Thanks for this video, I spent weeks designing a drive for a bicycle and ziped it to keep it safe when I tried to open the top level assemblies half the files were missing, I was really worried. Putting the zipped file on my desktop worked perfectly so thank you very much for saving me a lot of time.
Your comment that the error message did not relate to the zip file was the key to solving the problem for me. I did not even have to finish watching the video. I opened an Explorer window showing the contents of the zip file and a separate Explorer window for the destination directory (short name, short path). I then dragged the zip contents over. My problem was that I was using the "Extract too..." from the context menu and, although I picked a directory with a short name, the extracted files were being placed in a new directory named after the zip file (a long name). Thank you!
Finally someone that has the answer to the nagging problem of the "path too long" Thank you so much for your help. It was the perfect answer to the problem on Windows 7. I had to subscribe to you because you actually talk while your telling how to fix the problem. I love that!
Thank you! The explanation made sense and it worked perfectly for me just now! For those who are saying that he's saying you should put _everything_ on the desktop, I think you're misunderstanding. All he's saying is to move the folder to be extracted, then extract it. Then you can move the new folder with the extracted files back to where you originally wanted them to be in the first place! (You can move the compressed folder back there, too, if you want, if you hang on to those.)
Thank you Steve, this video is clear, straight to the point and easy to follow. There are too many fixes like this on youtube but almost all were made by Indians and I had a hard time understanding their English. Then your video came along which is a great relief for me. Thanks again and God bless
Steve, thank you so much. I had this issue. I did find some files still couldn't be copied back to where I wanted them but I now know to put them in a closer directory.
I've been using google to find a solution for deleting files where the path name was too long and everything involved installing some program or a process that was way too complicated than necessary. a quick youtube search on the matter and I run into your video, and the solution was as simple as moving the folder, cheers!
Thank you. Many are missing your point. I just made a folder with a single letter for the name and moved the zipped file there (instead of to the desktop) and extracted it (could not extract it before). After extracting it then I could move the contents where ever I wanted and everything worked.
I think you inadvertently saved me! I couldn't delete a file with a name that was too long from a zipped mod for a game. I moved the undeletable file to my desktop and bam. Delete able! Wooo Hoo thanks!
This worked for me. I find that when I download files they are already in folders and sub-folders. By moving them to my desktop to extract I can then take them out of needless folders and then place them in my documents where I want them. Thank you for a simple solution.
thanks, it worked! The folder i was working with had a long folder name and long file names within it. I just renamed the folder with only a few characters. Then it extracted fine.
Mine path was still too long (file I was downloading had many sub-files) but I went inside the compressed folder and dragged out the files that were giving the error message it worked. Thanks for explaining why this was happening.
Hi Steve, thank you for the informative video. I am still struggling with how to fix my issue, but I do know more now about WHY I am getting the error message
I'm running into difficulties with this (The file name(s) would be too long for the destination folder.) when I try to copy the files from one external HD to another as a backup copy. The thing is, it's telling me the file name is too long and some of them are only 2 or 3 letters long. I've only ever had it happen with this Transcend brand external I bought. Is it the External? I've tried formatting the hard drive and it helped to an extent, but the error is still showing up several dozen times (before it was much more). Any thoughts? (EDIT) Strike that last.... it's now happening to over 80 files again, which have to then be tracked down and individually renamed to copy them over. I've just about had it up to my eyeballs with this, so frustrated T_T
I think if you watch the video again the penny may drop as to the problem. If you are moving from one external drive to another then the chances are you will have the same problem. Copy from your external to your pc then move to external that may work.
That would most likely indicate a problem with the zip file itself being corrupt. First thing I'd try is moving that zip to another computer and try unzipping it to make sure that you get the same error. Assuming that you do then see this article.. kb.winzip.com/kb/entry/126/
The easiet way to fix this issues: 1. Extract/copy file or folder to USB disk 2. Rename the folder/file name while on USB disk 3. Copy the USB version to your PC Done!!
This doesn't help when your trying to copy all your data from one hard drive to another. You cant see the exact location where the issue is occurring when you copy and paste from the root folder. What would be your method for this? My business has a network share with hundreds if not thousands of folders and files. When you are running out of storage and get new hardware to use, how do you copy the whole shared folder to a nas device without getting this error? Running Windows Server 2008.
