# windows file wont delete, filename too long **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 16, 2007, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-file-wont-delete-filename-too-long/396140 "2007-03-16T03:23:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pope\_hentai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pope\_hentai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pope_hentai)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-file-wont-delete-filename-too-long/396140/1 "2007-03-16T03:23:23Z")
i have some files in a directory that are undeleteable apparently the file name is too long, but i cant re-name the files to something smaller… because the filename is too long. how could i get rid of these files? ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-file-wont-delete-filename-too-long/396140/2 "2007-03-16T03:26:37Z")
[QUOTE=pope\_hentai] i have some files in a directory that are undeleteable apparently the file name is too long, but i cant re-name the files to something smaller… because the filename is too long. how could i get rid of these files? [/QUOTE] I was doing a crazy dance today trying to get around that. Try moving the folder that the file is in to your desktop. That should shorten the name (I assume it’s a few levels of subfolders down, right?) enough that you can rename it something even shorter. ---
**Author:** ![pope\_hentai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pope\_hentai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pope_hentai)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-file-wont-delete-filename-too-long/396140/3 "2007-03-16T03:30:51Z")
well sonuva… that worked right off the bat. i’ve fought with this for months! thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2007, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-file-wont-delete-filename-too-long/396140/4 "2007-03-16T03:31:14Z")
[Info from the Microsoft Knowledge Base.](http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=320081) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-file-wont-delete-filename-too-long/396140/6 "2013-02-04T02:02:43Z")
This is why I still use 8.3. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-file-wont-delete-filename-too-long/396140/7 "2013-02-04T03:48:15Z")
zombie or no the file was deleted almost 5 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![pope\_hentai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pope\_hentai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pope_hentai)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-file-wont-delete-filename-too-long/396140/8 "2013-02-05T04:09:40Z")
braaaaains… ---
**Author:** ![pope\_hentai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@pope\_hentai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pope_hentai)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-file-wont-delete-filename-too-long/396140/10 "2013-02-21T14:47:27Z")
Or, alternately, you could just move the file and not have to download any software. I mean, that IS what solved the problem. ---
**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-file-wont-delete-filename-too-long/396140/11 "2013-02-21T15:42:22Z")
I found this usually happens in subfolders and moving it to a main folder under C (or whatever main drive it is) works. I also have been able to delete the file from a DOS command. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2013, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-file-wont-delete-filename-too-long/396140/12 "2013-02-21T18:52:15Z")
Since this thread is old and keeps being revived by spammers, I’m closing it.