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So I'm transfering data from my 3TB hard drive to a new 8TB hard drive, they are both formatted in NTFS. I just right clicked and did cut/paste from root to root.

So why does it says that the path is too long since it was fine on the 3TB drive?

Thanks.

Heetola
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  • 3rd party apps sometimes create paths longer than 260 characters. Windows maximum path length is 260. Use robocopy to copy those files – CaldeiraG Jul 28 '20 at 11:32
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    Does this answer your question? How to copy files that have too long of a filepath in Windows? – CaldeiraG Jul 28 '20 at 11:32
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    @CaldeiraG that's wrong. Windows APIs can handle paths maximum 32767 characters long. It's that some apps don't handle long paths correctly (like opting in to remove the MAX_PATH limit or use the \?\ prefix – phuclv Jul 28 '20 at 11:35
  • The only reason you would be getting this message is due to the fact the path is indeed longer than 260 characters which is the limit that File Explorer supports – Ramhound Jul 28 '20 at 11:37
  • I meant Windows Explorer, sorry about the confusion. This answer I linked explains that @phuclv – CaldeiraG Jul 28 '20 at 11:39
  • So you mean that I can create a longer path that windows can handle? then why can I, with the explorer, go into that "forbidenn" folder and read files inside (with the window explorer)? – Heetola Jul 28 '20 at 12:12
  • @CaldeiraG no it does not anwser my question, I'm asking why do I have pathes that are too long with files that I can read not how to copy them.

    is the lenght limitation only enforced during copy/paste?

     – Heetola Jul 28 '20 at 12:14
  • @Ramhound but I can with windows's file explorer go into those "too long" pathes and read the files inside them – Heetola Jul 28 '20 at 12:17
  • You have paths too long because you created them. Lots of programs are running on your computer interacting with your drives. We cannot tell you why a given file or folder was created. – music2myear Jul 29 '20 at 06:03
  • @music2myear no I mean, if there is a limit in size for a path, then how is it possible to create a path that is too long? and if this path is too long, then how come I am able to browse it and read file inside it?

    Is the limitation only enforced during copy and paste? and why enforce this limitation since it's working correctly?

     – Heetola Jul 31 '20 at 13:18
  • There is a difference between what any specific piece of software (your OS is just software) supports and what the file system supports. Any software can interact with the storage within the limits either have defined, and those limits differ from product to product. In other words, it is completely and entirely normal and common to create a path on a Windows computer that is too long for Windows to handle easily. – music2myear Jul 31 '20 at 15:27
  • @Eildosa "How is it possible to create a path that is too long?" - the 260 (~255) character limit is imposed by Windows. Other software is free to ignore that limit. "Is the limitation only enforced during copy and paste?" - I am not aware if this is the "only" time Windows does this, but this is certainly the most common operation where Windows enforces this path limit. – Anaksunaman Jul 31 '20 at 17:16
  • @Eildosa "Why enforce this limitation since it's working correctly?" - Perceived compatibility most likely. It's not that this limitation can't be removed (I believe Microsoft now offers the option to enable NTFS long paths in Windows 10), it's that it is arguably "safer" to leave this enabled by default since older software may work with this (previous) limitation in mind. If an older program expects a maximum path length of 260 (~255) characters and gets one longer than that, it may cause undefined behavior. – Anaksunaman Jul 31 '20 at 17:19

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