Diskcopy

Summary

In computing, diskcopy is a command used on a number of operating systems for copying the complete contents of a diskette to another diskette.[1][2]

diskcopy
Original author(s)Chris Peters
Developer(s)Microsoft, IBM, Digital Research, Datalight, Novell, Toshiba, MetaComCo, Processor Technology, TSL, Imre Leber
Initial release1982, 41–42 years ago
Operating systemMS-DOS, PC DOS, FlexOS, DR DOS, 4690 OS, TRIPOS, PTDOS, AmigaDOS, PC-MOS, ROM-DOS, PTS-DOS, SISNE plus, FreeDOS, OS/2, eComStation, ArcaOS, Windows
PlatformCross-platform
TypeCommand
LicenseMS-DOS: MIT
FreeDOS: GNU GPL 2
PC-MOS: GNU GPL 3

Implementations edit

 
DISKCOPY.COM (among other commands) in IBM PC DOS 1.0.

The command is available in MS-DOS, IBM PC DOS, DR FlexOS,[3] IBM/Toshiba 4690 OS,[4] MetaComCo TRIPOS,[5] Processor Technology PTDOS,[6] AmigaDOS, TSL PC-MOS,[7] PTS-DOS,[8] SISNE plus,[9] FreeDOS,[10] IBM OS/2,[11] and Microsoft Windows.[12]

The MS-DOS version was originally written in August 1982.[13][14] It is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.[15] Digital Research DR DOS 6.0[16] and Datalight ROM-DOS[17] also include an implementation of the diskcopy command. The FreeDOS version was developed by Imre Leber and is licensed under the GNU GPL 2.[18]

The command is not included in Windows 10.[19][failed verification]

The command is not included in Windows 11. xcopy is a like command

Example edit

  • Copy the complete contents of the diskette in Drive A drive to the diskette in B drive.
>diskcopy a: b:
  • If there is only have one diskette drive, diskcopy can be done by typing the source drive only. The disk copy program will prompt to insert the second (target) diskette once it finishes reading the complete contents of the first (source) diskette track by track into memory.
>diskcopy a:
  • If only the first side of the diskette needs to be copied, even if the target diskette is double sided, the /1 switch can be used.
>diskcopy a: /1
  • To make sure the contents are written reliably, the /V switch can be used, but it will cost more time to copy.
>diskcopy a: /V
  • Force diskcopy to use only the conventional memory for temporary storage:
>diskcopy a: /M

Limitation edit

Diskcopy does not work with hard disk drives, CDs, network drives, Zip drives, or USB drives, etc. It also does not allow diskcopy from 3.5 inch drive to 5.25 inch drives, and vice versa. The source and target drive must be the same size.[20]

References edit

  1. ^ "Microsoft Windows XP - Diskcopy". Microsoft. Archived from the original on 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  2. ^ Rügheimer, Hannes; Spanik, Christian (September 14, 1988). AmigaDOS quick reference. Grand Rapids, Mi : Abacus. ISBN 9781557550491 – via Internet Archive.
  3. ^ "FlexOS User's Guide" (PDF). www.bitsavers.org. 1986. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-09-25. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  4. ^ [1][dead link]
  5. ^ "Manual" (PDF). www.pagetable.com. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  6. ^ Leaflet for the Helios II system and PTDOS
  7. ^ "roelandjansen/pcmos386v501". GitHub. 10 October 2022.
  8. ^ "PTS-DOS 2000 Pro User Manual" (PDF). Buggingen, Germany: Paragon Technology GmbH. 1999. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-05-12. Retrieved 2018-05-12.
  9. ^ "SISNE plus - Referência Sumária". Datassette. May 14, 2015.
  10. ^ "ibiblio.org FreeDOS Group -- FreeDOS Base". www.ibiblio.org.
  11. ^ "JaTomes Help - OS/2 Commands". Archived from the original on 2019-04-14. Retrieved 2019-07-27.
  12. ^ "Diskcopy". docs.microsoft.com. 11 September 2009.
  13. ^ Paterson, Tim (2013-12-19) [1983]. "Microsoft DOS V1.1 and V2.0: /msdos/v20source/DISKCOPY.ASM". Computer History Museum, Microsoft. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
  14. ^ Shustek, Len (2014-03-24). "Microsoft MS-DOS early source code". Software Gems: The Computer History Museum Historical Source Code Series. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
  15. ^ Wolverton, Van (2003). Running MS-DOS Version 6.22 (20th Anniversary Edition), 6th Revised edition. Microsoft Press. ISBN 0-7356-1812-7.
  16. ^ DR DOS 6.0 User Guide Optimisation and Configuration Tips
  17. ^ "Datalight ROM-DOS User's Guide" (PDF). www.datalight.com.
  18. ^ "ibiblio.org FreeDOS Package -- DiskCopy (FreeDOS Base)". www.ibiblio.org.
  19. ^ "diskcopy". docs.microsoft.com. 3 February 2023.
  20. ^ "ActiveWindows -- DOS Diskcopy Command". www.activewin.com. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011.

Further reading edit

  • Cooper, Jim (2001). Special Edition Using MS-DOS 6.22, Third Edition. Que Publishing. ISBN 978-0789725738.
  • Kathy Ivens; Brian Proffit (1993). OS/2 Inside & Out. Osborne McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0078818714.
  • Frisch, Æleen (2001). Windows 2000 Commands Pocket Reference. O'Reilly. ISBN 978-0-596-00148-3.

External links edit

  • diskcopy | Microsoft Docs
  • Open source DISKCOPY implementation that comes with MS-DOS v2.0
  • DOS the Easy Way Guide to MS-DOS: DISKCOPY
  • Computer Hope: Microsoft DOS diskcopy command