MCL-5385'Game directory is invalid or inaccessible' when a junction is used or an appdata environment path is used
'Game directory is invalid or inaccessible' when a junction is used or an appdata environment path is used
When using an %AppData%\.minecraft junction via mklink to store the files elsewhere the new launcher throws an error and fails to launch the game or download files correctly.
Re-created the issue on a VM this way:
Moved the .minecraft from appdata into a folder on the desktop where I had added minecraft for this test
ran cmd and then
mklink /j C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\.minecra
ft C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\AppData\.minecraft
Started the launcher and when attempting to download new files or launch an instance of the game itself it shows this error instead:
The game directory is invalid or inaccessible.
Error details: The system cannot find the file specified
Filename on disk: .minecraft
Path: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft
Exists: directory
In past versions of the launcher I've used symbolic links with no issues to keep that directory on a hdd rather than the os ssd.
Alternatively using a bat file to change the appdata path used to work and instead it now shows the same behavior/error as the junction
Eg..
set APPDATA=%CD%\data
"%CD%\bin\Minecraft.exe"
Oddly I'm not seeing any issues or failed operations via procmon, it finds the paths just fine!
Environment
Windows 7 x64
Windows 8.1 x64
Windows 10 x64
Linked Issues
Attachments1
Created Issue:
'Game directory is invalid or inaccessible' when a junction is used or an appdata environment path is used
'Game directory is invalid or inaccessible' when a junction is used or an appdata environment path is used
When using an %AppData%\.minecraft junction via mklink to store the files elsewhere the new launcher throws an error and fails to launch the game or download files correctly.
Re-created the issue on a VM this way:
Moved the .minecraft from appdata into a folder on the desktop where I had added minecraft for this test
ran cmd and then
mklink /j C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\.minecra
ft C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\AppData\.minecraftStarted the launcher and when attempting to download new files or launch an instance of the game itself it shows this error instead:
The game directory is invalid or inaccessible.
Error details: The system cannot find the file specified
Filename on disk: .minecraft
Path: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft
Exists: directoryIn past versions of the launcher I've used symbolic links with no issues to keep that directory on a hdd rather than the os ssd.
Alternatively using a bat file to change the appdata path used to work and instead it now shows the same behavior/error as the junction
Eg..
set APPDATA=%CD%\data
"%CD%\bin\Minecraft.exe"Oddly I'm not seeing any issues or failed operations via procmon, it finds the paths just fine!
Environment
Windows 7 x64
Windows 8.1 x64
Windows 10 x64
Attachments1
duplicates
MCL-5294 only explains so so...
MCL-5385'Game directory is invalid or inaccessible' when a junction is used or an appdata environment path is used
MCL-5385 mentions the use of junctions not working....
Mentioned in report 5294, this works as a work around.. but is simple not a good fix... as junctions are supposed to be transparent... and should not be affecting "C:\Users\UserFolder\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft" write location
"--workDir F:\JoeGames_Minecraft\.minecraft"
please reopen my ticket... and find a good fix for this, junctions worked just fine in all previous releases of the Minecraft Launcher...
See
MC-5294