diff --git a/lib/abstract.js b/lib/abstract.js
index acfa910..2a50870 100644
--- a/lib/abstract.js
+++ b/lib/abstract.js
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ function decorate (er, code, me) {
   er.path = er.path || me.path
   er.fstream_type = me.type
   er.fstream_path = me.path
+  if (me._path !== me.path) {
+    er.fstream_unc_path = me._path
+  }
   er.fstream_class = me.constructor.name
   er.fstream_stack = new Error().stack.split(/\n/).slice(3).map(function (s) {
     return s.replace(/^    at /, "")
diff --git a/lib/dir-reader.js b/lib/dir-reader.js
index 60fdf51..8011728 100644
--- a/lib/dir-reader.js
+++ b/lib/dir-reader.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ function DirReader (props) {
 
 DirReader.prototype._getEntries = function () {
   var me = this
-  fs.readdir(me.path, function (er, entries) {
+  fs.readdir(me._path, function (er, entries) {
     if (er) return me.error(er)
     me._entries = entries
     me._length = entries.length
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ DirReader.prototype._read = function () {
 
   me._index ++
   if (me._index >= me._length) {
-    // console.error(" DR End/close", me.path)
+    // console.error(" DR End/close", me._path)
     me.emit("end")
     me.emit("close")
     return
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ DirReader.prototype._read = function () {
   // ok, handle this one, then.
 
   // save creating a proxy, by stat'ing the thing now.
-  var p = path.resolve(me.path, me._entries[me._index])
+  var p = path.resolve(me._path, me._entries[me._index])
   // set this to prevent trying to _read() again in the stat time.
   me._currentEntry = p
   fs[ me.props.follow ? "stat" : "lstat" ](p, function (er, stat) {
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ DirReader.prototype._read = function () {
     })
 
     entry.on("ready", function EMITCHILD () {
-      // console.error("DR emit child", entry.path)
+      // console.error("DR emit child", entry._path)
       if (me._paused) {
         // console.error("  DR emit child - try again later")
         // pause the child, and emit the "entry" event once we drain.
@@ -154,10 +154,10 @@ DirReader.prototype.resume = function (who) {
   who = who || me
 
   me._paused = false
-  // console.error("DR Emit Resume", me.path)
+  // console.error("DR Emit Resume", me._path)
   me.emit("resume", who)
   if (me._paused) {
-    // console.error("DR Re-paused", me.path)
+    // console.error("DR Re-paused", me._path)
     return
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/dir-writer.js b/lib/dir-writer.js
index 3a8e947..1dc988c 100644
--- a/lib/dir-writer.js
+++ b/lib/dir-writer.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ function DirWriter (props) {
 
 DirWriter.prototype._create = function () {
   var me = this
-  mkdir(me.path, Writer.dirmode, function (er) {
+  mkdir(me._path, Writer.dirmode, function (er) {
     if (er) return me.error(er)
     // ready to start getting entries!
     me.ready = true
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ DirWriter.prototype.end = function () {
 DirWriter.prototype.add = function (entry) {
   var me = this
 
-  // console.error("\tadd", entry.path, "->", me.path)
+  // console.error("\tadd", entry._path, "->", me._path)
   collect(entry)
   if (!me.ready || me._currentEntry) {
     me._buffer.push(entry)
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ DirWriter.prototype._process = function () {
   }
 
   me._processing = true
-  // console.error("DW Entry", entry.path)
+  // console.error("DW Entry", entry._path)
 
   me.emit("entry", entry)
 
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ DirWriter.prototype._process = function () {
   // don't allow recursive copying
   var p = entry
   do {
-    if (p.path === me.root.path || p.path === me.path) {
-      // console.error("DW Exit (recursive)", entry.basename, me.path)
+    if (p._path === me.root._path || p._path === me._path) {
+      // console.error("DW Exit (recursive)", entry.basename, me._path)
       me._processing = false
       if (entry._collected) entry.pipe()
       return me._process()
@@ -115,12 +115,12 @@ DirWriter.prototype._process = function () {
               , type: entry.type
               , depth: me.depth + 1 }
 
