Protected Folder in Windows OS - You Can't Create in the Name of

[Kalyan]

Protected Folder in Windows OS - You Can't Create in the Name of

Microsoft Operating Systems does not allow its users to create folders with name CON, PRN, AUX, CLOCK$, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, and LPT9

It does not allow because these folders are reserved device names and cannot be used as the name of a file of folder.

CON, PRN, AUX, CLOCK$, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, and LPT9.

These are special keywords used in DOS and their use may accidently cause problems with your system... here are their keyword descriptions:

CON     Keyboard and display
PRN      System list device, usually a parallel port
AUX     Auxiliary device, usually a serial port
CLOCK$  System real-time clock
NUL     Bit-bucket device
A:-Z:  Drive letters
COM1  First serial communications port
COM2  Second serial communications port
COM3  Third serial communications port
COM4  Fourth serial communications port
LPT1   First parallel printer port
LPT2   Second parallel printer port
LPT3   Third parallel printer port

These are called short file names. Short file names have the 8.3 format and are compatible with MS-DOS and other legacy operating systems. They allow the windows OS to communicate with DOS or basically give the OS the ability to access files on a volume. Playing with these file names will create garbage folders and it may cause your system to crash.


But there some methods through which these folders can be created

1.mkdir \\.\c:\con\
rmdir \\.\\c:\con \

2.Right click and do create folder process. While naming the folder, type 'CON' and type 255 in the numpad holding the ALT button.
EX 'CON' + (hold atl + '255').

This process would create a folder named CON and a space with it. You cannot explicitly give a space because windows cut off the excess spaces before or after the name. You can only add the space using the ASCII values....by using ASCII values Microsoft Widows does not cot off the space.