File name too long...
File name too long – Path too long
I’m extracting my purchase and I get a message ‘Error 0x8000xxxx – Path too long’
This issue is fairly common on Windows and is the result of overly long file name being extracted from an overly long folder name, in an overly long folder name, in an overly long zip file name, in my downloads folder, in my computer, on my ‘c’ drive …. Yes that was deliberately designed to be ‘overly long’, but that is actually in human terms what the problem is.
Let’s try to explain and find a solution, If you decide to ‘Google’ this it’ll tell you that the file path limit on Windows platforms is 256 characters, but in reality, it not quite that simple, so lets say it’s actually 128 characters, and your folder that Windows is trying to extract is like this;
c:\users\johnshomecomputer\downloads\TCW_PP_VOL_XI_Summer_Days_Toppers\TCW_PP_VOL_XI_Summer_Days\TCW_PP_VOL_XI_Summer_Days\01_Contact_Us_1
This ‘path name’ is 138 characters long, so Windows can read it, or create it in this instance.
This is all gobbledeegoop what language are you talking?
OK Look at this;
The folder names, if too long, lets say, 25-30 characters long, take the majority of the file path that the Windows operating system uses. If this gets too long, and because of the folder tree, truncated, the system cannot handle shifting, and re-writing path names.
So what do I need to do to fix it?
Actually there are a lot of easy ways but the best is to move the
‘zipfolder(kit) in zipfolder(what I downloaded) in the downloads folder’
to being ‘’zipfolder(kit) in the download folder’.
Sounds confusing but if you unzip the download, before you unzip the kit inside that newly created folder, drag the zip back into the downloads folder. That way you can Extract it without one of the steps of the path name.
OK here’s a quick shortcut if it makes it easier. When you download the file, rename it ‘123’ or something, it is irrelevant what the main folder is called, as it’s the contents of the inner folders that is important.