{{short description|Command that makes a copy of a diskette}} {{lowercase}} {{Infobox software | name = diskcopy | logo = | screenshot = | screenshot size = | caption = | author = Chris Peters | developer = Microsoft, IBM, Digital Research, Datalight, Novell, Toshiba, MetaComCo, Processor Technology, TSL, Imre Leber | released = {{Release year|df=yes|1982}} | latest release version = | latest release date = | operating system = MS-DOS, PC DOS, FlexOS, DR DOS, 4690 OS, TRIPOS, PTDOS, AmigaDOS, PC-MOS, ROM-DOS, PTS-DOS, SISNE plus, FreeDOS, OS/2, eComStation, ArcaOS, Windows | platform = Cross-platform | genre = Command | license = MS-DOS: MIT<br />FreeDOS: GNU GPL 2<br />PC-MOS: GNU GPL 3 | website = }} In computing, '''diskcopy''' is a command used on a number of operating systems for copying the complete contents of a diskette to another diskette.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/diskcopy.mspx |title=Microsoft Windows XP - Diskcopy |website=Microsoft |access-date=2012-07-09 |archive-date=2012-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120712212303/http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/diskcopy.mspx |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/1988-rugheimer-spanik-amigados-quick-reference|title=AmigaDOS quick reference|first1=Hannes|last1=Rügheimer|first2=Christian|last2=Spanik|date=September 14, 1988|publisher=Grand Rapids, Mi : Abacus|isbn=9781557550491|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
==Implementations== [[File:IBM PC DOS 1.0 screenshot.png|thumb|300px|<code>DISKCOPY.COM</code> (among other commands) in IBM PC DOS 1.0.]] The command is available in MS-DOS, IBM PC DOS, DR FlexOS,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/digitalResearch/flexos/1073-2003_FlexOS_Users_Guide_V1.3_Nov86.pdf |title=FlexOS User's Guide |date=1986 |website=www.bitsavers.org |access-date=2020-09-14 |archive-date=2019-09-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925131719/http://bitsavers.org/pdf/digitalResearch/flexos/1073-2003_FlexOS_Users_Guide_V1.3_Nov86.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> IBM/Toshiba 4690 OS,<ref>[https://archive.org/details/4690OSV6r2UsersGuide/page/n169]{{dead link|date=September 2020}}</ref> MetaComCo TRIPOS,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pagetable.com/docs/amigados_tripos/tripos_manuals.pdf |title=Manual |website=www.pagetable.com |access-date=2020-09-14}}</ref> Processor Technology PTDOS,<ref name="Helios II">[http://www.trailingedge.com/cpm/SolHelios2.pdf Leaflet for the Helios II system and PTDOS]</ref> AmigaDOS, TSL PC-MOS,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/roelandjansen/pcmos386v501|title=roelandjansen/pcmos386v501|website=GitHub|date=10 October 2022 }}</ref> PTS-DOS,<ref> {{cite web |title=PTS-DOS 2000 Pro User Manual |publisher=Paragon Technology GmbH |location=Buggingen, Germany |date=1999 |url=http://download.paragon-software.com/doc/manual_dos_eng.pdf |access-date=2018-05-12 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180512094512/http://download.paragon-software.com/doc/manual_dos_eng.pdf |archive-date=2018-05-12}}</ref> SISNE plus,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://datassette.org/manuais/ibm-pc/sisne-plus-referencia-sumaria|title=SISNE plus - Referência Sumária|date=May 14, 2015|website=Datassette}}</ref> FreeDOS,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/1.2/repos/pkg-html/group-base.html|title=ibiblio.org FreeDOS Group -- FreeDOS Base|website=www.ibiblio.org}}</ref> IBM OS/2,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jatomes.com/Help/Os2Cmd.php#DISKCOPY |title=JaTomes Help - OS/2 Commands |access-date=2019-07-27 |archive-date=2019-04-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414130029/http://www.jatomes.com/Help/Os2Cmd.php#DISKCOPY |url-status=dead }}</ref> and Microsoft Windows.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-xp/bb490892(v=technet.10)|title=Diskcopy|website=docs.microsoft.com|date=11 September 2009 }}</ref>
The MS-DOS version was originally written in August 1982.<ref name="Paterson_2014_MSDOS125"/><ref name="Shustek_2014_MS-DOS"/> It is available in MS-DOS versions 2 and later.<ref name="RUNNINGMSDOS">{{Cite book|author-last=Wolverton|author-first=Van|title=Running MS-DOS Version 6.22 (20th Anniversary Edition), 6th Revised edition|date=2003|publisher=Microsoft Press|isbn=0-7356-1812-7}}</ref> Digital Research DR DOS 6.0<ref name="drdos6userguide">[https://www.4corn.co.uk/archive/docs/DR%20DOS%206.0%20User%20Guide-opt.pdf DR DOS 6.0 User Guide Optimisation and Configuration Tips]</ref> and Datalight ROM-DOS<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.datalight.com/assets/files/ROM-DOS_Users_Guide.pdf|title=Datalight ROM-DOS User's Guide|website=www.datalight.com}}</ref> also include an implementation of the {{code|diskcopy}} command. The FreeDOS version was developed by Imre Leber and is licensed under the GNU GPL 2.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/micro/pc-stuff/freedos/files/distributions/1.2/repos/pkg-html/diskcopy.html|title=ibiblio.org FreeDOS Package -- DiskCopy (FreeDOS Base)|website=www.ibiblio.org}}</ref>
The command is not included in Windows 10.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/diskcopy|title=diskcopy|website=docs.microsoft.com|date=3 February 2023 }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=June 2021}}
The command is not included in Windows 11. xcopy is a like command
== Example == *Copy the complete contents of the diskette in Drive A drive to the diskette in B drive.
