Network drive and long name

jatclat · Joined: 14 May 2021 Posts: 9

I have a network drive accessed through wifi, which I use as a backup. It’s my Z: drive. VV backs up to Z:\ but VV Scheduler doesn’t. This seems to be an issue with Windows Task Scheduler. In each job, instead of typing Z:\ at the beginning I have to type
\\Pavilion\My Cloud_eee199a1e925aac1e0129c158b489c44\Vsbackup\
This works, except when I want to use the Archive feature. Then this long folder name appears twice, and I exceed the 259 characters for the long pathname. Following the instructions in the ‘Long Paths exceeding 259 characters’ help page, I added \\?\ at the beginning, so that the target path began \\?\\\Pavilion. VV didn’t like that. How do I get round it?

TGRMN Software · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 8769

Hi, to support long names over network paths, use :

\\?\UNC\Pavilion\My Cloud_eee199a1e925aac1e0129c158b489c44\Vsbackup\

Network paths require \\?\UNC\ instead of just \\?\

thanks
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jatclat · Joined: 14 May 2021 Posts: 9

Many thanks for this. It has solved one problem but I'm now getting a different one.
I'm getting an error message 'The system cannot find the path specified'.
The path that isn't found is actually the name of a file that should be archived, followed by *.*
for example, \documents\books.accdb*.*
I tried to send you a jpg to illustrate it, but couldn't work out how.
My archive settings are:
Enable archiving
Instead of deleting/overwriting target files, move them to (and the name of the path)
"smart" archive is unchecked
Move files to archive folders (instead of copying) is checked
Keep max=3
Remove archive copies older than 0 days
Append source/target path to archive folders: I want it checked but I've tried both ways.

TGRMN Software · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 8769

Hi, could you send the profile log with the error to support via e-mail?
A profile log can be set in profile settings -> execution in ViceVersa.
thank you
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jatclat · Joined: 14 May 2021 Posts: 9

Okay, I've done that. I wasn't sure which email address you were asking me to send it to, so I've sent it to both forum@tgrmn.com and support@tgrmn.com.

TGRMN Software · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 8769

Thank you, we have replied.
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jatclat · Joined: 14 May 2021 Posts: 9

Thank you for saying you have replied, but I can't find the reply. Where is it?

jatclat · Joined: 14 May 2021 Posts: 9

I don't understand. I'm still awaiting a reply to my problem with archiving. Your message above states that you have replied, but I haven't received the reply. Can you explain please?

TGRMN Software · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 8769

Sorry, my mistake.

I am looking at the log, thank you for sending it.

These are the errors:

2021-05-17 09:43:36 : [ERROR] \\?\unc\pavilion\my cloud_eee199a1e925aac1e0129c158b489c44\pavilion\alldocs\cumulative\vvarchive\.849c9593-d756-4e56-8d6e-42412f2a707b*.* : The system cannot find the path specified.
2021-05-17 09:44:00 : [ERROR] \\?\unc\pavilion\my cloud_eee199a1e925aac1e0129c158b489c44\pavilion\alldocs\cumulative\vvarchive\desktop.ini*.* : The system cannot find the path specified.
2021-05-17 09:44:03 : [ERROR] \\?\unc\pavilion\my cloud_eee199a1e925aac1e0129c158b489c44\pavilion\alldocs\cumulative\vvarchive\personal vault.lnk*.* : The system cannot find the path specified.

etc.

Do these paths exist?
For example:

\\?\unc\pavilion\my cloud_eee199a1e925aac1e0129c158b489c44\pavilion\alldocs\cumulative\vvarchive\computer\internet\outlook files\

\\?\unc\pavilion\my cloud_eee199a1e925aac1e0129c158b489c44\pavilion\alldocs\cumulative\vvarchive\computer\internet\outlook files\archive2021.pst

do they exisyt?

What files are in these paths in the archive?

thanks
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jatclat · Joined: 14 May 2021 Posts: 9

The paths exist up to the final backslash. The final bit, desktop.ini and personal vault.lnk, is the filename, to which *.* has been added, as though it was a path. (In these cases the files just happened to be there: but most of the files were the ones I wanted archiving.) The exception is the first one you ask about, beginning .849c. I have no idea what that is - presumably a hidden file or folder created by Microsoft?
I have prepared a more detailed reply, going through all the error messages, but when I try to copy it into here, it disappears. Is there a way I can send it to you?
But I think (though I may be wrong) that the problem boils down to Vice Versa treating each file to be archived as though it was a folder. Each time it adds to the filename
*.* : The system cannot find the path specified.

TGRMN Software · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 8769

In this phase of the process, ViceVersa is trying to list files in the archive to remove excess ones according to the profile settings.

For instance when it queries:

\\?\unc\pavilion\my cloud_eee199a1e925aac1e0129c158b489c44\pavilion\alldocs\cumulative\vvarchive\desktop.ini*.*

ViceVersa wants a list of all files starting with

\\?\unc\pavilion\my cloud_eee199a1e925aac1e0129c158b489c44\pavilion\alldocs\cumulative\vvarchive\desktop.ini

that could be

\\?\unc\pavilion\my cloud_eee199a1e925aac1e0129c158b489c44\pavilion\alldocs\cumulative\vvarchive\desktop.ini_(yyyy-mm-dd_hh-mm-ss_ZZZ_X).ini etc (this is the way files are marked in the archive folder.

I am not sure why the response from the network drive is
"the system cannot find the path specified." and an error, instead of just "no files found" if there are no files like that present .... I think that might be the issue ....
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jatclat · Joined: 14 May 2021 Posts: 9

Thanks.
Can you look into it for me?

TGRMN Software · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 8769

Are there any

\\?\unc\pavilion\my cloud_eee199a1e925aac1e0129c158b489c44\pavilion\alldocs\cumulative\vvarchive\desktop.ini

with various timestamps attached to this file name, in this path?

What type of drive is the archive folder kept on?

thanks
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TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com

jatclat · Joined: 14 May 2021 Posts: 9

Sorry about the delay in replying. I didn't receive the email notification of an answer, but that may have been an isssue at my end.
In the path you specify I have lots of files like this, each with its own datetime stamp:
desktop.ini_(2021-06-01_13-00-41_OVE_T).ini
The archive folder is on a WD MyCloud Home as in mycloud.com/#/
It's a box that plugs into my router. The file system is KDDFS. I don't know any more about it. If you need to know I could chase Western Digital.

TGRMN Software · Site Admin Joined: 10 Jan 2005 Posts: 8769

Hi, can you use CMD and try the DIR command to list

dir \\?\unc\pavilion\my cloud_eee199a1e925aac1e0129c158b489c44\pavilion\alldocs\cumulative\vvarchive\personal vault.lnk*.*

thanks
_________________
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TGRMN Software Support
http://www.tgrmn.com
http://www.compareandmerge.com