Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Cannot Create Windows Folder Named Con

Status:
It is true that you cannot create a folder with the Following names

  • PRN
  • AUX
  • NUL
  • LPT1
  • COM1
  • Potential drive letter - A: to Z:
  • A number of others
If you try to name a folder using one of these reserved names, the name will automatically revert to the default, generally "New Folder". Moreover, if you try to use a reserved name to name a file such as a Notepad or Microsoft Word document you will generally receive an error message similar to the following:

Microsoft MS-DOS reserves certain names for system device drivers. If you try to name a file using one of these names, you will receive the following error message:

Write Fault Error Writing Device
Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail?

The solution is to change the file name.

Below is a list of default device driver names.
   Name    Function
---- --------
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
LPT1 First parallel printer port
LPT2 Second parallel printer port
LPT3 Third parallel printer port
COM2 Second serial communications port
COM3 Third serial communications port
COM4 Fourth serial communications port
To identify system device driver names, use one of the following two commands:

  • mem /d more
  • debug d 0070:0000

APPLIES TO
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 2.11 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 3.1
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 3.2 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 3.21 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 3.3 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 3.3a
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 4.0 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 4.01 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0a
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 6.0 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 6.2 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 6.21 Standard Edition
  • Microsoft MS-DOS 6.22 Standard Edition

Thank you

Vuyiswa Maseko

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