Help with notepad doc not opening

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  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Hi,

I made a text doc in notepad & it now it will not open (I get 2 error
messages- invalid file format & access denied).If I right click the file I
get a shortened list without properties.
When I tried opening it with Word it wouldn't open & the information box
said try using Map network drive to connect to server & shorten file name? I
don't know why it suggested this & I could not complete this.
Does anyone know what has happene here and any way I could try to open this
file/fix this?
I am most grateful for any advice. Thanks
 
I made a text doc in notepad & it now it will not open (I get 2
error messages- invalid file format & access denied).If I right
click the file I get a shortened list without properties.
When I tried opening it with Word it wouldn't open & the
information box said try using Map network drive to connect to
server & shorten file name?
Click to expand...

There's very little that can go wrong with a straight text file, and no
program should choke on one, even if they're not designed to read them.
If you have this problem with all text files, I have no idea what the
problem is. If it's just this one file, then open a command window in
the directory. The, type

TYPE "FILE NAME.TXT" (or whatever the real name is)

You'll be able to see the contents of the file. I bet you'll find it to
be corrupt and to contain garbage other than simple text. You could try
editing it in that command session with the DOS EDIT.COM program.
 
said try using Map network drive to connect to server & shorten file
name?
Click to expand...

The Path and/or file name may be too long.

Try to rename the file to a shorter name.

Try to move the file to a folder that the path is not so long.

I.e. C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\My Documents\My Whatever
Folder

Move the file upstream.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Hi Nil & Wesley,

Thanks for your advice on this. I tried your advice but I still cannot
access this notepad doc!
In command prompt it gives a message" the system cannot find the file
specified"!

I cannot cut or drag & drop or send this file to any other directory! It is
refusing to
move!

Any further advice gratefully received....

Best wishes
 
RPD,

Here are a couple of things you can try.

Path Too Long

To work around this problem, reduce the length of the path to less than 256
characters.

In Windows Explorer, select the folder one level above the folder that
returns the error. Right-click the folder returning the error and then click
Rename. Rename the folder to reduce the number of characters used in the
folder name.

Rename the folder so that the target files that are deeper than the MAX_PATH
no longer exist. If you do this, start at the root folder (or any other
convenient place), and then rename folders so that they have shorter names.

Rename subfolders in the path to a file so that the total path or file name
is less than the max_path setting or 256 characters. Start with subfolders
that are closer to the root so that you are always working with less than
256 characters.

Also...
<quote>
Cause 4: Files exist in paths that are deeper than MAX_PATH characters
You may not be able to open, edit, or delete a file if there are issues with
the file path.

Resolution 1: Use an auto-generated 8.3 name to access the file
To resolve this issue, you may want to use the auto-generated 8.3 name to
access the file. This resolution may be the easiest resolution if the path
is deep because the folder names are too long. If the 8.3 path is also too
long or if 8.3 names have been disabled on the volume, go to Resolution 2.
For additional information about disabling 8.3 file names on NTFS volumes,
click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

How to disable the 8.3 name creation on NTFS partitions
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/121007

Resolution 2: Rename or move a deep folder
Rename the folder so that the target files that are deeper than the MAX_PATH
no longer exist. If you do this, start at the root folder (or any other
convenient place), and then rename folders so that they have shorter names.
If this step does not resolve this issue (for example, if a file is more
than 128 folders deep), go to Resolution 4.
<quote>
from...
You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320081

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Hi Wesley,

Thanks for your reply & from your advice I have fixed this now! Yeeha!!

Well I am pleased this is fixed now!

I cut the folder containing the doc from its deep location in "My Documents"
folder & pasted it on the first level of "My Documents".
From the new location the notepad doc opened normally! Simple ?!!!

I don't really understand how or why this problem happened (but realise it
is due to some problem with long file names/folder locations). I am though
very grateful for your help & advice to get this fixed. Thanks very much-
best wishes
 
Glad to hear it, RPD. Yeeha yourself. ;-) Keep having fun.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
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