REPLACE – Windows CMD Command

Replace one file with another (both having the same filename).

Syntax
      REPLACE [Drive:][path>]SourceFiles [Drive:][path2] [/A] [/P] [/R] [/W]
      REPLACE [Drive:][path]SourceFiles [Drive:][path2] [/S] [/P] [/R] [/W] [/U]
Key
   path/files : The source file(s), wildcards accepted.
   path2     : The destination folder. If no destination is specified REPLACE will
                use the current drive and directory as the destination.
   /A   : Add any missing files.
   /P   : Prompt for confirmation (each file)
   /R   : Replace even Read-only files
   /S   : Include all subfolders of the destination.
   /W   : Wait/pause (originally to allow inserting a floppy disk.)
   /U   : Update only files that are older than the source.

When replacing in all subdirectories (/S ) the files in the source are matched against every subfolder, this is not a mirror, the files in each folder are matched separately.
The (/S ) subdirectories option cannot be combined with Add files (/A) or Restrict to Updating older (/U).

REPLACE will list all the files that are replaced. By default, only files that already exist in the destination will be replaced.

You cannot use REPLACE to update any file which has a hidden or system attribute set, see the ATTRIB command for more.

REPLACE will set %ERRORLEVEL% as follows:

0 0 or more files were replaced.
3 Source or destination not found.
5 Access denied.
11 Invalid switch.

The path to the destination folder must NOT include a trailing backslash.

Examples

Update the files in C:\delivery\ with the .exe files in C:\source files\

C:\> replace "C:\source files\*.exe" C:\delivery

Update the report.doc file in all the folders beneath C:\reports :

C:\> replace "C:\demo\report.doc" C:\reports /s
Replacing C:\reports\Jan\report.doc
Replacing C:\reports\Feb\report.doc
Replacing C:\reports\Mar\report.doc