delete a file called "nul"

Texas wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

DEL "\\?\C:\zz\devp\nul"

What is the meaning of ? in "\\?\C:\zz\devp\nul" ?

The \\?\ prefix is used by the Windows Object Manager (for filenames and
many other named objects)

By using the prefix you bypass various limitations of the Win32
subsystem (such as unicode characters, too long paths, and special names)

Texas wrote:
On 8/20/2014 2:59 PM, Andy Burns wrote:
lid wrote:
I try;
C:\zz\devpdel nul
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
What's the answer, please? ty.

Just a thought, perhaps it's getting confused with the legacy device
nul: how about trying
DEL "\\?\C:\zz\devp\nul"


What is the meaning of ? in "\\?\C:\zz\devp\nul" ?

I don't have any good explanation web pages for it,
but it appears to be part of a "block device" level
specification for Windows. You can see some examples
of similar things here.

http://www.chrysocome.net/dd

\\?\Device\Harddisk0\Partition1

There are several ways to refer to partitions or volumes.
There is the drive letter C:. If you use the "mountvol"
command in Command Prompt, you can see a GUID type number
linked to a partition as well. If the partition is
not assigned a drive letter, a reference like that may
be used. For example, CHKDSK can check a partition
which has not been assigned a drive letter.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../bb457122.aspx

chkdsk \\?\Volume{2d9bd2a8-5df8-11d2-bdaa-000000000000}

But then there are some notations such as the OP has
used, with the "double backslash" syntax. Perhaps all
that slashing, is to "protect" the question mark symbol
in the shell ?

So that's at least three or four ways to reference stuff.

*******

Other puzzles include, when you get a "Delayed Write"
error in Event Viewer (due to sick hard drive, or
severely fragmented memory resources slowing the disk
driver to zero progress), there is a notation with the
letter D or the letter pair DR. Those are similarly
not documented, and I don't have a letter decoder for
them. When you see such a reference, it does not mean
your "D:" partition is bad :-) It means something else,
but I have been unable to determine exactly what.
You can see some D and DR examples on the chrysocome.net
page.

Paul

Paul wrote:

Texas wrote:

What is the meaning of ? in "\\?\C:\zz\devp\nul" ?

I don't have any good explanation web pages for it,

There are snippets of info about it here

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/windows/desktop/aa365247%28v=vs.85%29.aspx#nt_namespaces

but I don't know of any full documentation. there's a
Microsoft/SysInternals tool that lets you explore the namespaces

http://live.sysinternals.com/Winobj.exe

On 8/24/2014 6:00 PM, Andy Burns wrote:
Paul wrote:
Texas wrote:
What is the meaning of ? in "\\?\C:\zz\devp\nul" ?

I don't have any good explanation web pages for it,
There are snippets of info about it here
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/libr...#nt_namespaces
but I don't know of any full documentation. there's a Microsoft/SysInternals tool that lets you
explore the namespaces
http://live.sysinternals.com/Winobj.exe


Thanks! Also there is doc on Winobj at

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb896657.aspx

"Justin Tyme" wrote in message ...

Here is a link to download the x64 version of ERD65_x64_Win7_RTM.iso
aka DaRT 7x64 iso:

https://mega.co.nz/#!aoUzXCbI!W_1-0O...bjUX65fJOjDNkA

You will like this tool, I'm sure. Get it while you can

Haven't found the x86 version but I should have it soon and will post
the link when I have it.


Thanks for the link, but I already have most of the DaRT ISOs.

oIn message , Joe Morris
writes:
[]
And if the OP's question hasn't been answered, try (after making sure it
does only what you want) using a wildcard, deleting "NU?" or "N?L" or "?UL".
Haven't tried it, but that should work.

Joe


Or deleting nul., i. e. with a dot. I'm assuming the file has no
extension. If it's the only file with no extension, then deleting *.
might work.

Or copying all the files except that one (and any subdirectories) to
another directory, then delete the directory!
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

_IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS_ BEFORE ALL TECHNICAL INTERVENTION ON THE [CASE CUT THE
ELECTRICAL FEEDING REGULAR MAINTENANCE PROVIDES THE GOOD WORKING OF A CASE (SEE
INSTRUCTIONS BOOK) [seen on bacon cabinet in Tesco (a large grocery chain)]

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:

Or deleting nul., i. e. with a dot. I'm assuming the file has no
extension. If it's the only file with no extension, then deleting *.
might work.

Or copying all the files except that one (and any subdirectories) to
another directory, then delete the directory!

