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Errro message "cannot copy file: Path is too deep"

Anonymous
2010-08-26T07:01:04+00:00

Informatioin on the what, why, how for the error message "cannot copy file: path is too deep. Would like to know the causes and preventions if any and or all available information about this issue. Problem occuring while copying large files and sometimes small files to external hard drive back up.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-05-19T18:03:20+00:00

    Even though the file itself may have a filename of 9 characters plus extension, it could be buried inside of multiple folders.  So when you mount your external USB drive and it shows up as, say, Drive M:, The number of characters in the complete path to the file starting at "M:" and including all directories in the path to the file plus the number of characters in the filename itself cannot exceed 255 or Windows refuses to handle it.

    Robocopy is a command line program.  You must type in the command from a command prompt window  (Start -> Run -> "cmd").  It works by accessing the file using a different set of library copy routines that does not have the 255 character limitation.  A documentation file should accompany Robocopy explaining how to use it.

    Another method that might work for you is to take the folder that your .wmv file is in (or perhaps the folder two levels above) and temporarily move it to the root directory of your external drive.  This will shorten the path to the file and allow a normal copy to work.

    HTH,

       JW

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-08-02T19:00:39+00:00

    I'm getting the same error when attempting to copy a file (2011-01-19 20.19.11.jpg) from a micro SD card to C:.  Going to try removing the periods to see if that is confusing the Microsoft engineers.  Nope, when I try to remove the periods, Windows displays the same error message.  Go figure.  With all the money Micro$oft has and they can't display the correct error message when a file won't copy.  Wow, unbelievable.  Shouldn't they be experts on something as simple as copying/renaming files etc?

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-02-01T02:03:36+00:00

    I don't get this, I am attempting to copy a file from the root of C to the root of J (a thumb drive)

    and I get this error.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-07-14T11:46:55+00:00

    This error being the result of a 255 limit for the path is highly unlikely, and a number of factors point to this:

    1. When copying multiple files, windows will copy files with longer filenames than the one it decides to stop at.
    2. Often if you restart the file transfer from the file with the supposedly 'path too deep' the transfer will continue, copying the file without issue.. For example, you're copying 20 files, it copies the first 10 then gives the error on the 11th. If you select the remaining 10 files (11 - 20) the copy will proceed.
    3. Copying the file by itself will work.
    4. The error often appears AFTER the file has been successfully copied to the destination folder already!!!!

    I have no idea what the cause may be, but it's not always that the path is too long. Maybe MS needs to look into it further.....

    TOTALLY AGREE THAT MS NEEDS TO LOOK INTO IT FURTHER...

    I HAVE THE SAME MESSAGE - THE LIMIT OF 256 DOESN'T EVEN APPLY IN MY CASE.

    JUST COPYING PICS (124 FILES -354MB) FROM  MY CAMERA TO A NEWLY FORMATTED (FAT32) 2G USB WITH A 5 CHARACTERS SUB DIRECTORY.

    Can copy the SAME files to AN External USB Hard disk like a breeze.

    MS is not telling us everything.

    Regards,

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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  4. Anonymous
    2013-03-24T22:12:51+00:00

    This error being the result of a 255 limit for the path is highly unlikely, and a number of factors point to this:

    1. When copying multiple files, windows will copy files with longer filenames than the one it decides to stop at.
    2. Often if you restart the file transfer from the file with the supposedly 'path too deep' the transfer will continue, copying the file without issue.. For example, you're copying 20 files, it copies the first 10 then gives the error on the 11th. If you select the remaining 10 files (11 - 20) the copy will proceed.
    3. Copying the file by itself will work.
    4. The error often appears AFTER the file has been successfully copied to the destination folder already!!!!

    I have no idea what the cause may be, but it's not always that the path is too long. Maybe MS needs to look into it further.....

    2 people found this answer helpful.
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