FastCopyCommand line reference: batch jobs and automated backups
1Basic syntax
fastcopy.exe /cmd=diff "C:\Source" "D:\Backup" — the /cmd values map to the GUI buttons: diff (no overwrite), size_date, newer, force_copy (full overwrite), sync (mirror: also deletes files missing from the source). Quote any path containing spaces.
2Example 1 — nightly mirror backup
fastcopy.exe /cmd=sync /auto_close /log "D:\Projects" "E:\Mirror" — sync makes E:\Mirror an exact mirror of D:\Projects, closes the window when done and writes a timestamped log you can review in the morning.
3Example 2 — incremental backup with excludes
fastcopy.exe /cmd=size_date /exclude="*.tmp;~$*;node_modules\" "C:\Work" "F:\Backup" — copies only changed files, skipping temp files, Office lock files and node_modules. Separate multiple masks with semicolons.
4Example 3 — scheduled task friendly silent run
fastcopy.exe /cmd=diff /no_ui /close "C:\Data" "D:\Data" — /no_ui suppresses the main window; the process exits when finished, which Task Scheduler handles cleanly. Note: tasks launched by Task Scheduler run at lower I/O priority, see the slow-copy guide for the fix.
5Example 4 — verify a critical copy
fastcopy.exe /cmd=force_copy /verify=md5 "C:\Contract.pdf" "D:\Safe" — forces a full copy and verifies the written file with MD5. Use for anything you cannot afford to lose.
6Example 5 — move instead of copy
fastcopy.exe /cmd=move /auto_close "E:\Inbox\*" "D:\Archive" — deletes sources after a verified copy, effectively a safe move. The trailing \* copies the contents rather than creating an Inbox subfolder.
Frequently asked
QWhere can I find the full switch list?
The official help file (fastcopy_eng.htm) documents every switch. The five patterns above cover diff backups, mirroring, excludes, verification and moves.
QReturn codes — can scripts detect failure?
Yes. The process exit code is 0 on success and non-zero when errors occurred, so batch/PowerShell wrappers can alert on failed runs.
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