None of those tricks will work, The Windows subsystem simply cannot deal
with any file called "NUL" it will incorrectly assume it's the NUL:
device, the file was created by cywin bypassing the Windows subsystem
and talking direct to the low level NT Subsystem, so it needs to be
deleted by something else forcing use of the NT Subsystem ... the \\?\
prefix is one such way, I daresay that re-installing cygwin would also
have done it.

On 8/26/2014 6:00 PM, Andy Burns wrote:
None of those tricks will work, The Windows subsystem simply cannot deal with any file called "NUL"
it will incorrectly assume it's the NUL: device, the file was created by cywin bypassing the
Windows subsystem and talking direct to the low level NT Subsystem, so it needs to be deleted by
something else forcing use of the NT Subsystem ... the \\?\ prefix is one such way, I daresay that
re-installing cygwin would also have done it.


Is that what the \\?\ prefix does? That is, talk direct to the low level NT Subsystem?

Hi, ty.

A technique that I've had to use a couple of times is to move all the OTHER
files in that directory to some other directory, maybe a new one created for
the purpose. Then Delete the original directory - and Rename the new
directory to the old name.

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2012 (Build 16.4.3528.0331) in Win8.1 Pro with Media
Center


wrote in message ...

I installed cygwin, which created in a directory a file called "nul"

I can't figure out how to delete this file

I try;

C:\zz\devpdir
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is F6F7-6D4E

Directory of C:\zz\devp

08/06/2014 21:43 DIR .
08/06/2014 21:43 DIR ..
13/04/2012 09:28 3,861 nul
1 File(s) 3,861 bytes
2 Dir(s) 5,400,072,192 bytes free

C:\zz\devpdel nul
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

C:\zz\devpdel .\nul
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

C:\zz\devpdel "nul"
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

C:\zz\devp

What's the answer, please? ty.

In message , Justin Tyme
writes:
On Sun, 24 Aug 2014 15:45:54 -0700, Justin Tyme
wrote:

On Sun, 24 Aug 2014 23:05:01 +0100, "Dave-UK" wrote:

Snip
[excellent list snipped]

Where do you get DaRT? It's the first time I've heard of this
software.


Here is a link to download the x64 version of ERD65_x64_Win7_RTM.iso
aka DaRT 7x64 iso:

https://mega.co.nz/#!aoUzXCbI!W_1-0O...bjUX65fJOjDNkA

You will like this tool, I'm sure. Get it while you can

Haven't found the x86 version but I should have it soon and will post
the link when I have it.

Here is the x86 version: ERD65_x86_Win7_RTM.iso
This is a 7zip passworded file with the name descretly changed to

Fix Win7x86.7z

The password for the 7zip file is: DaRT7

https://mega.co.nz/#!L99j0QqC!B_tgXx...LmE7KD8T PhTM

Thanks for that link. (Odd download: it got steadily to 99%, then took
ages to get to 100, and only then asked me where to save it; I _think_
Firefox usually asks me at the _start_ of a download.)

I have this on a Bootable flash drive that I carry in my pocket most
of the time. Great tool to fix most Windows problems.

(It might fit on a small-format CD too.)

Do I take it from the filename - and the fact that this is a 8 newsgroup
- that this particular DaRT is _only_ for fixing Windows 7 systems, or
can it be used to work on XP ones too? (If not, is there an XP version?)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

" ... but ... on the sub-ether radio, [it said] you're dead!"
"Yeah, that's right, I just haven't stopped moving yet." (link episode)

J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:

https://mega.co.nz/#!L99j0QqC!B_tgXx...LmE7KD8T PhTM

(Odd download: it got steadily to 99%, then took
ages to get to 100, and only then asked me where to save it; I _think_
Firefox usually asks me at the _start_ of a download.)

Mega (remember that Kim Dotcom bloke?) works by using encryption within
the browser, so I think it actually receives and temporarily stores the
file in RAM (not so good with huge files) and then "downloads" it
locally using a "blob://" URL.

In message , Andy
Burns writes:
J. P. Gilliver (John) wrote:

https://mega.co.nz/#!L99j0QqC!B_tgXx...LmE7KD8T PhTM

(Odd download: it got steadily to 99%, then took
ages to get to 100, and only then asked me where to save it; I _think_
Firefox usually asks me at the _start_ of a download.)

Mega (remember that Kim Dotcom bloke?) works by using encryption within
the browser, so I think it actually receives and temporarily stores the
file in RAM (not so good with huge files) and then "downloads" it
locally using a "blob://" URL.

That would make sense: my BitMeter was beeping away while the download
was going on. So what you say means it is somehow running code locally,
I guess. (By javascript I presume?)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

If you want to make people angry, lie to them. If you want to make them
absolutely livid, then tell 'em the truth.