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How can I quickly move files between shares? RRS feed

  • Question

  • I've copied about 500 GB to \\FileServer\Movies but I'd like to now put it under \\FileServer\Videos\Movies.

    If I try moving them directly on the server (using the shares) it actually copies over each file instead of just renaming the directories (or whatever) on the server.

    What's the fastest way to do this?
    Sunday, August 9, 2009 4:32 PM

All replies

  • Actually go into the directory structure from the drive letter, and not the share on the
    server.  It should act like a move, and not a copy.

    -Steve
    Sunday, August 9, 2009 4:41 PM
  • Are you saying to move the files using D:\shares?

    Is that safe/supported?  (eg. will it screw anything up?)

    Sunday, August 9, 2009 4:46 PM
  • Are you saying to move the files using D:\shares?

    Is that safe/supported?  (eg. will it screw anything up?)


    No, it's not supported and other users have had issues by doing just that.  You need to go through the UNC path (\\server\share).
    Monday, August 10, 2009 4:32 AM
    Moderator
  • That causes it to re-copy every file, right?

    Is there any faster way?
    Monday, August 10, 2009 10:12 AM
  • No, there's no faster way that's supported. YOu might be able to get better performance by connecting an additional drive, moving the files you want to move to that drive (using Remote Desktop or physical console) and then moving them to the new share (via \\server\<sharename>).

    The performance you see isn't a limitation of Windows Home Server, by the way. It's inherent in the way Windows handles file shares. As far as your client operating system is concerned (and if you use the shortcut on the server desktop you're using the server as a client) there is no way for it to determine if two shares are on the same media. So it does a read from locaiton A and a write to locaiton B. Within a single share moves are fast because they just manipulate directories.

    I'm not on the WHS team, I just post a lot. :)
    Monday, August 10, 2009 5:31 PM
    Moderator