File path too long to be encrypted - Cancellation message on Windows

xelag

Hi,
I'm trying to encrypt an existing folder tree stored in my Dropbox, on Windows 10. When I start the encryption, a cancellation message pops up (translated from French to English, thanks to Google 😉

Operation canceled
The specified path, file name, or both are too long. The fully qualified file name must be less than 260 characters and the folder name less than 248 characters.

There is no more information.
The problem is that the folder tree contains more than 55'000 files and almost 10'000 folders... How to manage to have shorter file names or folder names in the such a tree folder without knowing the too long ones.

Do you have a solution?

Thank you for your help.
Best regards,
Alex

Yasmin

Hello.

Enable the long path support in Windows first and try again:

https://www.howtogeek.com/266621/how-to-make-windows-10-accept-file-paths-over-260-characters/

Best,
Yasmin

xelag

Hello Yasmin,
Thank you for your answer and for your solution. I'm not able to try again because meanwhile I found an alternative solution :

in my Dropbox : by renaming some specific files with shorter names
and for my big folders tree structure (archives and static files) by using an alternative encryption system (VeraCrypt) causing no trouble with long filenames.

Anyway, I've just updated my Windows registry to activate long file paths over 260 chars. Sure I'll help me in the future. But, I've read on an other site that this config can cause some compatibility problems with older 32-bit applications...
Alex