robocopy D: E:\Backup_PC_202101\D /MIR /Z /LOG:C:\2021-01-07-backupD.log /XJ /XD node_modules /XD "*.tmp" /XD "broccoli_persistent_*" /XD "config_loader-*" /XD "npm-cache" /XD ".pnpm-store" .XD "Yarn\Cache" /XF "*.tmp"
node_modules and other temporary files are hands down the biggest PITA ever, when it comes to performing backups. But Robocopy has your back 🎉.
Source: post on SO
This copies all the D: drive contents to E:\Backup_PC_202101\D:
robocopy D: E:\Backup_PC_202101\D /MIR /Z /LOG:C:\2021-01-07-backupD.log /XD node_modules
- Other PITAs: npm/yarn/pnpm caches,
- Temp files from build systems (e.g. Broccoli, asset pipeline used by former Ember.js versions)
robocopy D: E:\Backup_PC_202101\D /MIR /Z /LOG:C:\2021-01-07-backupD.log /XD node_modules /XD "*.tmp" /XD "broccoli_persistent_*" /XD "config_loader-*" /XD "npm-cache" /XD ".pnpm-store" .XD "Yarn\Cache" /XF "*.tmp"
While backing up my C:\Users\Username folder, I encountered this weirdest of all error... As you can see, that's some pretty recursive shit!
2021/01/08 20:09:38 ERROR 1921 (0x00000781) Time-Stamping Destination Directory E:\Backup_PC_202101\C_Users_Ben\AppData\Local\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\
The name of the file cannot be resolved by the system.
Googling time-stamping destination directory robocopy application data led me there: batch file, robocopy problem: ERROR 1921 (0x00000781)
Quoting it:
The Recursion you are seeing is caused by the Application Data folder, which is actually a Junction.
This can happen when your Robocopy batch file encounters a Junction or Symbolic Link in the Users folder.
You can easily fix this problem by including the /xj switch in the command.
Here is the documentation:
/xj Excludes junction points, which are normally included by default.