Move a filegeodatabase with Windows Explorer. Why not?

[PitersonPaulgek]

Hi, 

Why it is recommended with ArcGIS? What is wrong if I just Copy/Past in Windows Explorer?

A comparison of file and personal geodatabase management—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop 

Move a geodatabase.

Y This should be done using ArcGIS.

Any consideration? Thanks

[DanPatterson_Retired · Accepted solution]

burrow deeper and there is this link File geodatabases and Windows Explorer—Help | ArcGIS for Desktop 

But... I do it all the time... just make sure your data are local and arcmap and any python processes using the data are shut down.  A good time to do this, is at the start of the day before you crack open arcmap

[LanceShipman]

We recommend you use ArcCatalog to copy file geodatabase data because you can destroy your data when copying with Windows Explorer. There is no recovery. ArcCatalog handles that most common problems and avoids data loss. If you are sure that no process is using any part of the data you are unlikely to have any problems.

[DanPatterson_Retired]

except you have to do this all the time when sharing to other users, so I am sort of lost as to what you are referring to Lance