BulkCopy

BulkCopy.ps1 is a PowerShell script that clones a source folder to a destination using robocopy and then verifies that all files were copied correctly by comparing their MD5 hashes.

This version supports a new –Project parameter. When provided, the script automatically creates a project file (in the projects folder) with the given project name and records each verified file’s name, size, and timestamp. On subsequent runs, if a file’s properties remain unchanged, its verification is skipped.

Features

Copy Files/Subfolders: Uses robocopy with /E and /COPYALL to copy all files and subdirectories.
Logging: Creates separate log files for robocopy operations and file verification.
Verification: Compares MD5 hashes of source and destination files to ensure integrity.
Interactive Options: Prompts the user to resume copying, verify only, or abort if destination already exists.
Reporting: Generates a final report showing success or listing any errors.
Projects: Optionally tracks a project by recording each verified file’s name, size, and timestamp. When the –Project parameter is provided, a project file is created in the projects folder (named <ProjectName>.csv). On subsequent runs, if a file's size and last write time match the recorded values, the file is assumed unchanged and its verification is skipped.

Why MD5?

MD5 was chosen because it is a fast, built-in hash algorithm that efficiently checks whether two files are identical. While it is not suitable for cryptographic security, its speed and widespread availability make it ideal for verifying file integrity after copying.

Parameters

Source: The folder to be cloned.
Destination: The folder where files will be copied to.
Project (optional): A simple name used to generate a project file (e.g., "MyProject" becomes projects\MyProject.csv) that records verified file details. When provided, the script will skip verifying files that have not changed since their last verification.
Retries (optional): The number of retries for robocopy errors. Default is 5.
Wait (optional): The wait time in seconds between retries. Default is 3.

Usage

Run the script from PowerShell with the required parameters:

.\BulkCopy.ps1 -Source "C:\Path\To\Source" -Destination "D:\Path\To\Destination" -Project "MyProject"

If the destination folder exists, you will be prompted to:

Press R to resume backup (perform robocopy and verification).
Press V to verify only.
Press A to abort the operation.

Robocopy Commands

The script constructs a robocopy command with the following options:

/E: Copies all subdirectories including empty ones.
/COPYALL: Copies all file information (data, attributes, timestamps, security info, etc.).
/XJ: Excludes junction points.
/XJD: Excludes directory junctions.
/XJF: Excludes file junctions.

These options ensure that only the actual files and directories are copied, while symlinks and junctions are deliberately omitted.

Additionally, the /R and /W parameters allow configurable retry behavior on errors. These parameters are set to the values provided by the user or default to 5 retries with a 3-second wait.

Logs and Reports

The logs and final report are saved in the logs folder, located next to the script.
Log file names include a timestamp for easy reference.

Requirements

PowerShell 7.5

Disclosure

This script was heavily created with the assistance of GitHub Copilot. It was thoroughly reviewed by me and tested on my own system before being published.

License

This script is published on GitHub under the MIT license.

lafe/BulkCopy