<syntaxhighlight lang="doscon"> >diskcopy a: b: </syntaxhighlight>
*If there is only have one diskette drive, diskcopy can be done by typing the source drive only. The disk copy program will prompt to insert the second (target) diskette once it finishes reading the complete contents of the first (source) diskette track by track into memory.
<syntaxhighlight lang="doscon"> >diskcopy a: </syntaxhighlight>
*If only the first side of the diskette needs to be copied, even if the target diskette is double sided, the /1 switch can be used. <syntaxhighlight lang="doscon"> >diskcopy a: /1 </syntaxhighlight>
*To make sure the contents are written reliably, the /V switch can be used, but it will cost more time to copy. <syntaxhighlight lang="doscon"> >diskcopy a: /V </syntaxhighlight>
*Force diskcopy to use only the conventional memory for temporary storage: <syntaxhighlight lang="doscon"> >diskcopy a: /M </syntaxhighlight>
==Limitation== Diskcopy does not work with hard disk drives, CDs, network drives, Zip drives, or USB drives, etc. It also does not allow diskcopy from 3.5 inch drive to 5.25 inch drives, and vice versa. The source and target drive must be the same size.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.activewin.com/tips/dos_tips_10.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707081411/http://www.activewin.com/tips/dos_tips_10.shtml|url-status=dead|title=ActiveWindows -- DOS Diskcopy Command|archive-date=July 7, 2011|website=www.activewin.com}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Paterson_2014_MSDOS125">{{Cite web |first1=Tim |last1=Paterson |author-link1=Tim Paterson |title=Microsoft DOS V1.1 and V2.0: /msdos/v20source/DISKCOPY.ASM |url=http://www.computerhistory.org/atchm/microsoft-research-license-agreement-msdos-v1-1-v2-0/ |publisher=Computer History Museum, Microsoft |date=2013-12-19<!-- 2014-03-25 --> |orig-year=1983<!-- 1983-05-17 --> |access-date=2015-10-01 }}</ref>
<ref name="Shustek_2014_MS-DOS">{{Cite web |url=http://www.computerhistory.org/atchm/microsoft-ms-dos-early-source-code/ |title=Microsoft MS-DOS early source code |series=Software Gems: The Computer History Museum Historical Source Code Series |first=Len |last=Shustek |date=2014-03-24 |access-date=2015-10-01}}</ref>
}}
==Further reading== *{{Cite book|author-last=Cooper|author-first=Jim|title=Special Edition Using MS-DOS 6.22, Third Edition|date=2001|publisher=Que Publishing|isbn=978-0789725738}} *{{Cite book|author1=Kathy Ivens|author2=Brian Proffit|year=1993|title=OS/2 Inside & Out|publisher=Osborne McGraw-Hill|isbn=978-0078818714}} *{{Cite book|first=Æleen|last=Frisch|year=2001|title=Windows 2000 Commands Pocket Reference|publisher=O'Reilly|isbn=978-0-596-00148-3}}
==External links== {{Wikibooks|Guide to Windows Commands}} *[https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/diskcopy diskcopy | Microsoft Docs] *[https://github.com/microsoft/MS-DOS/blob/master/v2.0/source/DISKCOPY.ASM Open source DISKCOPY implementation that comes with MS-DOS v2.0] *[http://www.easydos.com/diskcopy.html DOS the Easy Way Guide to MS-DOS: DISKCOPY] *[http://www.computerhope.com/diskcopy.htm Computer Hope: Microsoft DOS diskcopy command]
{{Windows commands}}
Category:External DOS commands Category:Microsoft free software Category:MSX-DOS commands Category:OS/2 commands