How do I rename WINDOWS directory to Windows

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sam Kerracher
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S

Sam Kerracher

Hello all,

I have an unusual request (it's just for appearence purposes).

I want to rename my WINDOWS directory to Windows.

I assume this would cause no problems with programs or the system, as the
name is essentially the same and just the last 7 characters are changed to
lowercase, am I right in saying that?

I am using Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2.

Thanks in advance
 
Lol, yep, so any suggestions?

Just got XP looking really nice but that old fashioned WINDOWS sitting next
to Game and Program Files is pissing me off.
 
I'm not going to try this on my system (before suggesting this), but in
Explorer, right mouse click on folder name and select "rename"? Would
need to be logged in with admin rights, I would hasten to add. If
doesn't work, then I would guess the system is trying to protect itself.
 
No. Don't think that would work due to open files in subfolders.

Put hard drive in another computer and rename it from there (so that
files aren't open)? With the time you have available, give it a try
and report back!

rms
 
Don't think I have that kind of time lol.

I think I have tried this before, I moved a hard drive from my old computer
to this one, but even if the Windows isn't in use it still protects itself
(I couldn't rename or delete the WINDOWS folder).

Perhaps there's a command line that will rename the windir?
 
Sam said:
Don't think I have that kind of time lol.

I think I have tried this before, I moved a hard drive from my old
computer to this one, but even if the Windows isn't in use it still
protects itself (I couldn't rename or delete the WINDOWS folder).

Perhaps there's a command line that will rename the windir?
Click to expand...
<snip>

Can't be done after installation. There are too many registry entries that
point to the path C:\Windows instead of C:\%windir%.

There *may* be a way to select a name for this folder during the
installation process but only if you are upgrading over a previous version
that did allow you to specify the %windir% name.

There may also be a way to do this using an unattended.txt file
installation, but I have never tested this particular procedure.

--
Regards,

Ronnie Vernon
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

Please reply to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
http://www.dts-l.org
http://www.mvps.org
 
Oh well it's no bother then.

Thanks a lot for your help Ronnie :)

It's a shame by default performing a clean install of Windows XP
Professional (which I did last week), doesn't allow you to change the name
of the Windows directory.

I wonder if running in safemode and using a command line to rename
C:\WINDOWS to C:\Windows would work? Thing is, does the command line
actually differentiate capitals from lowercase?
 
Sam Kerracher said:
I have an unusual request (it's just for appearence purposes).
Click to expand...
I want to rename my WINDOWS directory to Windows.
Click to expand...
I assume this would cause no problems with programs or the system, as the
name is essentially the same and just the last 7 characters are changed to
lowercase, am I right in saying that?
Click to expand...

Egads Batman, all this worrying over changing the case of a folder when
WINDOWS is not case sensitive like UNIX. WINDOWS = Windows = windows =
wINDOWS = any other variation.

Window protection may stop you from renaming, but the actual name change
wouldn't.
 
Steve Shattuck said:
Egads Batman, all this worrying over changing the case of a folder when
WINDOWS is not case sensitive like UNIX. WINDOWS = Windows = windows =
wINDOWS = any other variation.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but what about his apps? The OS may not care,
but I have seen some REALLY bad application
programming that may well actually think that
WINDOWS <> Windows (on a byte/bit level, that is actually
true).

There are apps that do NOT write to the registry at all, so
going there to resolve the installed path will not work...
 
V said:
Yeah, but what about his apps? The OS may not care,
but I have seen some REALLY bad application
programming that may well actually think that
WINDOWS <> Windows (on a byte/bit level, that is actually
true).
Click to expand...

Those apps though will only access the fundamental directory entry,
which is in Upper case anyway, the lower case 'Long file name' would be
produced by adding additional entries to it. So anything seeking
WINDOWS would still find it. Done this way round; Upper to lower, I
think it would work. But if I were to try (which I can't as this
system is mixed case already), I would make very sure I had a secure
drive image to restore if it failed.
 
Sam said:
So do you know how to rename the WINDOWS folder then?
Click to expand...

Yes. Do a clean install and make sure you name the folder the way you
want to then. Do you really want to go through all that because of the
way the folder looks? If yes, then boot with the XP cd, delete the
operating system partition, format, and reinstall. Don't forget that
all data will be lost during a format so be sure to back up all your
personal files.

Malke
 
I really can't be bothered to do all that, actually did that recently, as I
wanted a clean install with the SP2.

Would be good if i could find a command line of NTFS boot disk to rename the
folder.
 
Sam said:
I really can't be bothered to do all that, actually did that recently,
as I wanted a clean install with the SP2.

Would be good if i could find a command line of NTFS boot disk to
rename the folder.
Click to expand...

You've already been told why this is not a good idea. However, if you
want to do it, no one is stopping you. It's your system and you're
perfectly free to trash it. Create a cd with Bart's PE Builder and go
to town:

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Remember to back up all your important data first.

Malke
 
I am not bothered about trashing the system, have all my files and settings
backed up on another hard drive, and it's kinda why I am looking into
renaming this folder. It's only a change of upper to lowercase so it
shouldn't harm it.

Mind you I can't be bothered to build a PE CD or whatever, if there's a
command line I'll do it, and happily report back here.
 
Sam said:
I am not bothered about trashing the system, have all my files and settings
backed up on another hard drive, and it's kinda why I am looking into
renaming this folder. It's only a change of upper to lowercase so it
shouldn't harm it.
Click to expand...

Well then try in an Explorer window, right click and Rename. That may
well refuse on a base system folder like this, as any general rename of
the folder certainly *will* cause trouble. So in a DOS type command
window (say after a reboot to a menu and using Safe Mode, Command
Prompt), try REN there
 
Well then try in an Explorer window, right click and Rename. That may
well refuse on a base system folder like this, as any general rename of
the folder certainly *will* cause trouble. So in a DOS type command
window (say after a reboot to a menu and using Safe Mode, Command
Prompt), try REN there
Click to expand...


Actually you can't do it in Explorer because You don't get the rename
option when you right click the Windows folder.
 
Try this. Start the recover console, in the root directory type: ren windows
win then type: ren win "Windows"
You MUST use at least the first set of quotes.


Morris
 
Thanks you Morris.

For the information to others, this is how it works.

Insert the Windows XP CD and restart the computer, ensure that your Bios is
set to check the CD drive for boot files.

When the Windows XP setup loads, press R

Then type 1 or which ever OS you want to rename.

Type the following

CD C:\

You should now see:
C:\
instead of
C:\WINDOWS

Now type:
ren WINDOWS win

Then:
ren win Windows

If you recieve the error access denied, do not worry, I did. Type exit, to
restart the computer and get back into the Windows XP setup and type R
again, then CD C:\ again.

Now type:
ren win Windows

And type exit, eject the CD and now WINDOWS will be Windows :)

If the first time you cannot get to the login screen, reboot the PC again, I
had to and now everything works fine.
 
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