# False “workspace folder is the prefix of…” error across mapped network drives (M: vs V:)

**URL:** <https://forum.cursor.com/t/false-workspace-folder-is-the-prefix-of-error-across-mapped-network-drives-m-vs-v/172311>\
**Category:** Bug Reports\
**Tags:** windows, indexing\
**Created:** [September 18, 2026, 11:48pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/false-workspace-folder-is-the-prefix-of-error-across-mapped-network-drives-m-vs-v/172311 "2026-09-18T23:48:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TByte007](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/tbyte007/32/19342_2.png) [@TByte007](https://forum.cursor.com/u/TByte007)\
**Post date:** [September 18, 2026, 11:48pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/false-workspace-folder-is-the-prefix-of-error-across-mapped-network-drives-m-vs-v/172311/1 "2026-09-18T23:48:23Z")

</div>

### Where does the bug appear (feature/product)?

Cursor IDE

### Describe the Bug

I saw that there is constantly “{n} files to analyze” and started digging the output logs. I’m not sure if those are connected.  
This is the workspace:

```json
{

    "folders": [

        {

            "path": "."

        },

        {

            "path": "V:/stocks"

        }

    ],

    "settings": {}

}

```

2026-09-19 02:31:15.076 [error] Workspace folder stocks is the prefix of m:\work\mresearch. We don’t support multiple workspace folders that are subfolders of each other.  
2026-09-19 02:31:15.076 [info] Using existing keys for an index  
2026-09-19 02:31:15.076 [info] InternalRepoInfo constructor with preferredEmbeddingModel 0  
2026-09-19 02:31:15.101 [info] Not creating an indexing watcher: this workspace does not require one.  
2026-09-19 02:36:15.091 [info] Relevant feature gate changed; re-evaluating indexing watcher.  
2026-09-19 02:36:15.091 [error] Workspace folder stocks is the prefix of m:\work\mresearch. We don’t support multiple workspace folders that are subfolders of each other.  
2026-09-19 02:36:15.091 [info] Using existing keys for an index  
2026-09-19 02:36:15.091 [info] InternalRepoInfo constructor with preferredEmbeddingModel 0  
2026-09-19 02:36:15.119 [info] Not creating an indexing watcher: this workspace does not require one.

### Steps to Reproduce

Have two repos in one workspace (probably).

### Operating System

Windows 10/11

### Version Information

Version: 3.21.13 (user setup)  
VS Code Extension API: 1.128.0  
Commit: e44a49c17e334d442e58bbde931d791200f014a0  
Date: 2026-09-18T06:43:24.799Z  
Layout: IDE  
Build Type: Stable  
Release Track: Nightly  
Electron: 42.10.0  
Chromium: 148.0.7778.280  
Node.js: 24.18.1  
V8: 14.8.178.38-electron.0  
xterm.js: 6.1.0-beta.291  
OS: Windows\_NT x64 10.0.19045

### Does this stop you from using Cursor

Sometimes - I can sometimes use Cursor

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TByte007](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/tbyte007/32/19342_2.png) [@TByte007](https://forum.cursor.com/u/TByte007)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 5:33am UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/false-workspace-folder-is-the-prefix-of-error-across-mapped-network-drives-m-vs-v/172311/5 "2026-09-19T05:33:09Z")

</div>

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/original/3X/a/3/a3a2e05ecbb64d9e9a913149767360e651c2cc35.png)  
Btw this keeps rotating forever basically. I’m not sure if it is connected with the problem.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/cursor1/user_avatar/forum.cursor.com/colin/32/90452_2.png) [@Colin](https://forum.cursor.com/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [September 19, 2026, 3:38pm UTC](https://forum.cursor.com/t/false-workspace-folder-is-the-prefix-of-error-across-mapped-network-drives-m-vs-v/172311/6 "2026-09-19T15:38:53Z")

</div>

Hey @TByte007, thanks for the report.

Those two things are not connected. The `Workspace folder stocks is the prefix of m:\work\mresearch` line is a false alarm that shows up when a multi-folder workspace has folders on two different drive letters (`M:` and `V:` in your case). It is only a log message. It does not affect chat, the agent, or search, and I’ve flagged it to the team so the message stops appearing.

The constant `N files to analyze` indicator comes from the Python language server (Pyright), not from Cursor’s indexing. It usually keeps re-running when it is set to analyze the whole workspace and files keep changing on disk (data files, generated output, or anything on a network drive that gets touched often). To calm it down:

1. Open `Ctrl + Shift + P > Open VSCode Settings` and search for `python.analysis.diagnosticMode`
2. Set it to `openFilesOnly` (this is the default, so if it already says that, skip to step 3).
3. Search for `python.analysis.exclude` and add any folders that hold data, output, or a virtual environment (for example ` **/data/** `, ` **/.venv/** `).
4. Restart Cursor and open the same workspace.

Does the “files to analyze” count now go to zero and stay there?