There's no such thing as a stupid question, but they're the easiest to answer.
JoinTour
Login
Search
 
Windows XP
Tag Cloud
audio bios blue screen boot bsod computer connection crash dcom dell driver drivers email error excel firefox google hard drive hardware hijackthis internet laptop logon logs off macro malware microsoft motherboard network networking problem ram recovery router screen slow software sound trojan usb userinit.exe virus vista webcam wifi windows windows 7 windows 7 64 bit windows xp wireless
Search
Search for:
Tech Support Guy Forums > Operating Systems > Windows XP >
Improper File Names Can't be Opened

Tip: Click here to scan for System Errors and Optimize PC performance
[ Sponsored Link ]

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
robomatic's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 210 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Experience: Normally know where to kick it!
05-Mar-2007, 02:27 AM #1
Question Improper File Names Can't be Opened
This is the kind of problem that has probably been addressed before in Techguy, but I don't know how to search it out:

I received some files on CD from my cousin (letters, photos). Well, he owns a MAC and apparently you can give files names with quotes on 'em in a Mac, but a quote is a forbidden character in Windows to be in a file name. Therefore, when I mount his CD I can see the file name, but I wish to copy it to my hard drive and my hard drive will not accept it.

I can ask my cuz to re-do the CD, except by this time he prob'ly has lost track of exactly what he sent me. I can post it back to him and have him go file by file through the bad names and change the quotes to dashes or apostrophes but then he could space it out and I'll never get the disk back.

So, is there anything I can do here and now to get the files from CD to hard disk?

Thanks for ANY ideas!

Robo
Winona-Forever's Avatar
Computer Specs
Junior Member with 9 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Australia
Experience: Developer
05-Mar-2007, 04:55 AM #2
Using a program such as UltraISO, make an image (preferably ISO) of the disc. Then, in the same program, open the created image, and simply rename the files and remove any invalid characters. Once the files are renamed, you can simply extract them from inside the program, or save the image and re-burn, or mount it with Daemon Tools etc.
robomatic's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 210 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Experience: Normally know where to kick it!
05-Mar-2007, 08:59 AM #3
Winona that sounds fantastic. That program name is a new one for me. Is it available over the internet.

I maintain a linux box at a different location and thought I'd try and see if Linux will allow the same thing you're talking about, only a bit fewer tasks involved.

THANKS for what sounds like a great idea!

robo
Winona-Forever's Avatar
Computer Specs
Junior Member with 9 posts.
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Australia
Experience: Developer
05-Mar-2007, 07:13 PM #4
UltraISO is a commercial program, but you can download, from many sources, the free trial version, which allows for creating ISOs of up to 300MB (I think). However you can still make images from CD/DVD, convert them, and extract files from them, so the trial should do what you need without a problem.

Linux does sound like a good bet though, hopefully that'll do the job for you.
robomatic's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 210 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Experience: Normally know where to kick it!
06-Mar-2007, 02:48 PM #5
Okay, I opened the CD and moved the files onto a hard drive through Ubuntu Linux. I was able to remove the offending characters, (") quote marks, and then copy those back to windows, BUT-

For some reason, the Linux box won't 'see' all the files on the CD. There are about 400 files, and Linux can't see about twenty of them. If I look at the CD in List mode it simply ignores 'em. I can't fathom why this is. The Windows box opens them just fine.

Short story is, two of the files Ubuntu can't see are ones that need to be renamed. The other bunch of files are now where they should be.

Immediately wonder:
Could the CD drive be the problem?
Does Linux have some special characters it can't read which Windows can read?

I'm going to try this message or one very like it over in the Linux forum.

Thank you all....
Bartle's Avatar
Member with 32 posts.
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
07-Mar-2007, 11:29 AM #6
Just use magiciso to create iso file of cd. and you can burn iso file to cd later. It is very easy.
http://www.magiciso.com/tutorials/miso-burnwin.htm
robomatic's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 210 posts.
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Experience: Normally know where to kick it!
07-Mar-2007, 03:59 PM #7
I tried using Ultra ISO and somehow it created a virtual drive I can't get rid of. A visit to their forum indicates they don't have a way of eliminating it at present. Unfortunately the virtual drive 'took' a letter for itself that I've been using for an external drive and this is a bother.

Although the program supposedly made an image of my files and allowed me to rename them, they were not functional when I tried to open them. The saga continues...

It was a good idea, however.
Closed Thread Bookmark and Share   techguy.org/549218

THIS THREAD HAS EXPIRED.
Are you having the same problem? We have volunteers ready to answer your question, but first you'll have to join for free. Need help getting started? Check out our Welcome Guide.

Smart Search

Find your solution!



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
WELCOME TO TECH SUPPORT GUY! Are you looking for the solution to your computer problem? Join our site today to ask your question -- for free! Our site is run completely by volunteers who want to help you solve your computer problems. See our Welcome Guide to get started.

Thread Tools


You Are Using:
Server ID
Advertisements do not imply our endorsement of that product or service.
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:39 PM.
Copyright © 1996 - 2010 TechGuy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Powered by vBulletin, Copyright © 2000 - 2010, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Cermak Technologies, Inc.