File Manager Unable to Copy Long File Names to Write-Only Volume

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51
• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51

SYMPTOMS

When File Manager is used to copy files with long names to volumes that you have Write-Only access to, the short (8.3) name will be used. The write-only volume may be local or remote.

CAUSE

File Manager attempts to determine whether the destination drive supports long file names by using the GetVolumeInformation API to collect information about the destination drive. This API call fails with an Access Denied error when the destination drive is one for which you do not have read access. Thus, the File Manager cannot confirm whether long file name support is available. In this situation, File Manager chooses to use the 8.3 name for the file rather than attempt to copy the long file name to the destination.

RESOLUTION

If you have read/write access to the root of the volume, the GetVolumeInformation call will succeed. In this case, no resolution is required. Otherwise, use one of the following workarounds:

• If write-only access is required, assigning the write-only access to subdirectories of the shared root, where the root has read access, will permit files with long names to be copied to the subdirectories with names intact.
  
  -OR-



• Alternatively, you can use the command-line COPY command. The COPY command does not attempt to verify whether long file name support is available before attempting to copy files, therefore it is not subject to this limitation.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51. This problem was corrected in the latest Windows NT 3.51 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining the Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

S E R V P A C K

Additional query words: winfile prodnt

Keywords : nt32ap ntfilesys
Version : 3.50 3.51
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :