Error ng serve cannot read C: directory : Access is denied

Reproduce the failure on Windows by running npm install followed by npm run local in the provided project, then compare it with a project created using ng new. Start by tracing how ng serve and the Angular compiler resolve the listed SCSS files and the parent C: directories. Done means the compiler stays within the project path and serves the application without access-denied errors under limited permissions.

Command

serve

Is this a regression?

• Yes, this behavior used to work in the previous version

The previous version in which this bug was not present was

15.2

Description

Angular access denied in C: //

Context

I built an angular app in my personal computer. This app launch a little dashboard so far.

I tried to clone it into my professional computer to have access to some feature. In this computer, I have limited privileges, which means no writings rights on C:.

When I ran npm install, everything went well.

But when I ran npm run start i got the following error

✘ [ERROR] Cannot read directory "../../../../../..": Access is denied. [plugin angular-compiler]
✘ [ERROR] Could not resolve "C:/Users/RGUENOUN/git/other/coreapp-dashboard-feat-register/coreapp-dashboard-feat-register/src/app/pages/registration/registration-form/price-form/price-form.component.scss" [plugin angular-compiler]
✘ [ERROR] Cannot read directory "../../../../../..": Access is denied. [plugin angular-compiler]
✘ [ERROR] Could not resolve "C:/Users/RGUENOUN/git/other/coreapp-dashboard-feat-register/coreapp-dashboard-feat-register/src/app/shared/components/step-bar/step-bar.component.scss" [plugin angular-compiler]
✘ [ERROR] Cannot read directory "../../../../../..": Access is denied. [plugin angular-compiler]
✘ [ERROR] Could not resolve "C:/Users/RGUENOUN/git/other/coreapp-dashboard-feat-register/coreapp-dashboard-feat-register/src/app/shared/components/toaster/toaster.component.scss" [plugin angular-compiler]
✘ [ERROR] Cannot read directory "../../../../../..": Access is denied.

Question

How to fix it ?
And most importantly, why Angular is trying to access on C:// instead of staying in his own folder ??

Other elements

Here is the package.json :

{
  "name": "coreapp-saas-front",
  "version": "0.0.0",
  "scripts": {
    "ng": "ng",
    "start": "ng serve",
    "build": "ng build",
    "build-local": "ng build --configuration=local",
    "build-dev": "ng build --configuration=development",
    "local": "ng serve --configuration=local --open --port 5200",
    "dev": "ng serve --configuration=development --open --port 5200",
    "watch": "ng build --watch --configuration development",
    "test": "ng test"
  },
  "private": true,
  "dependencies": {
    "@angular/animations": "^18.2.0",
    "@angular/common": "^18.2.0",
    "@angular/compiler": "^18.2.0",
    "@angular/core": "^18.2.0",
    "@angular/forms": "^18.2.0",
    "@angular/platform-browser": "^18.2.0",
    "@angular/platform-browser-dynamic": "^18.2.0",
    "@angular/router": "^18.2.0",
    "@ng-bootstrap/ng-bootstrap": "^17.0.1",
    "@popperjs/core": "^2.11.8",
    "bootstrap": "^5.3.3",
    "bootstrap-icons": "^1.11.3",
    "rxjs": "~7.8.0",
    "tslib": "^2.3.0",
    "zone.js": "~0.14.10"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@angular-devkit/build-angular": "^18.2.4",
    "@angular/cli": "^18.2.4",
    "@angular/compiler-cli": "^18.2.0",
    "@angular/localize": "^18.2.0",
    "@types/jasmine": "~5.1.0",
    "jasmine-core": "~5.2.0",
    "karma": "~6.4.0",
    "karma-chrome-launcher": "~3.2.0",
    "karma-coverage": "~2.2.0",
    "karma-jasmine": "~5.1.0",
    "karma-jasmine-html-reporter": "~2.1.0",
    "typescript": "~5.5.2"
  }
}

Other notes

This error also happen when create a project with ng new

Minimal Reproduction

1. Unzip coreapp-dashboard-main.zip
2. run npm install
3. run npm run local
4. The bug should be reproduced if you have limited access rights

Exception or Error

Your Environment

C:\Users\RGUENOUN\git\other\coreapp-dashboard-main\coreapp-dashboard-main>ng version

     _                      _                 ____ _     ___
    / \   _ __   __ _ _   _| | __ _ _ __     / ___| |   |_ _|
   / △ \ | '_ \ / _` | | | | |/ _` | '__|   | |   | |    | |
  / ___ \| | | | (_| | |_| | | (_| | |      | |___| |___ | |
 /_/   \_\_| |_|\__, |\__,_|_|\__,_|_|       \____|_____|___|
                |___/


Angular CLI: 18.2.4
Node: 22.9.0
Package Manager: npm 10.8.3
OS: win32 x64

Angular: 18.2.4
... animations, cli, common, compiler, compiler-cli, core, forms
... localize, platform-browser, platform-browser-dynamic, router

Package                         Version
---------------------------------------------------------
@angular-devkit/architect       0.1802.4
@angular-devkit/build-angular   18.2.4
@angular-devkit/core            18.2.4
@angular-devkit/schematics      18.2.4
@schematics/angular             18.2.4
rxjs                            7.8.1
typescript                      5.5.4
zone.js                         0.14.10

Anything else relevant?

No response