Long file path issues in Windows 11 Pro with Microsoft VS Code and File Explorer

Anonymous
2022-05-04T22:27:47+00:00

I spent way too long debugging a compile error in MS VS Code (64bit version 1.66.2). It would fail with 'file not found' or 'unable to access file' errors. The workspace is located in "C:\Users\UserName\Documents\My Workspaces\firmware", with several levels of nested source folders below.

Initially, I got several linking errors due to Controlled Folder Access protection using the Ransomware protection built-in to Windows Security. I whitelisted ar.exe and as. exe, but the errors persisted. I even turned off Ransomware protection. Seeing a thread online about long file paths reminded me I hadn't enabled that on Windows 11 yet (fresh install), so I changed the following settings and rebooted the PC:
Registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem\LongPathsEnabled set to 1.

Group Policy: System "Configuration>Administrative Templates>System>Filesystem>Enable Win32 long paths" enabled.

About that time I noticed an issue with not being able to delete or rename files on an SMB share that were in a deep path. If I went to the other system and moved them up a few folders I was again able to rename the files.

Both of these scenarios work fine from my Windows 10 Pro PC. My Windows 11 Pro PC is a fresh install (Version 21H2 Build 22000.613).

So I believe Windows 11 isn't respecting my Long Paths settings. As a final test, I moved my VS Code Workspace folder to system drive root (C:\firmware) and it compiled without error.

I've seen other questions on here about Windows 11 path length issues that were brushed away because they were encountered using non-Microsoft 3rd Party software, but this is all built-in File Explorer and Microsoft's own VS Code product.

My question is, how do I actually allow long file paths in Windows 11 Pro?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Files, folders, and storage

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  1. Anonymous
    2023-04-06T16:14:54+00:00

    i've sat both the GPEDIT and REGEDIT to 1 for enabling the long paths, but both didn't worked for me.

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  2. Anonymous
    2023-04-06T16:52:34+00:00

    setting the DWORD registry key is a trap. It'll put your machine into a bad state if you're running win11.

    The correct way to enable long path support on windows 11 is to only use the GPEDIT technique.

    I suggest resetting both back to default. reboot. Then try the GPEDIT technique.

    The GPEDIT method will change the DWORD in the registry to a non-zero value. I suspect there's other housekeeping GPEDIT does for the modification and I guess it skips it if the DWORD is already set.

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  3. Anonymous
    2023-04-12T15:06:42+00:00

    setting the DWORD registry key is a trap. It'll put your machine into a bad state if you're running win11.

    The correct way to enable long path support on windows 11 is to only use the GPEDIT technique.

    I suggest resetting both back to default. reboot. Then try the GPEDIT technique.

    The GPEDIT method will change the DWORD in the registry to a non-zero value. I suspect there's other housekeeping GPEDIT does for the modification and I guess it skips it if the DWORD is already set.

    But this doesn't solve the issue for people with Win 11 Home edition.

    This ticket should not be closed.

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  4. Anonymous
    2023-05-19T06:47:18+00:00

    The problem is still relevant

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  5. Anonymous
    2023-05-23T04:59:27+00:00

    The ticket was closed months ago. Clearly Microsoft has little interest in fully supporting long path names in the enterprise versions of windows, so I really doubt if they have any interest at all with the home version. But, what you really want is GPEDIT on Windows 11 Home, and if you search for that, you'll find the stuff below, from: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/how-to-enable-the-gpeditmsc-on-windows-10-and-11/dbc76919-f2b5-4dec-a2b7-bcf545c34d00#:~:text=The%20GPO%20editor%20is%20fully,the%20Pro%2FEnterprise%20editions.%22

    If it does what it says, it should allow you to enable long path names on Windows 11 Home edition:

    Ive recently had to search for this informtion and thought I would share the answer. Sorce - Enable Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) on Windows 10/11 Home Edition | Windows OS Hub (woshub.com) "It is likely that, according to the Microsoft logic, the home user doesn’t need to edit the local settings through the gpedit.msc GUI. Accordingly, users of the Windows 10 home editions have to make changes through the registry editor regedit.exe`, which is not so clear and more risky since it is possible to make a mistake and break the system.

    Fortunately, Windows 10 Home has the undocumented option to install the gpedit.msc editor from the Windows image packages and manifests repository (\Windows\servicing\packages).

    How to Enable the GPEdit.msc on Windows 10 and 11 Home?

    To install the Local Group Policy Editor in Windows 10 Home edition, open a command prompt as administrator and run two one-line commands in sequence:

    FOR %F IN ("%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientTools-Package~*.mum") DO (DISM /Online /NoRestart /Add-Package:"%F")FOR %F IN ("%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages\Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientExtensions-Package~*.mum") DO (DISM /Online /NoRestart /Add-Package:"%F") Also these commands can be used to install gpedit.msc console in Windows 11 Home. For convenience, you can save this code to a text file gpedit-install.bat and run it as administrator. Wait a while until DISM installs the packages from the Windows 10 component store.

    In my case, the ClientTools and ClientExtensions packages were installed in Windows 10 Home:

    Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientTools-Package~…~amd64~~….mum
Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientTools-Package~…~amd64~en-US~….mum
Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientExtensions-Package~…~amd64~~….mum
Microsoft-Windows-GroupPolicy-ClientExtensions-Package~…~amd64~en-US~….mum

    Now try to run the gpedit.msc console. The Local Group Policy Editor interface should open (no reboot required). The GPO editor is fully functional even in the Home edition of Windows 10 or Windows 11, and contains all the necessary policy sections that are available in the Pro/Enterprise editions."

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