child_process.execFileSync fails with EISDIR: illegal operation on a directory, lstat 'C:' on Windows in Node.js 22.20.0

Version

v22.20.0

Platform

Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.26200.0 x64

Subsystem

No response

What steps will reproduce the bug?

Node.js 22.20.0 may have introduced a regression in module resolution where child_process.execFileSync() fails when executing binaries from certain Windows paths. The error occurs during internal module resolution and affects multiple path patterns.

Error: EISDIR: illegal operation on a directory, lstat 'C:'
    at Object.realpathSync (node:fs:2744:25)
    at toRealPath (node:internal/modules/helpers:61:13)
    at Module._findPath (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:746:22)
    at resolveMainPath (node:internal/modules/run_main:39:23)
    at Function.executeUserEntryPoint [as runMain] (node:internal/modules/run_main:163:20)
    at node:internal/main/run_main_module:36:49

Affected Path Patterns:

• Very long paths (>260 characters) with \?\ prefix

How often does it reproduce? Is there a required condition?

Reproducible every time with long paths with \?\ prefix on Windows

What is the expected behavior? Why is that the expected behavior?

In node 20.19.0 tests with long paths with \?\ prefix were passing successfully

What do you see instead?

Error: EISDIR: illegal operation on a directory, lstat 'C:'
    at Object.realpathSync (node:fs:2744:25)
    at toRealPath (node:internal/modules/helpers:61:13)
    at Module._findPath (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:746:22)
    at resolveMainPath (node:internal/modules/run_main:39:23)
    at Function.executeUserEntryPoint [as runMain] (node:internal/modules/run_main:163:20)
    at node:internal/main/run_main_module:36:49 {
  errno: -4068,
  code: 'EISDIR',
  syscall: 'lstat',
  path: 'C:'
}

Additional information

No response

Start by reproducing child_process.execFileSync on Windows 22.20.0 with a long \?\ path, then compare the result with Node 20.19.0. Trace the reported path through internal/modules/helpers, internal/modules/cjs/loader, and internal/modules/run_main; done means the affected path pattern executes successfully without the EISDIR lstat error.