FastCopy (64 bit)

FastCopy (64-bit) is a slim but powerful freeware file-copying utility for 64-bit Windows editions. It can copy large files at close to the hardware-defined read/write limit without hogging system resources. To that end, it uses few system resources itself, and it doesn't use MFC or any OS caches. It automatically selects one of two copying methods, depending on whether the destination directory is on the same hard disk or a different disk as the source directory. When source and destination are the same, the program writes to a buffer that can be configured via a slider on the program's interface.

FastCopy can run as a standalone application from a USB drive or similar device, but we ran the included setup program to integrate the program with Windows. FastCopy's efficient interface packs a lot of useful features in small dialog. FastCopy remembers 10 source and destination directories, and you can configure still more, so once you've used it a few times it's a simple matter of selecting from the saved lists. The program offers seven operational modes on a drop-down list, including several choices for copying and excluding various files based on which is newer or if sizes differ, as well as options for synching, deleting, and moving files. We made our selections, set the job priority at Full Speed, and selected Nonstop operation. The same 52MB folder took about 10 seconds to copy to the same disk and nearly 25 seconds to copy to a different disk--a significant difference. FastCopy offers some useful extras in its small package, such as log files, Access List Control and Alternate Stream copy options, and the capability to save the size and position of the program's window. The English-language Help file is machine-generated but seemed clear and helpful enough.

For smaller jobs, the built-in Windows copy utility is plenty fast, but it tends to slow down other applications. The great thing about FastCopy is that you can use it to copy large files without having to put everything on hold until the job finishes. If you've ever needed to access your e-mail or another app while transferring large libraries of files, you'll appreciate what FastCopy can do.