How can I make robocopy silent in the command line except for progress?

122
votes

I'm using robocopy to do backups with a PowerShell script, and it's pretty awesome, except that I'd like it to only show the progress percentage while it copies and not all of the other information.

The other information clutters the command window, which I'd clean and simple so that it's easy to see the overall progress of the backup.

Is this possible?

Thanks, Andrew

9
backuprobocopy

9 Answers

219
votes

I added the following 2 parameters: /np /nfl

So together with the 5 parameters from AndyGeek's answer, which are /njh /njs /ndl /nc /ns you get the following and it's silent:

ROBOCOPY [source] [target] /NFL /NDL /NJH /NJS /nc /ns /np

/NFL : No File List - don't log file names.
/NDL : No Directory List - don't log directory names.
/NJH : No Job Header.
/NJS : No Job Summary.
/NP  : No Progress - don't display percentage copied.
/NS  : No Size - don't log file sizes.
/NC  : No Class - don't log file classes.
41
votes

I did it by using the following options:

/njh /njs /ndl /nc /ns

Note that the file name still displays, but that's fine for me.

For more information on robocopy, go to http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc733145%28WS.10%29.aspx

23
votes

If you want no output at all this is the most simple way:

robocopy src dest > nul

If you still need some information and only want to strip parts of the output, use the parameters from R.Koene's answer.

18
votes

In PowerShell, I like to use:

robocopy src dest | Out-Null

It avoids having to remember all the command line switches.

2
votes

A workaround, if you want it to be absolutely silent, is to redirect the output to a file (and optionally delete it later).

Robocopy src dest > output.log
del output.log
2
votes

robocopy also tends to print empty lines even if it does not do anything. I'm filtering empty lines away using command like this:

robocopy /NDL /NJH /NJS /NP /NS /NC %fromDir% %toDir% %filenames% | findstr /r /v "^$"
0
votes

The > null does not work in the quotes. It sees the > null as the batch filename.

The robocopy no output worked!!!

Here is the new batch file:

robocopy /mir /B /r:1 /nfl /ndl /njh /njs /nc /ns /np c:\EnvBackup c:\offsite_backup\EnvBackup

robocopy /mir /B /r:1 /nfl /ndl /njh /njs /nc /ns /np c:\shares c:\offsite_backup\shares

robocopy /mir /B /r:1 /nfl /ndl /njh /njs /nc /ns /np c:\Quickbooks_Backup c:\offsite_backup\Quickbooks_Backup
0
votes

I'm not sure if it is correct but I used this in Gitlab and it works:

robocopy <src> <dst> *.dll *.exe *.bat /E; $LastExitCode
-2
votes

There's no need to redirect to a file and delete it later. Try:

Robocopy src dest > null