This is a two-parter.
A) Trying to do this in server 2008, with command being run by domain admin:
Robocopy \server\c$\users D:\backupfolder /MIR
I get "Access Denied" on all files in the user folders. This works on any server but 2008 though, so it must be the new security structure.
B) After reading, I attempted the /B for "backup mode" switch on robocopy. This says the following error:
ERROR : You do not have the Backup and Restore Files user rights.
***** You need these to perform Backup copies (/B or /ZB).
ERROR : Robocopy ran out of memory, exiting.
ERROR : Invalid Parameter #%d : "%s"
My user is domain admin, also added to the local "backup operators" group on the server. What do I have to do to be allowed backup/restore user rights on a 2008 server?
Best Answer
Lessons Learned:
"User Account Control" is still of the devil. It was causing access denied for domain admin to read the user files.
Once UAC was disabled, I was still getting access denied. This turned out to be due to server 2008's use of JUNCTION POINTS in the user profile directories. This made an recursive loop like this:
C:\users\username\appdata\appdata\appdata\appdata\appdata...
So, when using robocopy vs. a 2008 server apparently /XJD and /XJF are pretty important. (Those are for "exclude junction points for files/directory").
After addressing both above points, no more problems.