Files that have long filenames also have short names, which you can use - they normally end with~1 or ~2, etc. Or, enclose the long names in double-quotes (including the path if needed).

copy longfi~1.exe d:\

or

copy "c:\folder\long file name.exe" d:

The copying is easy.
Normal xcopy.

It's the registry that will be a pain if they're installed.

I thank you both. Robbbert: your idea would be better than what I wanted to do and easier to update: keep the files compressed and extract them upon startup. myne: You're right. Robbbert: I might have to kill the long filenames, as they would be inaccessible while copying. BTW, what Windows components can I put on the RAM drive at startup that would speed up the OS? I need to figure out what else I can put there.

After installing the RAM drive, the computer started crashing, and, after fiddling, found out that the RAM drive was the cause. I really want the RAM drive but confess that I don't actually need it.

I've used xmsdsk + smartdrv for this to good effect.

The only downside is the very hungry 'I demand 64k of ram!' Nature of drvspace.bin

I was using xmsdsk as the RAM drive. I am using DriveSpace but disabled it in MSDOS.SYS, so it's not hogging DOS RAM. I can use SmartDrive for DOS mode but am looking for a more efficient replacement.

I have SRDSK. When the computer's finished compressing a Zip disk, I want to try installing it.

It didn't work. 🙁 I got critical errors upon logon.

This is where and how the use of a cvf really shines. It gets the *entire* filesystem, and the data uses less ram storage overall.

Filename copied is 8.3 type.

Only needs attrib and scandisk as anciliary helpers.

I really should make a video.