Tutorial : How to create CON folder in windows

[sridatta]

Hello guys...

Many ppl dont know that they cannot create "CON" folder in windows. (Type 1)

Some ppl dont know why they cant create it? (Type 2)

Very few know that they can still create it someway.. but donno why are they supposed to do exactly like that..(Type 3)

Now, After reading this tutorial, you will become one of the rest
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Type 1 :

Try out creating a folder named CON or LPT or COM1

Now, you have become Type 2 category.
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Type 2 :

Not only CON, we cannot create any of these
CON, PRN, AUX, CLOCK$, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, LPT9 and more

The reason is that con, prn, lpt1..lpt9, etc are underlying devices from the time dos was written. so if u r allowed to create such folders, there will be an ambiguity in where to write data when the data is supposed to go to the specified devices. In other words, if i want to print something, internally what windows does is -- it will write the data to the folder prn (virtually u can call it a folder, i mean prn, con, etc are virtual folders in device level). So if we are able to create con folder, windows will get confused where to write the data, to virtual con folder or real one.

So Now, Try this...

Open the Command prompt by Start -> Run and typing cmd

C:\> md \\.\c:\con

Now, Open My Computer and browse through the path where you created CON folder... Surprising.. ?? Yeah.. you have created it successfully

Now, try to delete the folder from My computer

OOPS!!! You cant delete it...

Now, try this in command prompt console

C:\> rd \\.\c:\con

Yeah!! You did it...
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Type 3 :

Well, let us now have a glance at how we were able to create it...

It is just because of the UNC Path (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Univers...ng_Convention). The Universal Naming Convention, or UNC, specifies a common syntax to describe the location of a network resource, such as a shared file, directory, or printer.Since, these conventions did n't exist under pure DOS, they are not backward compatible. The UNC syntax for Windows systems is as follows..

\\RemoteHost\sharedfolder\resource

where RemoteHost is the computer name / IP address of the computer that you wish to connect through remotely for accessing shared folder. The rest is the path.

(Here \\remotehost\drive:\con doesn't make sense anyway, because without having a process on the remote host, there is no current 'console'). It would be a security hazard as well, having the serial and parallel ports accessible for everyone who is allowed to read or write in any single directory.

The "." in the command \\.\c:\con suggest the local server. Now, you are pointing to your own computer. since, you have all privilages on every folder of ur computer, you can easily create it.
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Type 4 :

Ofcourse, Now, u r of type 4. What else i can say :/
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P.S : Please post your comments..

[Pathik]

Type 5:
Very old stuff..

[sridatta]

may be its new for some others...

[Arsenal_Gunners]

i know windows does not allow this to be made but why the heck somebody will want to create a folder named con

[Pathik]

well there r many reasons for that...
1. TP
2. suppose a movie called CON releases... now u wd obviously store it in a folder called CON na ????

[Arsenal_Gunners]

whats TP

[Sykora]

Originally Posted by vimal_mehrotra

whats TP

I'd guess something like "Time Pass"? I can't think of anything else.

[Pathik]

well TP can mean only two things-
1.Time Pass
2.TelePortation
u guess.....

[sridatta]

Unfortunately You cannot directly copy any files/folders into it.. and you cant even directly delete the con folder.. Ofcourse you can copy them using DOS command prompt using

copy abc.txt \\.\c:\con

Its just to fulfill our curiosity on CON folder.. Many of my frenz still percieve that they cannot create CON folder.. so, just to clarify that.. i posted this..

Moreover, we also get to know about the UNC path..

[Sand]

interesting one sridatta i always wanted to know why even though it is time pass it is still nice to know.

[::cyborg::]

@sridatta well interesting post friend

[Prajyot]

Thx Nice Information

[the.kaushik]

though old one but prety nicely explained.. nice post