XCOPY Returns "Invalid Parameter" When Using Date Switch

ID: Q183656

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you run the XCOPY command with certain dates using the /d:00-00-00 switch, you may receive one of the following error messages:

Invalid parameter

-or-

Invalid number of parameters

For example, the dates, Oct 31, Dec 31, and Feb 29 (in leap year) are correct dates; however, XCOPY treats these dates as invalid.

CAUSE

Ulib.dll used by XCOPY interprets certain dates as invalid.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows NT 4.0 or Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4.0 and Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition Service Pack 4.

Additional query words: date format copying

Keywords : NT4SP4Fix kbbug4.00 kbfix4.00.sp4 NTSrvWkst
Version : WinNT:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbbug