Folder name(s) said to be too long even when it doesn't

[egozi44]

Hi there

long time don't been here ^_^


unfortunately i'm here because i have issue that i need help with (i have two actually but i will make other thread for the second one)


The issue goes like this:

When win7 was out around 2 and half years ago it was fine, after that... around the time that SP1 was out Win7 start to gave me alot of folder's name too long errors
even if the folders names are only 2 letters!

i happened to format my pc alot last year and the issue don't seem to be solve and just keep getting worse each day, i'm aware that win7 have a limit of something around 260 letters But it gave me these errors randomly Even when everything is fine and don't allow me to either burn or copy path stuff, it even don't let me see the folder size when the name is "too long"

i discovered more win7's annoying bugs But this is undoubtedly one of the worse i have encountered (if it even count as a bug...)

Do anyone know how to solve it?

It got to the degree that i can't copy patch 40% of my stuff

 

[logicearth]

It is not the folder name you have to worry about, it is the length of the path of that folder or file. "C:\super\long\path\to\some\unknown\folder\with\a\super\duper\unknown\file.ext"

Anyways...Robocopy it handles long paths.

 

[egozi44]

Thanks for reply

However the issue even happened to me in 3 folders at least once or twice....

btw how do i Robocopy and path?

by using CMD?

 

[logicearth]

Robocopy is a command line program yes.

> robocopy /?

 

[egozi44]

I don't really fan of CMD which is why i don't use it alot

By "> robocopy /?" you meant to enter the CMD as admin, write > robocopy /the whole path right?

like > robocopy /C:\ foler/folder/file

how i can path it after it though? and why CMD works while the normal OS options are limit?

 

[WinOutreach2]

The /? switch launches the help file for robocopy, listing the syntax for how to use and all of the available switches. You can find the same information here on TechNet. As logicearth mentioned, the issue is where the path length is over 260 characters including the drive letter C:\, which is three characters, and the null character which terminates a path, leaving 256 characters for the remaining path. Details on the path limitation are provided here on MSDN including information on how to use Long UNC to bypass the limitation.

 

[egozi44]

Thanks for the help

however i have hard time to understand it since english is not my first lang and i'm not pc expert

can you please help me by answer the questions i ask and give me the right command line?

questions:

What is robocopy ? i only assumed that it copy path though CMD but don't got exact answer.

what are the commands to copy and path on robocopy/path?

i think i read something in one of the links you gave me that relate to completely turns off support for very long paths (longer than 256 characters), does that mean that with this command i can turns off this annoy limit for good? and there are any risks by doing so?


Why windows are limit to this thing to begin with?

Thanks in advance

 

[WinOutreach2]

Robocopy is the Robust File Copy utility included in versions Windows Vista and newer (and available for Windows versions back to NT as part of the Resource Kit). It is a command line copy utility.

It natively handles long paths, the syntax for a very basic copy operation would be:

robocopy c:\source\folder\ c:\destination\folder\

The /256 switch disables support for long paths during the copy operation, which would defeat the purpose.

The path limit is defined by the file system, you can see a comparison of some of the Windows file systems here on MSDN. To truly understand the limitation would take a further understanding of how a file system interprets data from bits and bytes into files and folders. There is a whole category of the Windows Development Reference dedicated to Data Access and Storage which goes into far further detail, specifically the Local File Systems category. This content is available in other languages as well, if understanding the technical details in English is a difficulty.

 

[kado897]

I don't really fan of CMD which is why i don't use it alot

By "> robocopy /?" you meant to enter the CMD as admin, write > robocopy /the whole path right?

like > robocopy /C:\ foler/folder/file

how i can path it after it though? and why CMD works while the normal OS options are limit?

There is a GUI that you can download for Robocopy. I don't know how good it is. Download Free Microsoft Robocopy GUI File Transfer Utility

 

[egozi44]

Robocopy is the Robust File Copy utility included in versions Windows Vista and newer (and available for Windows versions back to NT as part of the Resource Kit). It is a command line copy utility.

It natively handles long paths, the syntax for a very basic copy operation would be:

robocopy c:\source\folder\ c:\destination\folder\

The /256 switch disables support for long paths during the copy operation, which would defeat the purpose.

The path limit is defined by the file system, you can see a comparison of some of the Windows file systems here on MSDN. To truly understand the limitation would take a further understanding of how a file system interprets data from bits and bytes into files and folders. There is a whole category of the Windows Development Reference dedicated to Data Access and Storage which goes into far further detail, specifically the Local File Systems category. This content is available in other languages as well, if understanding the technical details in English is a difficulty.

Thanks for the info.

there are still some things i would like to ask:

1.

Robocopy is the Robust File Copy utility included in versions Windows Vista and newer (and available for Windows versions back to NT as part of the Resource Kit). It is a command line copy utility.

from what you said Robocopy is a file copy utility that included in windows vista+

this "utility" can be use through CMD? or it have it own utility (since i notice that when i write "Robocopy " in the Start's search, it was able to find the Robocopy utility )


2.

The /256 switch disables support for long paths during the copy operation, which would defeat the purpose.

i lost you there, what you meant was that it will not let me to copy paths that are longer from 256 letters at all?

or that it really will stop this limit (which hard for me to believe by now after i read the explanation you gave me about the system interprets data)


3.

There is a GUI that you can download for Robocopy. I don't know how good it is. Download Free Microsoft Robocopy GUI File Transfer Utility

By GUI you meant that there is some utility that use the same OS Robocopy and just give it some easier look so even noob like myself could use it?

 

[kado897]

3. Yes

 

[WinOutreach2]

Thanks for the info.
there are still some things i would like to ask:
1.

Robocopy is the Robust File Copy utility included in versions Windows Vista and newer (and available for Windows versions back to NT as part of the Resource Kit). It is a command line copy utility.

from what you said Robocopy is a file copy utility that included in windows vista+
this "utility" can be use through CMD? or it have it own utility (since i notice that when i write "Robocopy " in the Start's search, it was able to find the Robocopy utility
3.

There is a GUI that you can download for Robocopy. I don't know how good it is. Download Free Microsoft Robocopy GUI File Transfer Utility

By GUI you meant that there is some utility that use the same OS Robocopy and just give it some easier look so even noob like myself could use it?

Robocopy is a command line utility which is natively accessed via the command prompt in Windows. There is a graphic user interface available which was written by a Microsoft engineer which you can download from this link. The graphic interface will give you a "traditional" window in which to access the commands of Robocopy.

2.

The /256 switch disables support for long paths during the copy operation, which would defeat the purpose.

i lost you there, what you meant was that it will not let me to copy paths that are longer from 256 letters at all?
or that it really will stop this limit (which hard for me to believe by now after i read the explanation you gave me about the system interprets data)

The /256 switch shuts off support for paths of longer than 256 characters and only for the operation. If you enter at the command prompt:

robocopy c:\somefolder\ c:\someotherfolder\ /256

Robocopy will not copy any file paths inside of these folders for which the path is longer than 256 characters. It does not affect the operating system in any way, it simply disables support for the specific copy operation it has been commanded to perform.

 

[egozi44]

I see

Thank you all for your help = )