Problem parsing the path data - error on jpgs

Photoshop CS2 v9.0.2 Windows XP SP2

Received the following error message in CS2: "Could not complete your request because of a problem parsing the path data"

I began getting the message above after adding ITPC data to three .jpg files. The message appears when I try to open the files from either Bridge or Windows Explorer. Other files are not affected. The .psd master file with the same metadata opens ok. I tried clearing the ITPC data, but this had no affect. I also tried moving the file to a different folder and renamed the file with no success. The files open ok in Windows Paint and appear ok in Bridge.

I created the ITPC data on one file in Photoshop and saved a metadata template. Then, in Bridge 1.0.4.6 I used the "replace metadata" command on the other two files.

I searched the knowledge base and this forum. I found only one hit in the forum from 2007, but there were no responses.

Can anyone describe what triggers this message, and how to avoid it or fix it?

Thanks

Does anyone know if ITPC data has any restrictions on special characters? I wondered if slashes or back-slashes could cause a problem like this.

Thanks

Foward / backward slashes should not cause issues, as they are part of the standard character set on any system for obvious reasons, but I would more assume that this is an issue in how Windows translates the file info to native paths and tries to access those paths for verification. I seem to recall having read something along those lines recently in relation to some security issues, but I'm not really sure. anyway, does "escaping" the characters improve the matter (\\ or \/)?

Mylenium

I created a metadata template that was completely empty and replaced all the existing metadata with empty fields, but the problem remained. I'm thinking like you that Windows can't interpret the path data. Actually, since these files open in other apps, this narrows it down to Photoshop or Bridge in my mind. Either Photoshop can't handle the path, or interprets it incorrectly, or Bridge hands off a path to Photoshop that is incorrect.