Copy large files to a Remote Desktop server without failures

Copying a few small files through the Remote Desktop clipboard is fine. Copying a multi-gigabyte installer, a database backup or a video folder the same way often stalls, fails at 99% or hangs the session. This guide explains why, then shows three reliable methods and how to check the file arrived intact.

Before you start

• Your server's IP address, username and password from your VPS provider's control panel.
• Enough free disk space on the server. Check in File Explorer, or run Get-PSDrive C in PowerShell.
• Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc) for the drive redirection method.

Why clipboard copy fails for big files

When you copy a file locally and paste it in the session, the file travels through the RDP clipboard channel. That channel:

• shares bandwidth with the screen, sound and keyboard, so the session feels sluggish while it runs;
• has no resume, so any short drop or reconnect starts the copy again or leaves a broken file;
• gives very little progress or error detail.

For anything larger than a few hundred megabytes, use one of the methods below.

Method 1: drive redirection plus robocopy

Drive redirection makes a local folder visible inside the session as \\tsclient\<letter>. robocopy, built into Windows, can then copy from it in restartable mode.

1. Put the files in one local folder, for example D:\Transfer.
2. Open mstsc, click Show Options, and enter 203.0.113.10:3389.
3. Go to Local Resources → More…, expand Drives, and tick only the drive that holds your folder.
4. Connect. In the session, open PowerShell and run:

robocopy "\\tsclient\D\Transfer" "C:\Data\Transfer" /E /Z /R:5 /W:10 /NP /LOG:C:\Data\robocopy.log

What the switches do:

• /E copies all subfolders, including empty ones.
• /Z uses restartable mode, so an interrupted file continues where it stopped.
• /R:5 /W:10 retries a failed file five times, waiting 10 seconds between attempts.
• /NP /LOG: writes a clean log instead of printing progress for every file.

If the session drops, reconnect and run the same command again. robocopy skips files that already match and resumes the partial one.

Full setup details are in Share local drives with your server over Remote Desktop.

Method 2: SFTP over OpenSSH

SFTP is a separate, sturdy file transfer channel that does not depend on the RDP session at all. It suits very large or repeated transfers.

1. Install the OpenSSH Server feature on the server. Follow Install OpenSSH Server on Windows.
2. Allow its port in Windows Firewall, ideally only from your own IP address.
3. Connect from your computer with an SFTP client such as WinSCP or FileZilla, or from a terminal:

sftp admin@203.0.113.10

Then upload with put for one file or put -r for a folder. WinSCP and FileZilla can resume a broken upload.

Method 3: a cloud link

If the file is already in cloud storage, download it directly on the server. The server's own connection is usually much faster than your home upload.

• Upload the file from your computer to OneDrive, Google Drive or Dropbox.
• Create a share link.
• Open the link in a browser inside the RDP session and download it there.

This also works for public installers: download them on the server instead of copying them in. See Transfer files to a Windows server for more options.

Pack many small files first

Thousands of small files transfer slowly because each one has overhead. Pack them into one archive before you copy. Windows 10/11 and Windows Server 2019 and later include tar:

tar -cf D:\Transfer\project.tar -C D:\ project

On the server, unpack it:

tar -xf C:\Data\Transfer\project.tar -C C:\Data

Check it works

Confirm the file is identical on both ends by comparing a hash. On your local computer:

Get-FileHash D:\Transfer\backup.zip -Algorithm SHA256

Then on the server:

Get-FileHash C:\Data\Transfer\backup.zip -Algorithm SHA256

The two Hash values must match exactly. If they differ, copy the file again.

Troubleshooting

• \\tsclient path not found: drive redirection is off for that connection. Tick the drive under Local Resources → More… and reconnect.
• robocopy shows ERROR 64 or ERROR 53 (network name no longer available): the RDP session dropped. Reconnect and run the same command. See Make Remote Desktop reconnect automatically.
• "There is not enough space on the disk": free space or extend the disk first. See Extend a disk in Disk Management.
• Copy is very slow: your home upload speed is the limit. Upload once to cloud storage and download on the server instead.
• SFTP connection refused: the OpenSSH service is not running or the firewall rule is missing.

Next steps

• Copy text and small files quickly: Copy and paste over RDP.
• Make the session lighter while you work: Speed up Remote Desktop on a slow connection.