Backup entire Mac to a drive and see the data on Windows

[mewoi]

I am currently trying to backup my Mac Pro (Early 2013) so it can be formatted and given to my son to use. I am trying to copy every file from the root down so I can see all the files on my desktop which is Windows, this includes my pararells and some things that I've put outside of my user profile (for development reasons)

I am currently using sudo cp -R -a / /Volumes/(name of drive) and all I get back is "invalid argument"

I am unsure on if the files are protect or not, I am the root administrator on the machine. I know that its possible to image a LINUX machine so it can be read by windows and since MacOS is LINUX based (well UNIX I guess) I assume there is that option?

Additional notes: The drive I am using to backup is literally brand new. I just bought a new one and its out of the box, its formatted to FAT32 from within Disk Utility on the Mac since its both Windows and Mac compatible for read/write.
I have tried using the cp on /Users/"my user" and it still doesn't work.


Cheers

 

[DeltaMac]

The CP command that you show in your post is not complete. You show a source, but not a destination for your copied files. Maybe that's why you get "invalid argument"

Try this:
from terminal

sudo cp -R -a

add a space after the -a
drag your source into the terminal window. The path will be entered automatically. (The source could be your entire hard drive, if that's what you want)
drag the destination into the terminal window, and again the path will be added.
Press enter now, and type your password, press enter again.
Should work.

 

[mewoi]

The CP command that you show in your post is not complete. You show a source, but not a destination for your copied files. Maybe that's why you get "invalid argument"

I have already done what you suggested, that was how I got the path, since the path is in root there is nothing other than "/"
it might not be obvious but
"/ /Volumes/(name of drive)"

the first slash is the root folder (as generated when I dragged it in the terminal) and the volume/(name of drive) is the destination of the external drive

 

[DeltaMac]

Ah, I see... but, in your first post, you don't appear to have a space between the "-a" and the following "/"
(could just be the font that you use, but to my eye, it's hard to see ... )

But, wouldn't it be simpler to just drag 'n drop whatever folders/files that you want to copy to that external drive?
I know it can be faster with a cp, but there's always alternatives.