Long File Names used to be OK--now Windows doesnt like them! Why??

[Guest]

This is weird. My file names are long. I have lots of pictures and I gave
them long descriptive names. That was no problem. Now lately, when I try and
transfer the files to my backup hard drive, I get all these messages saying
the file name is too long or invalid. I dont get it! This never used to
happen! Did I accidentally tweak a setting or something like that?

Now it's ridiculous! For example, it tells me that a file name like "060214
motorolan-02" is too long. How can that be too long? Didnt windows fix this a
long time ago? Cuz I know a long time ago windows file names had to be 8
digits or less...

I gotta say, you guys have been very helpful. I've put two questions to the
group so far and you've come through both times. Thanks a million.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

This is weird. My file names are long. I have lots of pictures and I gave
them long descriptive names. That was no problem. Now lately, when I try and
transfer the files to my backup hard drive, I get all these messages saying
the file name is too long or invalid. I dont get it! This never used to
happen! Did I accidentally tweak a setting or something like that?

Now it's ridiculous! For example, it tells me that a file name like "060214
motorolan-02" is too long. How can that be too long? Didnt windows fix this a
long time ago? Cuz I know a long time ago windows file names had to be 8
digits or less...

I gotta say, you guys have been very helpful. I've put two questions to the
group so far and you've come through both times. Thanks a million.

The combined length of path + file name cannot exceed 255 characters.

 

[Seahawk60B]

Is it only when copying the files to the backup hard drive? Can you
copy them successfully to other locations? Can you create new files on
the backup hard drive with long file names? Can you provide the exact
text of the error messages you're receiving? Can you still access
files with long names currently on the backup hard drive?

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Is the backup hard drive formatted NTFS?

It isn't only the name but the path AND the name.

FAT32 or other format may have problems with long paths/names.

The path can only have 260 characters. A path is structured as follows:
drive letter, colon, backslash, components separated by backslashes, and a
null-terminating character. For example, the maximum path on the D drive is
D:\<256 chars>NUL.

File names in XP can have up to 255 characters.

XP can handle paths up to 1024 characters or 2,048 characters with SP2, the
problem is an awful lot of software cannot hand paths that long.

CD burning programs have problems with long names.

[[Long Filename Finder is the easiest way to find and shorten filenames that
are too long to be backed up to CD-R (or CD-RW).

Many CD-R mastering programs limit the length of the filenames that can be
stored on the CD-R. In some cases, this length is as short as 62 characters.
Your files can easily have names that exceed the limit, especially for
multimedia files such as MP3 that contain artist, album, title, track number
information. Before backing up to CD-R, you must rename all your files so
that none of the filenames exceed the limit. ]]

Long Filenames Finder
http://www.dcsoft.com/products/longff/longff.htm

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Guest]

thanks all of you. of course! i hadnt realized that the file name INCLUDES
path as well as file name. DUH! the thing is i have highly organized folders
with lots of subfolders. that's the problem. will have to simplify.

you guys rock!!
gus

Is the backup hard drive formatted NTFS?

It isn't only the name but the path AND the name.

FAT32 or other format may have problems with long paths/names.

The path can only have 260 characters. A path is structured as follows:
drive letter, colon, backslash, components separated by backslashes, and a
null-terminating character. For example, the maximum path on the D drive is
D:\<256 chars>NUL.

File names in XP can have up to 255 characters.

XP can handle paths up to 1024 characters or 2,048 characters with SP2, the
problem is an awful lot of software cannot hand paths that long.

CD burning programs have problems with long names.

[[Long Filename Finder is the easiest way to find and shorten filenames that
are too long to be backed up to CD-R (or CD-RW).

Many CD-R mastering programs limit the length of the filenames that can be
stored on the CD-R. In some cases, this length is as short as 62 characters.
Your files can easily have names that exceed the limit, especially for
multimedia files such as MP3 that contain artist, album, title, track number
information. Before backing up to CD-R, you must rename all your files so
that none of the filenames exceed the limit. ]]

Long Filenames Finder
http://www.dcsoft.com/products/longff/longff.htm

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

This is weird. My file names are long. I have lots of pictures and I gave
them long descriptive names. That was no problem. Now lately, when I try
and transfer the files to my backup hard drive, I get all these messages
saying the file name is too long or invalid. I dont get it! This never
used to happen! Did I accidentally tweak a setting or something like that?

Now it's ridiculous! For example, it tells me that a file name like
"060214 motorolan-02" is too long. How can that be too long? Didnt
windows fix this a long time ago? Cuz I know a long time ago windows file
names had to be 8 digits or less...

I gotta say, you guys have been very helpful. I've put two questions to
the group so far and you've come through both times. Thanks a million.