File copy error on certain files only

[Piyono]

I just performed a backup of my photo directory between two drives using XXcopy. The operation ran without a hitch with the exception of three files which didn't copy.
I tried to copy the individual files by drag'n'drop-ing them under Windows (XP pre-SP1) folders but they again didn't copy, returning the message
Cannot copy <filename>: The path is too deep

Now, this would make sense if the combined length of the paths and file names were in excess of 255 characters, but the total path+file length is under 100 characters. What's more, each of these files is in a folder with dozens of identically named files, save for numeration. The rest of the files in the same directory copied without a problem.

The problem files are AVI movies, which play back normally and do not appear in any way to be corrupt.

Any ideas?


Piyono

 

[blakerwry]

can you rename the files to example1.not-an-avi and retry?

 

[Piyono]

Oh, also worth pointing out is that the souce drive is internal FAT32 and the target drive is external FAT32 on the VIA KT266 USB2.0 bus.
Windows XP is Pre-SP1.

Piyono

 

[Piyono]

It's weird.
I tried a variety of schemes to get these files to copy. Changing the extension didn't help, but shortening the file name to 3 letters+extension worked. Once. With one of the filesI got curious and tried copying the files a few more times to see what other methods worked, but couldn't get it goin'. When I tried copying the first file a second time using the same method it flopped. I tried completely renaming the file, shortening and lengthening the name one character at a time, copying to and from different directories with no success.
I tried restarting the computer but that didn't help, either.
So I gave up.

Then today I tried again and it went down a hitch.
Computers, man. Gotta love 'em.

Piyono