Why in Windows, can't you name a folder 'con'?
Whenever I try to name a folder as "con" (without the quotes) it defaults to its original name.
Why does it do this?
5 Answers
Back in the MS-DOS days, "con" had a special meaning. It referred to the console, and allowed you to treat it like any other file. For example, you might create a new text file by typing copy con new.txt. Then you could enter your text and hit ^Z when finished.
The thing is, you can still do that. Therefore, as far as the file system is concerned there is already an object out there named con. There are other reserved names as well, but I see that while typing this those names have been provided already in other answers.
Do not use the following reserved device names for the name of a file:
CON, PRN, AUX, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM6, COM7, COM8, COM9, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, LPT4, LPT5, LPT6, LPT7, LPT8, and LPT9
Other names, such as drive names, cannot be used as well:
CLOCK$, A:-Z:
Actually you can rename the folder to con
use this in the command prompt and this creates a system folder named con on your C: Drive
md \\\\\.\\\C:\con
to remove this folder you need to use this in the command prompt
rd/s \\\\.\\\C:\con
And just for those that are wondering "so why would you?" - my name is CON and if I wish to use that as my folder I WILL so "bugger you MS"
Con "OzDing"
This dates back to MS-DOS. Reading or writing to a file named "CON:" read/wrote from the console. I imagine Windows is still supporting this for backwards compatibility.
From Microsoft TechNet:
Several special file names are reserved by the system and cannot be used for files or folders:
CON, AUX, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3, PRN, NUL
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