use Gs Richcopy 360, it is quick , fast and can handle this issue . However, FastCopy is a well-respected tool that is known for its speed and reliability. both are good choices for copying large amounts of data .

Check these steps on how to set the ACL and Alternate Stream options in FastCopy:

1. Open FastCopy.
2. Click on the Options button.
3. Click on the Main Settings tab.
4. Under the Copy Options section, check the boxes next to the ACL and Alternate Stream options.
5. Click on the OK button.

Now, when you copy files using FastCopy, the ACL and Alternate Stream options will be enabled. This will ensure that the copied files have the same permissions and data as the original files.