cannot delete or rename file on desktop

  • Thread starter Thread starter gerrie
  • Start date Start date
G

gerrie

i have a file on my desktop named con.stock030801.xls. i
cannot rename or delete this file. the message that pops
up says that the file should be renamed but it wont let
me. any suggestions?
 
The problem is that "con." (con - dot - anything) is a Windows reserved name
("con" is short for "console" (the screen) and is used with command prompt
commands). I don't know how it was created but generally it's not possible.
For instance I cannot rename a file to your file's name, nor save a new one
with that name in Excel. So this is not an Excel problem per se but a
Windows problem.

Since I cannot recreate the problem I cannot play with possible solutions.
It may be possible to do something from the command line, like "Del
*.stock030801.xls" when the Desktop folder is active, but that's just a
guess.
 
In some version of DOS, everything after the asterisk would be ignored.

Maybe something like:

del ???.stock*.xls

or the OP could try to rename it first
ren ???.stock*.xls deleteme.xls

and then delete that renamed file.

(win98 let me create and delete a file with that name).

One more option, shell to DOS and do a DIR against that folder.

In win98, I can see the both the longfilename and the shortfilename (8.3).

Maybe the OP can delete the file using the 8.3 filename.
 
And before the OP tries to delete anything, gerrie should try using DIR against
the style.

If it returns just the file you want to delete, then ok. But if it returns a
bunch of files, don't run the DEL command.



Dave said:
In some version of DOS, everything after the asterisk would be ignored.

Maybe something like:

del ???.stock*.xls

or the OP could try to rename it first
ren ???.stock*.xls deleteme.xls

and then delete that renamed file.

(win98 let me create and delete a file with that name).

One more option, shell to DOS and do a DIR against that folder.

In win98, I can see the both the longfilename and the shortfilename (8.3).

Maybe the OP can delete the file using the 8.3 filename.
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