Why is it not possible to create a folder namely "Con" on windows system (Anywhere)?

Answer 1

con is a reserved word in the BS operating system. It refers to the console device.

Answer 2

There are certain words that have predefined meanings called Reserved Words.

Some of the more common are:
CON - The display monitor
PRN - Default value is LPT1
LPT1-LPT3
AUX - Serial port 1 (COM1)
COM1-COM4
NUL

Oh yes, don't use these words for User Logons either.

When you get into specific applications, there are other Reserved Words that are specific to the particular application. For example, the JET 4.0 engine has a list of over 100 Reserved Words.

However apparently you can make a directory called Con using DOS/ Command Line, though I think it could be a security risk or cause problems. The command is:

md \\.\c:\con

Answer 3

Firstly, 'con' is a reserved word used in windows because of which windows does not allow the use of (cause not only can u not create a folder named 'con' but also any file). This is also true for the following...
PRN, AUX, CLOCK$, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, and LPT9
some of which are port names(like com-communications port, lpt - printer port, nul-the null device etc... i dont know what con stands for). U can try the same with them.
CON stands for console.

Secondly, a folder named 'con' can be created in windows. Want to know how....
Yes it is possible by using dos. Follow the steps....
1)go to command prompt
2)if you want to create a con named folder in c: drive then type the following comand...
'mkdir \\.\c:\con' (without the quotes)
3)once you create this folder you will be able to see it in windows. but again you cannot delete it through windows.for that you will again have to use dos...
'rmdir \\.c:\con' (again without the quotes)

See CON is a reserved word for Console. which is used to refer to a default input/output device i.e the keyboard or monitor....
For example, if you have ever worked in dos, to create a new file say file1.txt you would use the command "copy con file1.txt". which means copy from keyboard to file1.txt. to quit and save you have to hit ^Z.
Now suppose there is a folder named 'CON'... what would the command "copy con file1.txt" or "copy con c:\folder\" mean. it could mean copy the folder to that location. that's one reason why such reserved words cannot be used in folder or file names.

But there is one problem with these reserved words. if you try to access any path, let it be a simple dir listing or opening or reading a file, and that path contains two such reserved words, it will cause the machine to crash. this has been found on win95 and win98. i dont think that win 200, nt or xp are affected.
Another serious problem is that this problem also arises if the path does not even exist. to test this try and access c:\nul\nul\ in win98 and see what happens. though this directory does not exist but i guess it may cause the machine to crash. it is not a very serious cause you just have to reboot your system.
One more thing. if you know that internet explorer is a kind of shell, not only a browser. for eg. try to open c:\ in it, it will change to the window which you normally open c:\ in. ie. from "my computer". comming to the point that "internet explorer" can be used to open files and browse directories, so the above problem affects it also and trying to access such a path in "internet explorer" also causes the crash. Now suppose some webpage or html email has such a link, even though the link does not exist, if it is clicked will cause the users machine to crash. but this is only when he clicks the link. a more serious problem can be if the html file says that an image is located in this path. because images are loaded automatically. so just opening such webpages or mails can also cause the crash...
So it is a serious problem...

Answer 4

Not only 'con', Windows wont let you create folders with names like 'aux', 'nul', 'prn' etc either. con, aux and prn stand for 'console', 'auxiliary' and 'printer' and stand for output devices.
Leftovers from DOS where you could do 'copy con a.txt' and get whatever you typed in a textfile.
Or 'copy a.txt prn' to send it to the first printer (if installed).
Actually, those still work (at least con does) from a Windows command prompt to this day.

Log on to the following weblink for more information on "File and Folder Naming in WindowsXP"
http://www.testingeducation.org/k04/examples/spec06s.html

Answer 5

people keep asking and the same folk keep answering! It's an oddity of windows. Here's another.
Open Notepad. Write "this app can break" without the quotation marks and save it to your desktop. Now open the txt file with Notepad again (not with a notepad replacement). What gives?

Answer 6

I tried it, u can't. I even searched for another folder named 'Con'. There isn't another folder with that name any where, great question, ask Microsoft

Answer 7

HOOD CON is word use by windows API CALL FUCTION

Example

Copy con myfile printer or
Copy Con Letter to consol #1
fuction call api con

and so on
CON is not for use by users

Answer 8

If you know whats a Reserved word and an Easter Egg, you wont be asking this question. Read some facts on them and you will be stunned with the findings.

Answer 9

Is it the same reason the word 'gullible' isn't in the dictionary? Because I always wondered about that.

Answer 10

also u cant make LPT1
COM1
they are ports name
and CON is MS-DOs old stuff

but u can by going to command prompt

type there " mkdir \\.\c:\con
to verify the dir type " dir \\.\c:\con"
to delete it type " rmdir \\.\c:\con"