Q103698: File Manager Cannot Modify File/Directory Names Containing "?"

Article: Q103698
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s): WINDOWS:3.1,3.11
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 09-OCT-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11 
- Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11 
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SUMMARY
=======

Microsoft Windows File Manager is unable to make any modifications (rename,
change attributes, delete, move, and so forth) to a file or directory name that
has a question mark (?) as the first character.

NOTE: Microsoft Undelete for Windows, which ships with MS-DOS 6.0 inserts a
question mark for the first letter of an undeleted file if no letter is given.
This problem was corrected in MS-DOS version 6.2 and later.

WORKAROUND
==========

You can rename or delete these files from an MS-DOS command prompt in Windows.
(For more information on the REN and DEL commands, refer to your "Microsoft
MS-DOS User's Guide.")

If you use Microsoft Undelete for Windows and a directory name has a ? as the
first character, do one of the following:

- Use a third-party disk editor to rename the directory.

- Format the drive to remove the directory name.

- Run the ScanDisk utility (which ships with MS-DOS 6.2). ScanDisk locates
  these directory names and makes them valid directories when all is complete.

Additional query words: 3.10 error winfil scan disk

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbWin3xSearch kbWFWSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbWin310 kbWin311 kbWFW310 kbWFW311
Version           : WINDOWS:3.1,3.11

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