-  var p = entry.path || entry.props.path
+  var p = entry._path || entry.props._path
   if (entry.parent) {
-    p = p.substr(entry.parent.path.length + 1)
+    p = p.substr(entry.parent._path.length + 1)
   }
   // get rid of any ../../ shenanigans
-  props.path = path.join(me.path, path.join("/", p))
+  props._path = path.join(me._path, path.join("/", p))
 
   // all the rest of the stuff, copy over from the source.
   Object.keys(entry.props).forEach(function (k) {
@@ -132,8 +132,8 @@ DirWriter.prototype._process = function () {
   // not sure at this point what kind of writer this is.
   var child = me._currentChild = new Writer(props)
   child.on("ready", function () {
-    // console.error("DW Child Ready", child.type, child.path)
-    // console.error("  resuming", entry.path)
+    // console.error("DW Child Ready", child.type, child._path)
+    // console.error("  resuming", entry._path)
     entry.pipe(child)
     entry.resume()
   })
diff --git a/lib/file-reader.js b/lib/file-reader.js
index 5758bb7..659c97f 100644
--- a/lib/file-reader.js
+++ b/lib/file-reader.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ var fs = require("graceful-fs")
 inherits(FileReader, Reader)
 
 function FileReader (props) {
-  // console.error("    FR create", props.path, props.size, new Error().stack)
+  // console.error("    FR create", props._path, props.size, new Error().stack)
   var me = this
   if (!(me instanceof FileReader)) throw new Error(
     "FileReader must be called as constructor.")
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ function FileReader (props) {
 
 FileReader.prototype._getStream = function () {
   var me = this
-    , stream = me._stream = fs.createReadStream(me.path, me.props)
+    , stream = me._stream = fs.createReadStream(me._path, me.props)
 
   if (me.props.blksize) {
     stream.bufferSize = me.props.blksize
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ FileReader.prototype._getStream = function () {
 
   stream.on("end", function () {
     if (me._paused || me._buffer.length) {
-      // console.error("FR Buffering End", me.path)
+      // console.error("FR Buffering End", me._path)
       me._buffer.push(EOF)
       me._read()
     } else {
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ FileReader.prototype._getStream = function () {
 
     if (me._bytesEmitted !== me.props.size) {
       me.error("Didn't get expected byte count\n"+
-               "type: " + me.type + "\n"+
-               "path: " + me.path + "\n" +
                "expect: "+me.props.size + "\n" +
                "actual: "+me._bytesEmitted)
     }
@@ -73,11 +71,11 @@ FileReader.prototype._getStream = function () {
 
   stream.on("close", function () {
     if (me._paused || me._buffer.length) {
-      // console.error("FR Buffering Close", me.path)
+      // console.error("FR Buffering Close", me._path)
       me._buffer.push(CLOSE)
       me._read()
     } else {
-      // console.error("FR close 1", me.path)
+      // console.error("FR close 1", me._path)
       me.emit("close")
     }
   })
@@ -87,36 +85,36 @@ FileReader.prototype._getStream = function () {
 
 FileReader.prototype._read = function () {
   var me = this
-  // console.error("FR _read", me.path)
+  // console.error("FR _read", me._path)
   if (me._paused) {
-    // console.error("FR _read paused", me.path)
+    // console.error("FR _read paused", me._path)
     return
   }
 
   if (!me._stream) {
-    // console.error("FR _getStream calling", me.path)
+    // console.error("FR _getStream calling", me._path)
     return me._getStream()
   }
 
   // clear out the buffer, if there is one.
   if (me._buffer.length) {
-    // console.error("FR _read has buffer", me._buffer.length, me.path)
+    // console.error("FR _read has buffer", me._buffer.length, me._path)
     var buf = me._buffer
     for (var i = 0, l = buf.length; i < l; i ++) {
       var c = buf[i]
       if (c === EOF) {
-        // console.error("FR Read emitting buffered end", me.path)
+        // console.error("FR Read emitting buffered end", me._path)
         me.emit("end")
       } else if (c === CLOSE) {
-        // console.error("FR Read emitting buffered close", me.path)
+        // console.error("FR Read emitting buffered close", me._path)
         me.emit("close")
       } else {
-        // console.error("FR Read emitting buffered data", me.path)
+        // console.error("FR Read emitting buffered data", me._path)
         me.emit("data", c)
       }
 
       if (me._paused) {
-        // console.error("FR Read Re-pausing at "+i, me.path)
+        // console.error("FR Read Re-pausing at "+i, me._path)
         me._buffer = buf.slice(i)
         return
       }
@@ -129,7 +127,7 @@ FileReader.prototype._read = function () {
 
