.zip error message - Source Path Too Long - How do I unzip my file

I have a compressed file that is nested(?) 5 times over - meaning I have to
click on one file after another five times to reach the information/pictures
that I want - and I can't get the compressed file to open because when I
click on extract the system says that the "source path [is] too long". How do
get this file unzipped so I can view the pictures? Vista tells me "The source
file name(s) are larger than is supported by the file system. Try moving to a
location which has a shorter path name or try renaming to shorter name(s)
before attempting this operation". What does that even mean? Everything I try
fails. I don't know how to do what Vista is telling me to do. Somebody please
help!
Jill

Bore down one level in the zip file. Copy that 2nd level .zip file to
another folder. Then bore down one level in "that" zip file. Copy the 3rd
level .zip file to another folder. Keep on doing this till you are at the
final level .zip file. It should open.

I have done this a few times under Windows XP though not under Vista. But
the results should be the same.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User


"Jill" <Jill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D06641CE-E2BE-4E4B-B170-BA9EA4F6F3A6@microsoft.com...
>I have a compressed file that is nested(?) 5 times over - meaning I have to
> click on one file after another five times to reach the
> information/pictures
> that I want - and I can't get the compressed file to open because when I
> click on extract the system says that the "source path [is] too long". How
> do
> get this file unzipped so I can view the pictures? Vista tells me "The
> source
> file name(s) are larger than is supported by the file system. Try moving
> to a
> location which has a shorter path name or try renaming to shorter name(s)
> before attempting this operation". What does that even mean? Everything I
> try
> fails. I don't know how to do what Vista is telling me to do. Somebody
> please
> help!
> Jill

It still doesn't work. I get to the third level and I get that message about
the source path being too long. Maybe the file is corrupted or something. How
can I change the file names and/or the source path?
Jill

"Richard Urban" wrote:

> Bore down one level in the zip file. Copy that 2nd level .zip file to
> another folder. Then bore down one level in "that" zip file. Copy the 3rd
> level .zip file to another folder. Keep on doing this till you are at the
> final level .zip file. It should open.
>
> I have done this a few times under Windows XP though not under Vista. But
> the results should be the same.
>
> --
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>
>
> "Jill" <Jill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:D06641CE-E2BE-4E4B-B170-BA9EA4F6F3A6@microsoft.com...
> >I have a compressed file that is nested(?) 5 times over - meaning I have to
> > click on one file after another five times to reach the
> > information/pictures
> > that I want - and I can't get the compressed file to open because when I
> > click on extract the system says that the "source path [is] too long". How
> > do
> > get this file unzipped so I can view the pictures? Vista tells me "The
> > source
> > file name(s) are larger than is supported by the file system. Try moving
> > to a
> > location which has a shorter path name or try renaming to shorter name(s)
> > before attempting this operation". What does that even mean? Everything I
> > try
> > fails. I don't know how to do what Vista is telling me to do. Somebody
> > please
> > help!
> > Jill
>
>

You change the source path by moving the final .zip file to another
location. You can not do that.

Maybe someone else may have another idea.

--

Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User


"Jill" <Jill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:856E921E-7122-4C82-BF0D-09BBC349802F@microsoft.com...
> It still doesn't work. I get to the third level and I get that message
> about
> the source path being too long. Maybe the file is corrupted or something.
> How
> can I change the file names and/or the source path?
> Jill
>
> "Richard Urban" wrote:
>
>> Bore down one level in the zip file. Copy that 2nd level .zip file to
>> another folder. Then bore down one level in "that" zip file. Copy the 3rd
>> level .zip file to another folder. Keep on doing this till you are at the
>> final level .zip file. It should open.
>>
>> I have done this a few times under Windows XP though not under Vista. But
>> the results should be the same.
>>
>> --
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Richard Urban
>> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>>
>>
>> "Jill" <Jill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:D06641CE-E2BE-4E4B-B170-BA9EA4F6F3A6@microsoft.com...
>> >I have a compressed file that is nested(?) 5 times over - meaning I have
>> >to
>> > click on one file after another five times to reach the
>> > information/pictures
>> > that I want - and I can't get the compressed file to open because when
>> > I
>> > click on extract the system says that the "source path [is] too long".
>> > How
>> > do
>> > get this file unzipped so I can view the pictures? Vista tells me "The
>> > source
>> > file name(s) are larger than is supported by the file system. Try
>> > moving
>> > to a
>> > location which has a shorter path name or try renaming to shorter
>> > name(s)
>> > before attempting this operation". What does that even mean? Everything
>> > I
>> > try
>> > fails. I don't know how to do what Vista is telling me to do. Somebody
>> > please
>> > help!
>> > Jill
>>
>>

I had the same problem but resolved it using a similar technique. What I did
was renamed the zip file to a short name like a.zip and moved the file as
close to the root directory as possible (such as C:\Temp) and then it
decompressed fine. The problem was two fold:
1) the zip file was on my desktop so the source path included C:\documents
and settings\...
2) the zip file name itself was too long

Unfortunately the file compression handling on Windows is not very good.
Alternatively use a third-party decompression tool which also work fine. My
personal favourate is PowerArchiver which worked without having to rename or
move the source zip file. Other decompression tools also worked which include
various free tools that can be downloaded such as 7-zip.

"Richard Urban" wrote:

> You change the source path by moving the final .zip file to another
> location. You can not do that.
>
> Maybe someone else may have another idea.
>
> --
>
> Regards,
>
> Richard Urban
> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
>
>
> "Jill" <Jill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:856E921E-7122-4C82-BF0D-09BBC349802F@microsoft.com...
> > It still doesn't work. I get to the third level and I get that message
> > about
> > the source path being too long. Maybe the file is corrupted or something.
> > How
> > can I change the file names and/or the source path?
> > Jill
> >
> > "Richard Urban" wrote:
> >
> >> Bore down one level in the zip file. Copy that 2nd level .zip file to
> >> another folder. Then bore down one level in "that" zip file. Copy the 3rd
> >> level .zip file to another folder. Keep on doing this till you are at the
> >> final level .zip file. It should open.
> >>
> >> I have done this a few times under Windows XP though not under Vista. But
> >> the results should be the same.
> >>
> >> --
> >>
> >> Regards,
> >>
> >> Richard Urban
> >> Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User
> >>
> >>
> >> "Jill" <Jill@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:D06641CE-E2BE-4E4B-B170-BA9EA4F6F3A6@microsoft.com...
> >> >I have a compressed file that is nested(?) 5 times over - meaning I have
> >> >to
> >> > click on one file after another five times to reach the
> >> > information/pictures
> >> > that I want - and I can't get the compressed file to open because when
> >> > I
> >> > click on extract the system says that the "source path [is] too long".
> >> > How
> >> > do
> >> > get this file unzipped so I can view the pictures? Vista tells me "The
> >> > source
> >> > file name(s) are larger than is supported by the file system. Try
> >> > moving
> >> > to a
> >> > location which has a shorter path name or try renaming to shorter
> >> > name(s)
> >> > before attempting this operation". What does that even mean? Everything
> >> > I
> >> > try
> >> > fails. I don't know how to do what Vista is telling me to do. Somebody
> >> > please
> >> > help!
> >> > Jill
> >>
> >>
>
>