Hi. I'm using the Linux Puppy Slacko OS to get files off my Windows computer because Windows decided to fail. I already have some files on my external harddrive so it keeps saying do you want to overwrite this file and do you want to merge this folder.

I want to click no to all overwrites and yes to all merges and have it apply it to all files being copied over to stop it from keep asking, but is this possible on this OS?

You should be able to merge the folder without overwriting any files.

I can. That's not the problem. The problem is I don't want it to ask if I want to overwrite files or merge folders. I have hundreds of files and folders and half of them are already on my external hard drive but I don't know which. So I want it to never overwrite files and always merge the folders.

However, with hundreds of files/folders and it running slow I can't be there to keep clicking yes or no to the messages. How can I stop the messages and have it automatically do the command?

Like with Windows you check the box that says do this for the next xxx conflicts, I need to be able to do that.

That's odd I'm unfamiliar with Puppy Linux but my Linux Mint asks me what I wish to do with all such files and I simply put a tick in the box and that's it. It will ask me the question again for a different file type but not for a type that I've ticked the box for.

Oh right. Unless there's something I've missed? Nothing I can see that is obviously for that. There are some tick boxes that are always there in the window that shows what is being copied but nothing that appears to be for that or only appears when it asks.

Use the move command (mv) from the command console: http://linux.about.com/library/cmd/blcmdl1_mv.htm'
The command is the same for Puppy Linux.

mv -u source destination
This will only move the file(s) when the source is newer than the destination or the destination is missing. You can use the -f option for overwrite, but it shouldn't be needed.

Example:
mv -u /mnt/sda1/pictures /mnt/sda2/pictures

Thanks, but how do you do a command? Also, just be sure, does command work when you are running the OS off a disk?

On the Window which is stating what is being copied over it says Newer with a tick box next to it - would that be the same thing?

It also says Quiet which is ticked and Brief which isn't ticked, what do they do/mean?

Sorry for all the questions. Did try googling it but I can't find anything at all about this...

The only way you can do that is with the copy command from the console. Click on the console icon on the desktop of Puppy Linux. You will be prompted to enter a command with #. Enter the following command:

cp -r -u /mnt/sda1/pictures /mnt/sda2

This assumes that pictures was a folder on hard disk 1 with many sub-folders. You originally copied the folder to hard drive 2 but the system crashed and not all sub-folders were copied the first time. You want to copy only what is remaining (do not overwrite) and you do not want to be prompted for anything (interactive option not set).

Here is the parameters for the copy command in Puppy Linux:http://www.computerhope.com/unix/ucp.htm.