Can't access or save files properly from older Windows versions to SBS2003

I operate a network in a small office. Recently we purchased a new server (Dell PowerEdge 1600SC) with factory installed Windows Small Business Server 2003 operating system. I set up the office and network environment without a hitch. We have 2 machines operating on Windows XP Home Edition, 2 machines operating on Windows ME, 1 machine operating on Windows NT Workstation 4.0 and 2 machines operating on Windows 98SE (yeah, I know...what a mess). All of the machines "talk" to each other just fine, except the '98 and 'ME machines will not open any Excel (Office 97) files that are saved on the network server and any files that the '98 and 'ME machines try to save to the network server (of any variety...excel, word, text, database, pictures...you name it) come up with an error stating "Cannot save the file. '(Name of file attempting to save.xxx)' is not a valid 8.3 system file name. Type a valid file name such as, filename.xxx and save the file name again." Basically it will only allow saves that are using names in MSDos format instead of the standard long format which we prefer and can use from the XP machines. This even is the case for opening a file such as a Word file and then making a save after typing an update in the file. If anyone has help regarding this matter it would be greatly appreciated. Currently my only solution is to use one of the XP machines or the Server to explore the file structure of the '98 or 'ME machine to copy/cut and save the file saved on the local machine to the network server file storage area. Please help me fix this!

Win 98 and ME have problems with long file names.
See:
http://support.microsoft.com/default...78&Product=w98



hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

"Natepj" <nate (at) dwgi.net> wrote in message
news:FD06E5FF-6ABE-4ECE-8658-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I operate a network in a small office. Recently we purchased a new server
(Dell PowerEdge 1600SC) with factory installed Windows Small Business Server
2003 operating system. I set up the office and network environment without
a hitch. We have 2 machines operating on Windows XP Home Edition, 2
machines operating on Windows ME, 1 machine operating on Windows NT
Workstation 4.0 and 2 machines operating on Windows 98SE (yeah, I
know...what a mess). All of the machines "talk" to each other just fine,
except the '98 and 'ME machines will not open any Excel (Office 97) files
that are saved on the network server and any files that the '98 and 'ME
machines try to save to the network server (of any variety...excel, word,
text, database, pictures...you name it) come up with an error stating
"Cannot save the file. '(Name of file attempting to save.xxx)' is not a
valid 8.3 system file name. Type a valid file name such as, filename.xxx
and save the file name again." Basically it will only allow saves that are
using names in MSDos format instead of the standard long format which we
prefer and can use from the XP machines. This even is the case for opening
a file such as a Word file and then making a save after typing an update in
the file. If anyone has help regarding this matter it would be greatly
appreciated. Currently my only solution is to use one of the XP machines or
the Server to explore the file structure of the '98 or 'ME machine to
copy/cut and save the file saved on the local machine to the network server
file storage area. Please help me fix this!

I appreciate the link, but that doesn't resolve my
problem. I still need to be able to save the files with
long file names as I did before when we used a machine
running Windows ME as our server. Even when I try to move
files using Windows Explorer I get the message that the
destination does not support long file names. Obviously
Small Business Server 2003 does support long file names
since I can do it from that side. Also, I still cannot
access any Excel files stored on the server. All other
program files are accessable. If I copy the Excel file to
the local machine I can open it then, but not with it
located on the server.
>-----Original Message-----
>Win 98 and ME have problems with long file names.
>See:
>http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
us;198178&Product=w98
>
>
>
>hth
>DDS W 2k MVP MCSE
>
>"Natepj" <nate (at) dwgi.net> wrote in message
>news:FD06E5FF-6ABE-4ECE-8658-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I operate a network in a small office. Recently we
purchased a new server
>(Dell PowerEdge 1600SC) with factory installed Windows
Small Business Server
>2003 operating system. I set up the office and network
environment without
>a hitch. We have 2 machines operating on Windows XP Home
Edition, 2
>machines operating on Windows ME, 1 machine operating on
Windows NT
>Workstation 4.0 and 2 machines operating on Windows 98SE
(yeah, I
>know...what a mess). All of the machines "talk" to each
other just fine,
>except the '98 and 'ME machines will not open any Excel
(Office 97) files
>that are saved on the network server and any files that
the '98 and 'ME
>machines try to save to the network server (of any
variety...excel, word,
>text, database, pictures...you name it) come up with an
error stating
>"Cannot save the file. '(Name of file attempting to
save.xxx)' is not a
>valid 8.3 system file name. Type a valid file name such
as, filename.xxx
>and save the file name again." Basically it will only
allow saves that are
>using names in MSDos format instead of the standard long
format which we
>prefer and can use from the XP machines. This even is
the case for opening
>a file such as a Word file and then making a save after
typing an update in
>the file. If anyone has help regarding this matter it
would be greatly
>appreciated. Currently my only solution is to use one of
the XP machines or
>the Server to explore the file structure of the '98
or 'ME machine to
>copy/cut and save the file saved on the local machine to
the network server
>file storage area. Please help me fix this!
>
>
>.
>

My take on the link is that you use Windows explorer to copy the file and
retain the long file name. I don't have a Win 98 computer to test.
Your other option would be to upgrade to Win 2k.

hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

"Natepj" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:130ad01c3f7c2$b724bc60$(E-Mail Removed)...
> I appreciate the link, but that doesn't resolve my
> problem. I still need to be able to save the files with
> long file names as I did before when we used a machine
> running Windows ME as our server. Even when I try to move
> files using Windows Explorer I get the message that the
> destination does not support long file names. Obviously
> Small Business Server 2003 does support long file names
> since I can do it from that side. Also, I still cannot
> access any Excel files stored on the server. All other
> program files are accessable. If I copy the Excel file to
> the local machine I can open it then, but not with it
> located on the server.
> >-----Original Message-----
> >Win 98 and ME have problems with long file names.
> >See:
> >http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-
> us;198178&Product=w98
> >
> >
> >
> >hth
> >DDS W 2k MVP MCSE
> >
> >"Natepj" <nate (at) dwgi.net> wrote in message
> >news:FD06E5FF-6ABE-4ECE-8658-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >> I operate a network in a small office. Recently we
> purchased a new server
> >(Dell PowerEdge 1600SC) with factory installed Windows
> Small Business Server
> >2003 operating system. I set up the office and network
> environment without
> >a hitch. We have 2 machines operating on Windows XP Home
> Edition, 2
> >machines operating on Windows ME, 1 machine operating on
> Windows NT
> >Workstation 4.0 and 2 machines operating on Windows 98SE
> (yeah, I
> >know...what a mess). All of the machines "talk" to each
> other just fine,
> >except the '98 and 'ME machines will not open any Excel
> (Office 97) files
> >that are saved on the network server and any files that
> the '98 and 'ME
> >machines try to save to the network server (of any
> variety...excel, word,
> >text, database, pictures...you name it) come up with an
> error stating
> >"Cannot save the file. '(Name of file attempting to
> save.xxx)' is not a
> >valid 8.3 system file name. Type a valid file name such
> as, filename.xxx
> >and save the file name again." Basically it will only
> allow saves that are
> >using names in MSDos format instead of the standard long
> format which we
> >prefer and can use from the XP machines. This even is
> the case for opening
> >a file such as a Word file and then making a save after
> typing an update in
> >the file. If anyone has help regarding this matter it
> would be greatly
> >appreciated. Currently my only solution is to use one of
> the XP machines or
> >the Server to explore the file structure of the '98
> or 'ME machine to
> >copy/cut and save the file saved on the local machine to
> the network server
> >file storage area. Please help me fix this!
> >
> >
> >.
> >