Windows XP and long file names

  • Thread starter Thread starter rfdjr1
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rfdjr1

I posed this question a while back and there didn't seem to be an answer so I
thought I'd try again in case some new posters are here. I often try to rename
..mp3 files I download which have way too much information than I need, like
artists, album name, year, track number, track name.mp3. I try to pare that all
down to Artist and song name.mp3. Many I can do simply by opening my music
folder and right clicking on the file, then rename, then doing what I want to
do. Until I hit a certain length filename, then Windows Explorer tells me it has
encountered a problem and shuts down, going back to my desktop. Someone did
mention that even with Windows XP, if the path name was more than 255
characters, there'd be a problem. If the path were to for example consist of:

E:\Music\Country\Artist Name\filename.mp3

(Is this the entire path??)

Then it crashes at 112 characters, the most recent file I tried working with,
which is substantially less than 255 characters. I don't think I have a file as
long as 255 path included. Any idea why Windows Explorer won't let me work on a
file like this? I can't even right click and delete the file. Same thing,
Windows Explorer shuts down. Thanks for any insight.
 
Use Windows Media Player to organize your music files.
That is the application you need to use.

Windows Media Player 10 How-to Center
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/knowledgecenter/howto/mp10/default.aspx

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience -
Windows Vista Enthusiast

---------------------------------------------------------------


I posed this question a while back and there didn't seem to be an answer so I
thought I'd try again in case some new posters are here. I often try to rename
..mp3 files I download which have way too much information than I need, like
artists, album name, year, track number, track name.mp3. I try to pare that all
down to Artist and song name.mp3. Many I can do simply by opening my music
folder and right clicking on the file, then rename, then doing what I want to
do. Until I hit a certain length filename, then Windows Explorer tells me it has
encountered a problem and shuts down, going back to my desktop. Someone did
mention that even with Windows XP, if the path name was more than 255
characters, there'd be a problem. If the path were to for example consist of:

E:\Music\Country\Artist Name\filename.mp3

(Is this the entire path??)

Then it crashes at 112 characters, the most recent file I tried working with,
which is substantially less than 255 characters. I don't think I have a file as
long as 255 path included. Any idea why Windows Explorer won't let me work on a
file like this? I can't even right click and delete the file. Same thing,
Windows Explorer shuts down. Thanks for any insight.
 
I believe so.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa365247.aspx

--

TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2008 - Update Services
http://taurarian.mvps.org
======================================
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
Computer Maintenance: Acronis / Diskeeper / Paragon / Raxco


|I posed this question a while back and there didn't seem to be an answer so I
| thought I'd try again in case some new posters are here. I often try to rename
| .mp3 files I download which have way too much information than I need, like
| artists, album name, year, track number, track name.mp3. I try to pare that all
| down to Artist and song name.mp3. Many I can do simply by opening my music
| folder and right clicking on the file, then rename, then doing what I want to
| do. Until I hit a certain length filename, then Windows Explorer tells me it has
| encountered a problem and shuts down, going back to my desktop. Someone did
| mention that even with Windows XP, if the path name was more than 255
| characters, there'd be a problem. If the path were to for example consist of:
|
| E:\Music\Country\Artist Name\filename.mp3
|
| (Is this the entire path??)
|
| Then it crashes at 112 characters, the most recent file I tried working with,
| which is substantially less than 255 characters. I don't think I have a file as
| long as 255 path included. Any idea why Windows Explorer won't let me work on a
| file like this? I can't even right click and delete the file. Same thing,
| Windows Explorer shuts down. Thanks for any insight.
|
 
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