Trying to modify a bat file to delete an existing directory and its contents - then recreate the directory and perform a back up. The latter part works, but now that the directory exists, subsequent backups fail. It seemed best to just do the blurb - if exists path\directory - del path\directory prior to mkdir and doing the backup. What I want to know is will such a command as If exists path\directory will work recursively down the tree of that directory killing off everything below it, so that when mkdir is executed that it will in fact create the then not existing directory and move forward with the remainder of the script. Zoltar

if exist path\directory RD path\directory /Q /S

delete than backup???? Is this part of a backup script for log files? If so you should be renaming not deleting. Imagine the power if you knew how to internet search

IVO - ok, thanks will try the if exist changes you offered. wanderer - yes deleting directory before making backup copy. This bat file is to backup Eudora mailboxes from local machine to network drive where user has limited space. If needed the network files are backed up each work night. Zoltar

I don't much see a point in deleting then recreating DIRs. Why not just delete the file? del /s x:\the\stuff ===================================== If at first you don't succeed, you're about average. M2

Actually I used to keep a couple of weeks worth of logs to review by just renaming the previous folder and making a new one. I would just look at the date on the folder to know what days log it contained. Are you ready for where Microsoft wants you to go today?