odd problem when renaming a folder

[Brando569]

hey i have mandrake linux powerpack 10.1 on 6 cds and im trying to compile them onto one dvd, thwe problem that i have is when i tried to copy "com2" from cd 6 in the media folder to the respective directory on my HDD it said something along the lines of "cannot create directory com2" then i just decided to create the directory myself and copy and paste the files all went well except for the naming of the folder. i erased the name new folder and typed com2 and hit enter, then the name went back to new folder i then tried renaming it to com 2 and it worked. i then tried renaming com 2 to com2 and it did the same thing, it went back to com 2 without and error message. i then tried to do it from the dos prompt and it said it cant rename the file cuz a folder with that name already exists, which one doesnt (no files are hidden). this really confused me.... i then copied the com 2 folder and its contents to my c: drive and tried to rename it and it did the same thing any1 know how to fix this?

[InTheWayBoy]

I don't know how or why, but I remember back in my warez days I would see a lot of folders that had the 'com2' structure...was something about being a very hard directory to delete or even see! The idea for the warez use was that the server admin would probbably not see it...also, it seemed like when we had one of those, we would have to go PAST that dir to get anywhere. Meaning, you couldn't browse through the folders, you would have to go straight to the intended folder. Guess that was another feature...you couldn't access the software unless you know the full path to it, which was usually only known by the crew.

[^_^]

lol, I never thought I'd see a linux question on a microsoft forum

but if it says a folder exists already that is named com2, and they are hard to see as InTheWayBoy mentioned, is it possible it's actually there already, and you can't see it but the OS knows it's there?

[Brando569]

i was thinkin maybe theres an al. data stream or sumthin idk, cuz wherever i move the folder i cant rename it...

i just realized its somethin with windows, cuz i tried yesterday booting into another copy of xp and it still wouldnt let me rename it!

Edited July 13, 2005 by Brando569

[Delprat]

"COM2" is the name of the second serial port. It's causing the prob... Windows (and DOS) do not allow to use such port names for naming folder or files :

COM* (serial port)

LPT* (parallel port)

PRN (printer port, it's LPT1 in mort cases)

NUL (bytes' heaven)

CON (console screen)

(* = any single digit)

The only way I know to get rid of these reserved names is to use a non-MS OS : it's time to try a linux liveCD

bye

Edited July 13, 2005 by Delprat

[Brando569]

very logical point, and yes i was thinkin of tryin to use linux for it...