'Illegal character in path' Errors Appear when Running on Windows
Platform Notice: Data Center Only - This article only applies to Atlassian products on the Data Center platform.
Note that this KB was created for the Data Center version of the product. Data Center KBs for non-Data-Center-specific features may also work for Server versions of the product, however they have not been tested. Support for Server* products ended on February 15th 2024. If you are running a Server product, you can visit the Atlassian Server end of support announcement to review your migration options.
*Except Fisheye and Crucible
Symptoms
The logs are filled with errors like "Illegal character in path" when starting Confluence under Windows.
Cause
Confluence is installed in a directory path that contains a space.
Resolution
Stop Confluence and rename and/or move the directory such that the path no longer contains a space. Start Confluence once this is done. You may need to update the Windows service properties to reflect the new location.
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