 FileReader.prototype.pause = function (who) {
   var me = this
-  // console.error("FR Pause", me.path)
+  // console.error("FR Pause", me._path)
   if (me._paused) return
   who = who || me
   me._paused = true
@@ -139,7 +137,7 @@ FileReader.prototype.pause = function (who) {
 
 FileReader.prototype.resume = function (who) {
   var me = this
-  // console.error("FR Resume", me.path)
+  // console.error("FR Resume", me._path)
   if (!me._paused) return
   who = who || me
   me.emit("resume", who)
diff --git a/lib/file-writer.js b/lib/file-writer.js
index 6bd5a26..4ed0c9c 100644
--- a/lib/file-writer.js
+++ b/lib/file-writer.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ FileWriter.prototype._create = function () {
   so.mode = Writer.filemode
   if (me._old && me._old.blksize) so.bufferSize = me._old.blksize
 
-  me._stream = fs.createWriteStream(me.path, so)
+  me._stream = fs.createWriteStream(me._path, so)
 
   me._stream.on("open", function (fd) {
     me.ready = true
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ FileWriter.prototype._create = function () {
   me._stream.on("drain", function () { me.emit("drain") })
 
   me._stream.on("close", function () {
-    // console.error("\n\nFW Stream Close", me.path, me.size)
+    // console.error("\n\nFW Stream Close", me._path, me.size)
     me._finish()
   })
 }
@@ -88,7 +88,6 @@ FileWriter.prototype._finish = function () {
   if (typeof me.size === "number" && me._bytesWritten != me.size) {
     me.error(
       "Did not get expected byte count.\n" +
-      "path: " + me.path + "\n" +
       "expect: " + me.size + "\n" +
       "actual: " + me._bytesWritten)
   }
diff --git a/lib/link-reader.js b/lib/link-reader.js
index 4a01137..7e7ab6c 100644
--- a/lib/link-reader.js
+++ b/lib/link-reader.js
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ function LinkReader (props) {
 // override the _stat method.
 LinkReader.prototype._stat = function (currentStat) {
   var me = this
-  fs.readlink(me.path, function (er, linkpath) {
+  fs.readlink(me._path, function (er, linkpath) {
     if (er) return me.error(er)
     me.linkpath = me.props.linkpath = linkpath
     me.emit("linkpath", linkpath)
diff --git a/lib/link-writer.js b/lib/link-writer.js
index f6a1b74..57684af 100644
--- a/lib/link-writer.js
+++ b/lib/link-writer.js
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ LinkWriter.prototype._create = function () {
   // there's no good way to read them if we don't already know.
   if (hard) return clobber(me, lp, link)
 
-  fs.readlink(me.path, function (er, p) {
+  fs.readlink(me._path, function (er, p) {
     // only skip creation if it's exactly the same link
     if (p && p === lp) return finish(me)
     clobber(me, lp, link)
@@ -47,14 +47,14 @@ LinkWriter.prototype._create = function () {
 }
 
 function clobber (me, lp, link) {
-  rimraf(me.path, function (er) {
+  rimraf(me._path, function (er) {
     if (er) return me.error(er)
     create(me, lp, link)
   })
 }
 
 function create (me, lp, link) {
-  fs[link](lp, me.path, function (er) {
+  fs[link](lp, me._path, function (er) {
     if (er) return me.error(er)
     finish(me)
   })
diff --git a/lib/reader.js b/lib/reader.js
index 41688cf..d741ac3 100644
--- a/lib/reader.js
+++ b/lib/reader.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function Reader (props, currentStat) {
     props = { path: props }
   }
 
-  if (!props.path) {
+  if (!props._path) {
     me.error("Must provide a path", null, true)
   }
 
@@ -93,14 +93,20 @@ function Reader (props, currentStat) {
   me.depth = props.depth = props.depth || 0
   me.parent = props.parent || null
   me.root = props.root || (props.parent && props.parent.root) || me
-  me.path = path.resolve(props.path)
+
+  me._path = me.path = path.resolve(props.path)
+  if (process.platform === "win32" && me._path.length > 200) {
+    // how DOES one create files on the moon?
+    me._path = "\\\\?\\" + me.path.replace(/\//g, "\\")
+  }
+
   me.basename = props.basename = path.basename(me.path)
   me.dirname = props.dirname = path.dirname(me.path)
 
