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"long filename" error upon login

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9 replies

by vivian.burns

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Certain of the Windows 95 machines, when logging into the domain, get an error. The error states a particular file cannot be created, that the volume may not support long filenames, and that some profile information may not be available.

The volume where profiles are kept is an NTFS volume fully capable of long file names. The user has full control permissions on this home directory, and in fact can copy the offending files manually to the profile directory.

This is happening consistently to several of the users. Their accounts don't seem anything special in common. The file being complained of is different on different computers. If the offending file is removed, the error happens on some other file.

9 replies

by ruturaj

95 /98 Machines support a maximum of 15 charachters in share names anything more than that cannot be accessed or written as.

by wburrows

The only time i've seen this error with Windows 95 was on a compressed volume and the file it failed to copy during the logon process was a *.lnk file. Turns out it is an 'issue' with win 95 and the solution is to upgrade to win 98 or move the profiles to a volume that is not compressed. If this is not the solution and it only happens on win 95 machines, check the files system on those machines. FAT16 partitions have a root directory entry limit that gets chewed up pretty quick by long filenames and once its full no more files can be created. So deleting one file would free up some space but 2 files later it is full again. Im sure there is something in common with these machines, but there isnt enough info yet to offer any more suggestions....

by vivian.burns

1) The NT volume is not compressed.
2) The partitions on these 95 machines are no different than those on unaffected ones, and besides, there aren't very many extra files on there. A couple of the problem machines are fresh installs. On the other hand, some of them are not at all fresh.

3) What else do you want to know? Yes they're all Windows 95, as are the machines that have no problems. One of the problem ones is a laptop; most aren't. A couple of the problem ones run faster than the rest, but most don't. Some are running Windows 95A, some B.

The NT box is a PDC with NT 4.0 SP6A + some post SP hotfixes.

What would "enough info" be? Write to me vivian.burns@ucop.edu if you have more questions

by bill.parks

You mentioned this happens at login. Are you by chance running a logon script? Is this a new error? Are you attempting to use NT's roaming profiles? In the case of the login script, make sure you enclose long file names and or spaces in quotes, i.e.copy e:\users\program\myapp.exe "c:\temp\Whatever The File is.ext". Also in your scripts, make sure to use variables where you can i.e.,
%username% = well, username,
%systemroot% = C:\Windows,
%systemdrive% = C:,
%userprofile% = In NT, C:\WINNT\PROFILES\%username%\Personal,
%homedrive% = U:,
%homepath% = \username, etc...
Hope this helps, a little info would help me help you.... ;-)

by vivian.burns

Yes I'm running a login script, but the error doesn't take place until after the login script finishes. Besides, the unaffected machines are running the exact same login script with no problem. Also, the login script did not change at the time when the problem appeared, and these same computers used to log in with no trouble. Also, I am not using the login script to copy this stuff. It's being done automatically by Windows.

It's a new error in the last couple of weeks. I'm not particularly trying to use roaming profiles; Windows all by itself decides it needs to copy the profile information to the server. The field for the profile path was actually blank when the problem first occurred. I tried changing it to the local drive and I triedchanging it to the mapped drive for their home directory and neither one helped. I have put it back to blank.

I am using system policies, but as far as I know I haven't put anything in there that should affect this.

What do you consider to be "a little info?" I've already given you more than most of these questions do. Be more specific. Write me with your questions at vivian.burns@ucop.edu

by wburrows

Heres the extra info i was talking about. "Profile error 4: The file cannot be created. The volume may not support long
file names. Some of your profile settings may not be available. Do you want
to see this message in future?". If this is the error message you get it would have helped to provide the complete error message. BTW KB article Q161051 provides an answer. I sympathize with your frustration in trying to solve the problem, but please do not take it out on folks trying to help.

by vivian.burns

Thanks for your help; I'm sorry I came across so unpleasantly. I apologize for not giving the exact wording of the error message which is "An error occurred while creating a file in \\\users\\

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