How To Remove Files with Reserved Names in Windows NT

ID: Q120716

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

SUMMARY

Because applications control the policy for creating files in Windows NT or Windows NT Advanced Server, files sometimes are created with illegal or reserved names, such as LPT1 or PRN. It is not obvious how to delete such files using the standard user interface. This article explains how.

MORE INFORMATION

NOTE: You must be logged on locally to the Windows NT 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 NT Resource Kit includes such a tool, Rm.exe.

NOTE: POSIX commands case sensitive. Drives and folders are referenced differently than in MS-DOS.

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, type the following command:

rm -d "//C/Program Files/Bad/COM1"

To remove a bad folder and its entire contents, type the following command:

rm -R "//C/Program Files/Bad"

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

Additional query words: 3.10 prodnt CON PRN AUX CLOCK$ NUL COM1 LPT1 LPT2 LPT3 COM2 COM3 COM4

Keywords : kbusage nthowto ntfilesys NTSrvWkst
Version : :; WINDOWS:2000; winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0
Platform : WINDOWS winnt
Issue type :