ARGGGGH!!! Long File Names in Vista!!!

Sorry if this has been posted here before, but I didn't see an applicable thread
in my recent Google Search. I'm running Vista Ultimate 32bit, and on one particular
drive, I had backed up some files with extremely long names from a different system.
The kind of stuff you find as temp files in the "Content.IE5" sub directory of
"Temporary Internet Files."

Now, I'm trying to delete a parent directory where all these files are located. But Vista,
in it's ultimate wisdom is giving me an error, indicating that it cannot delete these files
becuse the overall path is too long - It suggested I move the files to a place with a "shorter
path," but when I try, it won't let me do it for the same damned reason! The Source path
is too long!!!! Nothing works. Attempting to delete individual files, the parent directory,
the "grand parent" directory all fail because Vista attempts to calculate/sum space and
thus accesses each individual file, and fails because the "path is too long." When I try
to rename individual files, it grays out the "rename" option.

Is there any way I can either get rid of these files or bypass the "file length" warning so
I can delete them? Formatting the drive is *not* an option. This is a SAN drive with lots
of stuff on it and I'd never be able to off load it all.


Any insight one can offer is greatly appreciated.

On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:35:29 -0500, mag3 <zmpmag3-> wrote:

>Sorry if this has been posted here before, but I didn't see an applicable thread
>in my recent Google Search. I'm running Vista Ultimate 32bit, and on one particular
>drive, I had backed up some files with extremely long names from a different system.
>The kind of stuff you find as temp files in the "Content.IE5" sub directory of
>"Temporary Internet Files."
>
>Now, I'm trying to delete a parent directory where all these files are located. But Vista,
>in it's ultimate wisdom is giving me an error, indicating that it cannot delete these files
>becuse the overall path is too long - It suggested I move the files to a place with a "shorter
>path," but when I try, it won't let me do it for the same damned reason! The Source path
>is too long!!!! Nothing works. Attempting to delete individual files, the parent directory,
>the "grand parent" directory all fail because Vista attempts to calculate/sum space and
>thus accesses each individual file, and fails because the "path is too long." When I try
>to rename individual files, it grays out the "rename" option.
>
>Is there any way I can either get rid of these files or bypass the "file length" warning so
>I can delete them? Formatting the drive is *not* an option. This is a SAN drive with lots
>of stuff on it and I'd never be able to off load it all.
>
>
>Any insight one can offer is greatly appreciated.

Problem Solved!!!! I simply renamed all the parent directories to be the shortest names I could
muster (1-2chars) and that was sufficient! It worked!!!!!!


____________________________________________
Regards,

Arnold

mag3 <zmpmag3-> wrote:
>
> Sorry if this has been posted here before, but I didn't see an
> applicable thread in my recent Google Search. I'm running Vista Ultimate
> 32bit, and on one particular drive, I had backed up some files with
> extremely long names from a different system. The kind of stuff you find
> as temp files in the "Content.IE5" sub directory of "Temporary Internet
> Files."
>
> Now, I'm trying to delete a parent directory where all these files are
> located. But Vista, in it's ultimate wisdom is giving me an error,
> indicating that it cannot delete these files becuse the overall path is
> too long - It suggested I move the files to a place with a "shorter
> path," but when I try, it won't let me do it for the same damned reason!
> The Source path is too long!!!! Nothing works. Attempting to delete
> individual files, the parent directory, the "grand parent" directory all
> fail because Vista attempts to calculate/sum space and thus accesses
> each individual file, and fails because the "path is too long." When I
> try to rename individual files, it grays out the "rename" option.
>
> Is there any way I can either get rid of these files or bypass the "file
> length" warning so I can delete them? Formatting the drive is *not* an
> option. This is a SAN drive with lots of stuff on it and I'd never be
> able to off load it all.
>
>
> Any insight one can offer is greatly appreciated.
>

Is it the whole path that is too long, and not just the filenames?

Can't you delete them from the command line?

Try:

rd <path>\<foldername> /s

If the path is too long from command line as well, can you PUSHD to the
parent folder and try from there? Or make the full parent path into a
virtual drive using SUBST:

subst T: <path>

You will then get the folder as a T: drive in Explorer, or you can delete
the files in comand line with DEL and RD for folders.

ss.

On Sun, 22 Feb 2009 03:05:31 -0000, "Synapse Syndrome" <> wrote:

>Is it the whole path that is too long, and not just the filenames?

It appears to have been the "whole path." I was able to shorten elements
of the path to 1-2chars each, and that was enough to allow me to delete all
the contents from the root of the path on down.

But thanks anyway, this is good to know.

>Can't you delete them from the command line?
>
>Try:
>
>rd <path>\<foldername> /s
>
>If the path is too long from command line as well, can you PUSHD to the
>parent folder and try from there? Or make the full parent path into a
>virtual drive using SUBST:
>
>subst T: <path>
>
>You will then get the folder as a T: drive in Explorer, or you can delete
>the files in comand line with DEL and RD for folders.

"mag3" <zmpmag3-> escribió en el mensaje de noticias
news:...
> On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 21:35:29 -0500, mag3 <zmpmag3-> wrote:
>
>>Sorry if this has been posted here before, but I didn't see an applicable
>>thread
>>in my recent Google Search. I'm running Vista Ultimate 32bit, and on one
>>particular
>>drive, I had backed up some files with extremely long names from a
>>different system.
>>The kind of stuff you find as temp files in the "Content.IE5" sub
>>directory of
>>"Temporary Internet Files."
>>
>>Now, I'm trying to delete a parent directory where all these files are
>>located. But Vista,
>>in it's ultimate wisdom is giving me an error, indicating that it cannot
>>delete these files
>>becuse the overall path is too long - It suggested I move the files to a
>>place with a "shorter
>>path," but when I try, it won't let me do it for the same damned reason!
>>The Source path
>>is too long!!!! Nothing works. Attempting to delete individual files,
>>the parent directory,
>>the "grand parent" directory all fail because Vista attempts to
>>calculate/sum space and
>>thus accesses each individual file, and fails because the "path is too
>>long." When I try
>>to rename individual files, it grays out the "rename" option.
>>
>>Is there any way I can either get rid of these files or bypass the "file
>>length" warning so
>>I can delete them? Formatting the drive is *not* an option. This is a SAN
>>drive with lots
>>of stuff on it and I'd never be able to off load it all.
>>
>>
>>Any insight one can offer is greatly appreciated.
>
> Problem Solved!!!! I simply renamed all the parent directories to be the
> shortest names I could
> muster (1-2chars) and that was sufficient! It worked!!!!!!
>
You're a genius! I wrote that down.

Earle

FYI, with XYplorer you can edit those overlong filenames directly in the
file list.

http://www.xyplorer.com/


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Dr. Hadley
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