Unicode Error when trying to use Command Prompt with USB Flash drive or SD Card

Question

Unicode Error when trying to use Command Prompt with USB Flash drive or SD Card

lmeza 1

I have problems when trying to use unicode characters like Russian characters (Cyrillic) on the Command Prompt (CMD). This problem only happens when I am on USB Flash drive or SD Card, which use FAT32. I use Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bits.

For instance, when I am on F:\ and try to open "F:\Что-то.docx" the error I get is:

"No mapping for the unicode character exists in the target multi-byte code page."

However, when I open files with latin characters "Hello.docx" works ok. When I use NTFS Hard Drive (C,D) works ok without errors too, so it seems that it only happens when using external drivers.

I have also try CHCP 65001 before starting with other lines but doesn't help.

Thanks for the reply.

1 answer

Your answer

Answer 1

Percival Yang 731

Hi，
@lmeza
From your description, the error is due to removable drives, while, you can try use a NTFS format USB disk to furtherly verify your presumption.
Beside, you can change the font of command prompt to Lucida Console.

And then have another try by changing the code page to Windows-1253 or 866. You do this on the command prompt by "chcp 1253", or chcp 866 and chcp 65001 again.
The last step. Check the language for non-Unicode programs. A better cleaner thing to do: Just install the available, free, Microsoft Russian language pack.

Hope this can help you
If your need further help, be free reply to me at your convenience.

==============================================================================

If the Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it

lmeza 1 Reputation point

2021-07-08T22:05:45.45+00:00

Ok, I have tried all options you gave. However, none of the given worked. Nor changing to Lucida Console, neither changing chcp code, or Region Setting.

I still get the same "no mapping" error.

Any other ideas?
Percival Yang 731 Reputation points

2021-07-09T08:18:38.893+00:00

Hi
I'm going to create a win7 environment to simulate the issue, and contrary to the same situation on win10, Just to verify if this is an existed win7 issue or individual case on your PC.
Thanks for your patience in advance. by the way you can try use Word to open the file directly to see whether it works.

Best Regards
Percival Yang
lmeza 1 Reputation point

2021-07-11T17:29:29.24+00:00

I have discovered that using the short 8.3 version of the file name with "dir /x" finally works on CMD.
However still get the error when trying to open directly Bat files with Unicode characters on the file name.
Is there any solution for that?
Percival Yang 731 Reputation points

2021-07-12T02:16:51.927+00:00

Hi
So the current issue is you are able to use dir /X to open a docx file with Unicode characters on the file name. but fails when opening batch files especially in remote USB/ SD card. Well, in win10 cmd, we have to use cd /X to open the exact file,

Share via

Unicode Error when trying to use Command Prompt with USB Flash drive or SD Card

1 answer

Your answer