Question Filenames too long to move ?

[Sorb]

I'm trying to backup my HDD to an external HDD with about 300GB and hundreds of thousands of files but in the end there are always 2000 files missing due names too long to be moved. I have tried different programs like FastCopy and SyncBackFree, although they are faster they move even less files than the original Windows 11 option.

Does anyone know how to solve this error?

 

[hotaru.hino]

The problem is by default, Windows imposes a path size limit of 256 characters. Microsoft added a way to ignore this, but it involves modifying the registry: https://www.autodesk.com/support/te...th-limitation-MAX-PATH-is-256-characters.html

A workaround is simply to use a shorter path name, including the file name itself.

 

[Math Geek]

Best way is to shorten some folder/file names.

Reg changes can make it happen this time, maybe, but you'll still have issues when trying to use the backup to copy files anywhere else or even back to the same system

 

[Sorb]

Best way is to shorten some folder/file names.

Reg changes can make it happen this time, maybe, but you'll still have issues when trying to use the backup to copy files anywhere else or even back to the same system

Renaming more than 2000 files one by one does not seem like a realistic to me.
And I don't understand how it was possible to move these files before in Windows 10 but now not anymore.

 

[USAFRet]

Renaming more than 2000 files one by one does not seem like a realistic to me.
And I don't understand how it was possible to move these files before in Windows 10 but now not anymore.

Don't have to rename the files.
Just have to shorten the whole folder/file path.

Folder/sub/sub/sub/sub/VeryLongFilename....
All contribute to the 256 limit.

Remove one of the intermediate subfolders....all is good.

 

[Math Geek]

Don't have to rename the files.
Just have to shorten the whole folder/file path.

Folder/sub/sub/sub/sub/VeryLongFilename....
All contribute to the 256 limit.

Remove one of the intermediate subfolders....all is good.

exactly. your file name itself isn't 256 characters long. if they are, then you seriously need to rethink naming convention. lol

a folder or 2 is too long and can be shortened easy enough.

for instance, i saw a pc that came into my care that had the big bang theory full series on it. folder/naming looked like this:

the big bang theory complete series/the big bang series complete series season 1/the big bang series complete series season 1 episode 1 - pilot

now clearly this is ridiculous and i easily shortened it to:

The big bang theory complete series/season 1/ep01 - pilot

i promise without looking at your drives, you got something similar going on, where it can easily shorten.

 

[bacca400]

Don't have to rename the files.
Just have to shorten the whole folder/file path.

Folder/sub/sub/sub/sub/VeryLongFilename....
All contribute to the 256 limit.

Remove one of the intermediate subfolders....all is good.

OMG, I remember I had this problem on Windows 10! There were just too many sub-folders making the whole path too long.

This is why I keep all folder names and file names under 12 characters each, to avoid this. But that only affects folders and files I name myself, not other files made by other programs.

I.e. the problem is not just the filename, but the full file path that is too long.