What's the correct syntax for using an IP address in xcopy?

Question

I want to copy a set of files on a Windows computer to a number of Windows servers I have credentials for without having to go through RDC, theoretically a simple task. For this usage, the appropriate syntax in xcopy is apparently \\servername\..., but I don't think I have anything to put in for servername -- just the IP address and password. And xcopy "C:\Users\myname\Documents\uploadtest.txt" "\\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\C:\Users\Public\Public Documents\" just gives the result "Invalid drive specification" instead of requesting a password or anything. Same if the second colon is replaced with a dollar sign. What am I doing wrong?

Solution

You need to replace the \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\C:\Users with \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\C$\Users and your command should work. xcopy only knows about shared folders and the C: drive is shared as C$ automatically.

Comments

[zelanix]

I see now that you say you've already tried with C$ and that didn't work either. Can you browse to \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\C$\Users\Public\Public Documents in windows explorer?

[Shay Guy]

Doesn't seem to be working. Eventually I got a "Network error" popup: "Windows cannot access \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\C$\Users\Public\Public Documents\".

[zelanix]

can you browse to \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\ at all? Is Windows File & Printer Sharing enabled on the remote server?

[Shay Guy]

No to the Explorer browsing. Network discovery on the server is turned off; file and printer sharing is turned on.

[zelanix]

It may be a firewall issue. Try disabling all firewalls on the server and see if that works.

[JSanchez]

What if you use the copy command, for just one file. Does it work?

[Shay Guy]

copy doesn't work. The error message there is The network path was not found.

[zelanix]

did you check the firewalls? This is clearly a network issue. You need to be able to browse to the path in Windows Explorer first. Before that, nothing else will work, I guarantee it.

[JSanchez]

@ShayGuy: See the answer I provided. Without the sharing protocol enabled, you won't be able to share files, even if your firewall rules are configured properly.

[Keltari]

+1. But, mostly correct. The C$ share is for users with administrative access to that machine, or those given explicit access