Files Having a Reserved Device Name Resist Deletion (103168)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft LAN Manager 2.0
  • Microsoft LAN Manager 2.1
  • Microsoft LAN Manager 2.1a
  • Microsoft LAN Manager 2.2
This article was previously published under Q103168

SYMPTOMS

Files with reserved device names (LPTx, COMx, PRN, etc.) exist on your LAN Manager disk volumes. They cause problems when you are setting access privileges or creating backups, but you cannot get rid of them using File Manager and/or standard commands such as DEL.

CAUSE

These filenames usually are created when an application opens a file instead of a device.

RESOLUTION

You can't remove these files using OS/2, but you can delete them using an MS-DOS workstation and the QBASIC interpreter from MS-DOS 5.0 or later.

Command sequence:

   net use z: \\<server>\<share>     ; Share the appropriate
                                      location
  z:                    ; Select default drive
  cd <path>               ; Select appropriate location
  qbasic               ; Start QBASIC from MS-DOS
  enter : kill "z:<file>"     ; Enter this line in the
                                interpreter
  select : shift + f5          ; Start execution of the code
This deletes <file> from the shared location.

Repeat this command for each file with a reserved name.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/30/2003
Keywords:KB103168
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.