# instead of $rtncd[$_] = (system("start copy /Y /Z $src $computer[$_]")>>8) for (0..$#computer); # use something like ... my @cmdstr = (); push @cmdstr, "start copy /Y /Z $src $computer[$_]")>>8) for (0..$#computer); my $cmdstr = join(' & ', @cmdstr); $rtncd = system("$cmdstr");