   // these have served their purpose, and are now just noisy clutter
   props.parent = props.root = null
 
-  // console.error("\n\n\n%s setting size to", props.path, props.size)
+  // console.error("\n\n\n%s setting size to", props._path, props.size)
   me.size = props.size
   me.filter = typeof props.filter === "function" ? props.filter : null
   if (props.sort === "alpha") props.sort = alphasort
@@ -108,7 +114,7 @@ function Reader (props, currentStat) {
   // start the ball rolling.
   // this will stat the thing, and then call me._read()
   // to start reading whatever it is.
-  // console.error("calling stat", props.path, currentStat)
+  // console.error("calling stat", props._path, currentStat)
   me._stat(currentStat)
 }
 
@@ -125,13 +131,13 @@ Reader.prototype._stat = function (currentStat) {
     , props = me.props
     , stat = props.follow ? "stat" : "lstat"
 
-  // console.error("Reader._stat", me.path, currentStat)
+  // console.error("Reader._stat", me._path, currentStat)
   if (currentStat) process.nextTick(statCb.bind(null, null, currentStat))
-  else fs[stat](me.path, statCb)
+  else fs[stat](me._path, statCb)
 
 
   function statCb (er, props_) {
-    // console.error("Reader._stat, statCb", me.path, props_, props_.nlink)
+    // console.error("Reader._stat, statCb", me._path, props_, props_.nlink)
     if (er) return me.error(er)
 
     Object.keys(props_).forEach(function (k) {
@@ -148,14 +154,14 @@ Reader.prototype._stat = function (currentStat) {
     // special little thing for handling hardlinks.
     if (type !== "Directory" && props.nlink && props.nlink > 1) {
       var k = props.dev + ":" + props.ino
-      // console.error("Reader has nlink", me.path, k)
-      if (hardLinks[k] === me.path || !hardLinks[k]) hardLinks[k] = me.path
+      // console.error("Reader has nlink", me._path, k)
+      if (hardLinks[k] === me._path || !hardLinks[k]) hardLinks[k] = me._path
       else {
         // switch into hardlink mode.
         type = me.type = me.props.type = "Link"
         me.Link = me.props.Link = true
         me.linkpath = me.props.linkpath = hardLinks[k]
-        // console.error("Hardlink detected, switching mode", me.path, me.linkpath)
+        // console.error("Hardlink detected, switching mode", me._path, me.linkpath)
         // Setting __proto__ would arguably be the "correct"
         // approach here, but that just seems too wrong.
         me._stat = me._read = LinkReader.prototype._read
diff --git a/lib/writer.js b/lib/writer.js
index 2aac7bf..b141693 100644
--- a/lib/writer.js
+++ b/lib/writer.js
@@ -69,7 +69,13 @@ function Writer (props, current) {
   me.clobber = false === props.clobber ? props.clobber : true
   me.parent = props.parent || null
   me.root = props.root || (props.parent && props.parent.root) || me
-  me.path = props.path
+
+  me._path = me.path = path.resolve(props.path)
+  if (process.platform === "win32" && me._path.length > 200) {
+    // how DOES one create files on the moon?
+    me._path = "\\\\?\\" + me.path.replace(/\//g, "\\")
+  }
+
   me.basename = path.basename(props.path)
   me.dirname = path.dirname(props.path)
   me.linkpath = props.linkpath || null
@@ -100,9 +106,9 @@ function Writer (props, current) {
 // Just assert that it's already there, otherwise raise a warning.
 Writer.prototype._create = function () {
   var me = this
-  fs[me.props.follow ? "stat" : "lstat"](me.path, function (er, current) {
+  fs[me.props.follow ? "stat" : "lstat"](me._path, function (er, current) {
     if (er) {
-      return me.warn("Cannot create " + me.path + "\n" +
+      return me.warn("Cannot create " + me._path + "\n" +
                      "Unsupported type: "+me.type, "ENOTSUP")
     }
     me._finish()
@@ -115,7 +121,7 @@ Writer.prototype._stat = function (current) {
     , stat = props.follow ? "stat" : "lstat"
 
