Why does 'Copy' overwrite files on my External HD? Please read...

*Please read this before answering...*


So here is the issue.
When I copy a folder(s) to my external HD, instead of adding the new files to the existing folder(s), it overwrites them. Let me give an example (below):

Lets say I have a folder on my Laptop (Intel MackBook 2.2) named "Bob", and it contains a file named "test_1.txt. Then I have a folder on the external HD also named "Bob", with files "test_2.txt" and "test_3.txt". If I copy the folder from the laptop to the external HD, test_2 and test_3 are gone, and only test_1 is there...

I am new to Mac (very new), but on a Windows (any version) based machine, lets say I have the same setup, and do the same copy. In that case, the folder "Bob" is of course on the external HD, but I then have test_1, test_2, and test_3 in the folder.

It's like in a Windows environment, it merges those folders, so the files in the folder on the external HD stay put, and it adds the new ones from the laptop to the folder. In a Mac environment, it seems as though it deletes the folder on the external HD, then copies the one from the laptop.

Now here is the problem, and why I am so worried about this...
I have a folder called "Pics" on the laptop and the external HD. As I pull pics from my camera, download them, etc, they go into the *many* folders under the main *pics* folder on the laptop. I then copy it to the external HD later. In Windows, I am essentially just adding these pics to all the already full folders under *pics* on the external HD. I don't keep them all on the laptop because there are to many, so they just update when I do this, and there are that many more in the folders on the ex HD. If I do this same process in the Mac OS, it will delete all the folders on my ex HD, then replace them w/ these. I, in-turn, will loose many gb's of pics that weren't on the laptop. I do the same w/ a software folder, documents, and a few others.

There are too many for me to just add them folder by folder, so I really need a way to make this act like it does on a Windows comp.

I have asked a bunch of my Mac friends, and they have no idea, so any help is much, MUCH appreciated!

Thanks

I have got to admit that is one of the things windows does that is very smart

what you seem to want is a merge, so a syncing utility is what you need

http://www.freemacware.com/rsyncx/

Rsync X basically puts a user interface over the unix commands built into the OS, it is very simple to use, not as straightforward to the rather elegant windows method but it gets the job done with no fuss

That looks like a great way to do this. Thanks! I'll post how it goes when I get it done...

I tried the ap.
I think for one folder, or only a few files, it would be great. I love how it will let me sync one-way, so I don't have to have my entire 250gb ex hd on my laptop. It is, however, REALLY slow when you try to sync a lot of folders and files, and it seems to lock around %3. I even made the only change 1 single small picture, and it still takes a LONG time, and hangs at %3...

Do you guys know of any other way to do this?

Thanks for the help!

Any Idea's?

Shameless bump...