+Bmore Stance This video is more aimed at the average user with a home pc rather that the setup you are describing. The video is really to explain what causes the problem is the full length of the file name made worse when files are on extended or mapped drives. The bottom line is that its stupid that this problem even exists in windows. Sorry I can't be of more help, there is a tool called "long path tool" that people often mention but I have not tried it and its not free.
Mi problem is different, I think... My new usb external drive won't accept folders names in excess of 45 characters. I'm trying to copy folders from another external drive and get the Infamous message. I don't understand why one drive accept this long name folders and the new one doesn't.... any advise will be appreciated.
It's not the issue of 45 characters, its the sum total of characters in the path all the way from the root. If you are just trying to copy from one USB to another as a one off then I'd try copying first to a folder in C on your computer then move everything from that to the new USB drive. As you say, its similar but not the same problem.
I tried. My problem to begin with is, when I right click I don't even get the option to cut/copy. If I could I would have send a screen shot. Pls advice
rain sun if you are using a windows machine you must have right click and copy and paste. If you don't then I'm sorry I cant offer help on that. Check again, you may have missed it.
hey i need your help, i got the same message for the folders that i try to paste from my torrents downloads folder to my external hard drive, they are not zipped folders they are just folders so some files get copied to the external hard drive and some on't and when its about 90% copied (from downloads folder to external hard drive) it shows a red color on my desktop and i get this message......i also use a Lenovo pc....hope you can help
The problem is simply because the path becomes too long, this is going to be fixed in the next release of windows I believe. The only suggestion that I have is to make sure you are not trying to move the folder from your downloads into an already deep folder tree. If your external drive is Z:\ try copy to that and not to any sub folder under Z
Steve Dawson oh, i dont know if you mean first or second subfolder because if i paste my files or documents under Z if Z being the external hard drive then i will have everything mixed up together with my external hard drive files and files from my other pcs as i use the same external hard drive for different pcs (3) ..... but i think i know what you mean, if i was to paste everything under Z then id have documents, videos, pictures everything mixed up in the same place....is there really no better way to fix this? why is this happening, i am shortening everything for the back up now and its taking me hours because i need to rename some files....
Thanks for the video. I really cant solve this problem, There are currently many files(282) with long extension in one folder. How can I delete all of them collectively? Thanks.
The key is not the fact that you have many files, its the length of the file names. Watch the video again and see if it makes more sense the second time you watch. In this video I saved to desktop for the extraction, you could try saving direct to your C: drive... hope that helps.
it's still doesn't change the fact that this is just a ridicolus error that forces you to do desktop when you could just extract anywhere. what we can't even put our files where we want anymore? wow...
Anyone have advice if you are saving right to the drive with only one folder and still getting the too long errors? example D:\F As you can see I've made this as short as possible but still getting the error
Hi Steve, My D drive is part of the main drive, it is a laptop with a hybrid disc C is my smaller SSD storage and D is basic platter drive. I've tried extracting at the root of both these directories and still get the too long error. I'm trying to find a way to maybe selectively choose what to unzip and maybe do it piece by piece, but if anyone has a better idea I would love to hear it.
+Nick “MisterSpock” Rajotte the only other thing you could try is long path tool, its not free but ive heard good reports although never needed it myself.longpathtool.com/
+Eric Barth you have a point, solve would have been a better choice of word, and yes its aimed at people without skills. Better to have a tutorial with an imperfect title that does fix (sorry solve) the problem than to have none at all.
+Sara Chu - I assume you mean the zip file name which is part of the path, so unless you have a ridiculously long name for your zip its unlikely to be the issue. Just rename the zip before you unzip would be the solution to that problem.
Not a solution at all. If you went on to the logical step of renaming files after they were extracted and then moving them, maybe you wouldn't get the thumbs down.
You don't have to rename files after they have been extracted and the whole point of the video is to show the possible route of the problem is where the zip is stored on your computer. This is not a tutorial explaining how to move files which is very basic stuff and would simply make this another video full of hot air rather than a fast way to understand the issue. Thanks for the thumbs down :-)