   if (current) statCb(null, current)
-  else fs[stat](props.path, statCb)
+  else fs[stat](me._path, statCb)
 
   function statCb (er, current) {
     // if it's not there, great.  We'll just create it.
@@ -130,7 +136,7 @@ Writer.prototype._stat = function (current) {
     // if it's a type change, then we need to clobber or error.
     // if it's not a type change, then let the impl take care of it.
     if (currentType !== me.type) {
-      return rimraf(me.path, function (er) {
+      return rimraf(me._path, function (er) {
         if (er) return me.error(er)
         me._old = null
         create(me)
@@ -146,7 +152,7 @@ Writer.prototype._stat = function (current) {
 function create (me) {
   // XXX Need to clobber non-dirs that are in the way,
   // unless { clobber: false } in the props.
-  mkdir(path.dirname(me.path), Writer.dirmode, function (er) {
+  mkdir(path.dirname(me._path), Writer.dirmode, function (er) {
     if (er) return me.error(er)
     me._create()
   })
@@ -155,7 +161,7 @@ function create (me) {
 Writer.prototype._finish = function () {
   var me = this
 
-  // console.error(" W Finish", me.path, me.size)
+  // console.error(" W Finish", me._path, me.size)
 
   // set up all the things.
   // At this point, we're already done writing whatever we've gotta write,
@@ -169,13 +175,13 @@ Writer.prototype._finish = function () {
     // adds the utimes syscall, but remove another stat.
     me._old.atime = new Date(0)
     me._old.mtime = new Date(0)
-    // console.error(" W Finish Stale Stat", me.path, me.size)
+    // console.error(" W Finish Stale Stat", me._path, me.size)
     setProps(me._old)
   } else {
     var stat = me.props.follow ? "stat" : "lstat"
-    // console.error(" W Finish Stating", me.path, me.size)
-    fs[stat](me.path, function (er, current) {
-      // console.error(" W Finish Stated", me.path, me.size, current)
+    // console.error(" W Finish Stating", me._path, me.size)
+    fs[stat](me._path, function (er, current) {
+      // console.error(" W Finish Stated", me._path, me.size, current)
       if (er) return me.error(er)
       setProps(me._old = current)
     })
@@ -184,7 +190,7 @@ Writer.prototype._finish = function () {
   return
 
   function setProps (current) {
-    // console.error(" W setprops", me.path)
+    // console.error(" W setprops", me._path)
     // mode
     var wantMode = me.props.mode
       , chmod = me.props.follow || me.type === "Directory"
@@ -194,7 +200,7 @@ Writer.prototype._finish = function () {
       wantMode = wantMode & 0777
       todo ++
       // console.error(" W chmod", wantMode.toString(8), me.basename)
-      fs[chmod](me.path, wantMode, next(chmod))
+      fs[chmod](me._path, wantMode, next(chmod))
     }
 
     // uid, gid
@@ -210,12 +216,13 @@ Writer.prototype._finish = function () {
       if (me.props.uid !== current.uid || me.props.gid !== current.gid) {
         todo ++
         // console.error(" W chown", me.props.uid, me.props.gid, me.basename)
-        fs.chown(me.path, me.props.uid, me.props.gid, next("chown"))
+        fs.chown(me._path, me.props.uid, me.props.gid, next("chown"))
       }
     }
 
     // atime, mtime.
-    if (fs.utimes) {
+    if (fs.utimes &&
+        !(process.platform === "win32" && me.type === "Directory")) {
       var utimes = (me.props.follow || me.type !== "SymbolicLink")
                  ? "utimes" : "lutimes"
 
@@ -248,7 +255,7 @@ Writer.prototype._finish = function () {
           meM.getTime() !== curM.getTime()) {
         todo ++
         // console.error(" W utimes", meA, meM, me.basename)
-        fs[utimes](me.path, meA, meM, next("utimes"))
+        fs[utimes](me._path, meA, meM, next("utimes"))
       }
     }
 
@@ -263,7 +270,6 @@ Writer.prototype._finish = function () {
     // console.error("   W Finish", what, todo)
     if (errState) return
     if (er) {
-      er.fstream_path = me.path
       er.fstream_finish_call = what
       return me.error(errState = er)
     }