DIR /O:N /S Does Not Sort Directory Names in Alphanumeric Order

ID: Q135604

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0

SYMPTOM

When you run the DIR /O:N /S command at a Windows NT command prompt to list directory names in ascending alphanumeric order, the directory names that contain one or more numbers are listed after, instead of before, the names containing only letters.

This problem occurs only with directory name listings; program and data files are listed in the correct order.

Example

Your C drive has the following directories:

C:\WIN32
C:\WINDOWS
C:\444

You issue the DIR /O:N /S command and the output appears in the following incorrect sort order:

C:\WINDOWS
C:\WIN32
C:\444

The directories should be listed in the following order:

C:\444 C:\WIN32 C:\WINDOWS

CAUSE

The directories are located on a Windows NT partition using the file allocation table (FAT) file system.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, convert your FAT partition to use the Windows NT file system (NTFS).

To convert your FAT partition to NTFS use the Windows NT CONVERT.EXE utility program. To get help on CONVERT.EXE, type the following at a Windows NT command prompt:

convert /?

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words: prodnt vdm sort

Keywords : kbother kbbug3.50 kbbug3.51 ntfilesys ntutil
Version : 3.5 3.51 4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type :