René's URL Explorer Experiment

{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"DiscussionForumPosting","headline":"Set-Location fails for paths with special characters when switching drives","articleBody":"### Prerequisites\n\n- [x] Write a descriptive title.\n- [x] Make sure you are able to repro it on the [latest released version](https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/releases)\n- [x] Search the existing issues.\n- [x] Refer to the [FAQ](https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/blob/master/docs/FAQ.md).\n- [x] Refer to [Differences between Windows PowerShell 5.1 and PowerShell](https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/scripting/whats-new/differences-from-windows-powershell).\n\n### Steps to reproduce\n\n### Steps to Reproduce \nUse two different, valid and accessible drive letters on your system, I use C: and E:\n\n1. Create a directory with special characters in its name:\n   ```powershell\n   md \"e:\\This my test [Folder] with bracket characters\"\n   ```\n2. Navigate into the directory:\n   ```powershell\n   cd 'e:\\This my test `[Folder`] with bracket characters\\'\n   ```\n3. Switch to another drive:\n   ```powershell\n   c:\n   ```\n4. Attempt to switch back to the original directory:\n   ```powershell\n   e:   \n   ```\n   **Observed Result:** Error:  \n   ```\n   Set-Location: Cannot find path 'E:\\This my test [Folder] with bracket characters' because it does not exist.\n   ```\n5. Use `-LiteralPath` when switching back to the original directory:\n   ```powershell\n   cd -LiteralPath e:\n   ```\n   **Observed Result:**  \n   Successful navigation to the directory:\n   ```\n   PS E:\\This my test [Folder] with bracket characters\u003e\n   ```\n\n\n### Expected behavior\n\n```console\nPS C:\\\u003e e:\nPS E:\\This my test [Folder] with bracket characters\u003e\n```\n\n### Actual behavior\n\n```console\nPS C:\\\u003e e:\nSet-Location: Cannot find path 'E:\\This my test [Folder] with bracket characters' because it does not exist.\nPS C:\\\u003e\n```\n\n### Error details\n\n```console\nException             :\n    Type                 : System.Management.Automation.ItemNotFoundException\n    ErrorRecord          :\n        Exception             :\n            Type    : System.Management.Automation.ParentContainsErrorRecordException\n            Message : Cannot find path 'E:\\This my test [Folder] with bracket characters'\nbecause it does not exist.\n            HResult : -2146233087\n        TargetObject          : E:\\This my test [Folder] with bracket characters\n        CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (E:\\This my test [Fo… bracket\ncharacters:String) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException\n        FullyQualifiedErrorId : PathNotFound\n    ItemName             : E:\\This my test [Folder] with bracket characters\n    SessionStateCategory : Drive\n    TargetSite           :\n        Name          : SetLocation\n        DeclaringType : [System.Management.Automation.SessionStateInternal]\n        MemberType    : Method\n        Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll\n    Message              : Cannot find path 'E:\\This my test [Folder] with bracket characters'\nbecause it does not exist.\n    Source               : System.Management.Automation\n    HResult              : -2146233087\n    StackTrace           :\n   at System.Management.Automation.SessionStateInternal.SetLocation(String path,\nCmdletProviderContext context, Boolean literalPath)\n   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SetLocationCommand.ProcessRecord()\nTargetObject          : E:\\This my test [Folder] with bracket characters\nCategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (E:\\This my test [Fo… bracket characters:String)\n[Set-Location], ItemNotFoundException\nFullyQualifiedErrorId : PathNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SetLocationCommand\nInvocationInfo        :\n    MyCommand        : Set-Location\n    ScriptLineNumber : 1\n    OffsetInLine     : 1\n    HistoryId        : 91\n    Line             : Set-Location $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Name\n    Statement        : Set-Location $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Name\n    PositionMessage  : At line:1 char:1\n                       + Set-Location $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Name\n                       + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~\n    InvocationName   : Set-Location\n    CommandOrigin    : Internal\nScriptStackTrace      : at \u003cScriptBlock\u003e, \u003cNo file\u003e: line 1\n                        at \u003cScriptBlock\u003e, \u003cNo file\u003e: line 1\nPipelineIterationInfo :\n      0\n      1\n```\n\n### Environment data\n\n```powershell\nName                           Value\n----                           -----\nPSVersion                      7.5.0\nPSEdition                      Core\nGitCommitId                    7.5.0\nOS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.26100\nPlatform                       Win32NT\nPSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}\nPSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3\nSerializationVersion           1.1.0.1\nWSManStackVersion              3.0\n```\n\n### Visuals\n\n_No response_","author":{"url":"https://github.com/genXdev","@type":"Person","name":"genXdev"},"datePublished":"2025-04-05T00:00:34.000Z","interactionStatistic":{"@type":"InteractionCounter","interactionType":"https://schema.org/CommentAction","userInteractionCount":9},"url":"https://github.com/25282/PowerShell/issues/25282"}