The problem as such isn’t that Windows has problems copying them back and forth, it is that the backup software and VSS can’t track the files and secure them (and a lot of the files were contracts, legal documents etc.), which would be a major problem if the files “disappeared”.
Stopping the user making too longer filenames is more important than being able to copy them. I had to manually go through and rename over 300 files and folders that were too long, so that they can be backed up.
As you said , Shorten the path name is the workable solution for such a case ! but what if you want to copy all the long pathnames files as it ? would would you do ?
You start at the top and shorten the directory names, working your way down, until the names pass, or if it is adjust the files at the bottom level, just shorten their names, until they fit.
I guess I’m thinking more of an enterprise environment.
You have to identify all the troublesome pathnames first?
And then hope no links will be broken.
And if their shared or belong to another department, get buy-in on the name changes.
Not undoable but also non-trivial.
Seems easier to use a program that supports long pathnames no?
That was in a corporate environment. Our backup software listed the files that had file names that were too long, so we could get to the exact path and files that were causing Problems.