Lightroom will not export image to the "Same folder as original"

[maynardsmith]

I am having trouble with exporting some images, getting an error box with the message:

I believe I have narrowed it down to trying to export to using the "Same folder as original image" option (with the target being renamed and/or of a differnt file type). 

It works as expected whenever exporting to a Specific Folder whether that is a different folder, or the same one.  I get a different message if exporting to a file which already exists.  I get the same error on different source file types.

It is a problem because I am trying to create a preset which uses the Same Folder option, and is not tied to a specific destination.

This is on a fully updated Windows 11, and Lightroom Classic version 14.2.

Please advise.

Tony Maynard-Smith.

PS.  For some time I have been getting a message about failing to write metadata, when performing a panorama or HDR merge.  It has similarities in that the process is trying to write to the source folder, and is conceivably related.

[maynardsmith]

I have another idea about what the problem may be, but need to check it out.  Will update later.

[maynardsmith · Accepted solution]

OK.  False Alarm.  At least, the problem is not what I thought it was.

For historical reasons, the folders I was working with were on my D-drive, i.e. in D:\   BUT this is not a real drive, but a folder on C:\ which Windows had mounted as D:\.  Most of the time that was fine, it would import and edit as if D:\ was a real drive, but refused to actually write to it like that.  I guess because everything else actually only requires reading - all the writing it to the catalog which was elsewhere.  If I try on a folder somewhere else it's all fine.