How to Remove Files with Reserved Names in Windows (Q120716) _____ The information in this article applies to: * Microsoft Windows 2000 , Professional * Microsoft Windows 2000 , Server * Microsoft Windows 2000 , Advanced Server * Microsoft Windows 2000 , Datacenter Server * Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.1 , 3.5 , 3.51 , 4.0 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.1 , 3.5 , 3.51 , 4.0 * Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server _____ SUMMARY Because applications control the policy for creating files in Windows, files sometimes are created with illegal or reserved names, such as LPT1 or PRN. This article explains how to delete such files using the standard user interface. MORE INFORMATION NOTE : You must be logged on locally to the Windows computer to delete these files. If the file was created on a file allocation table (FAT) partition, you may be able to delete it under MS-DOS using standard command line utilities (such as DEL) with wildcards. For example: * DEL PR?.* -or- * DEL LPT?.* These commands do not work on an NTFS partition as NTFS supports the POSIX subsystem and filenames such as PRN are legal under this subsystem. However, the operating system assumes the application that created them can also delete them; therefore, you can use commands native to the POSIX subsystem. You can delete (unlink) these files using a simple, native POSIX application. For example, the Windows Resource Kit includes such a tool, Rm.exe. NOTE : POSIX commands are case sensitive. Drives and folders are referenced differently than in MS-DOS. Windows 2000 and later POSIX commands must use the following usage syntax: posix /c <path\command> [<args>] IE: posix /c c:\rm.exe -d AUX. Usage assumes Rm.exe is either in the path, or the current folder: rm -d // driveletter / path using forward slashes / filename For example, to remove a file or folder named COM1 (located at C:\Program Files\Subdir in this example), type the following command: rm -d "//C/Program Files/Subdir/COM1" To remove a folder and its entire contents (C:\Program Files\BadFolder in this example), type the following command: rm -r "//C/Program Files/BadFolder" Another option is to use a syntax that bypasses the normal reserve-word checks altogether. For example, you can possibly delete any file with a command such as: DEL \\.\ driveletter :\ path \ filename For example: DEL \\.\c:\somedir\aux _____ Published Jun 3 1997 7:28AM Issue Type Last Modifed Dec 22 2001 12:57PM Additional Query Words 3.10 prodnt CON PRN AUX CLOCK$ NUL COM1 LPT1 LPT2 LPT3 COM2 COM3 COM4 winnt Keywords kbusage Dion E. Baird Network Engineer DAS Office of IT (503) 932-0861 dion.e.baird@private <mailto:dion.e.baird@private>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sun May 26 2002 - 11:38:14 PDT