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I would like to know if Windows 2012 has full support for case sensitive file names and directories. In other words, I would like to save files and directories in different case, e.g.:

  • myFile.txt
  • myfile.txt
  • MYFILE.TXT

I found the following link that applies to Windows 2008:

Configure Case Sensitivity for File and Folder Names

If the above steps are successfully performed:

  1. Will I be able to use Windows Explorer and the DOS prompt as usual to copy/move/delete files or will I need some other interface?
  2. Will I be able to log in via FTP and handle files and folders with different case as if they are in fact different files and directories?

I have read a number of ‘old’ posts for Windows 2003, Windows 7, etc. where people have problems using Windows Explorer and the command prompt after applying the settings above.

I have also read that people have problems with Win32 applications not handling files correctly (having the same names but different case).

joeqwerty
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Caroline Beltran
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  • +1 for teaching me that Windows can operate in case sensitive mode. I think a few simple tests should answer your questions, but out of curiosity I also found this: http://www.nicklowe.org/2012/02/understanding-case-sensitivity-in-windows-obcaseinsensitive-file_case_sensitive_search/ – ErikE Jul 31 '15 at 18:33
  • @ErikE, Thanks for the link. I'm currently working with Windows 2003 and I can't risk messing things up on this server. I'll wait to see if someone already knows the answer for this or I'll probably have to install 2012 on a desktop PC and do my own testing like you suggested. – Caroline Beltran Jul 31 '15 at 20:41

1 Answers1

5

The answer to both of your questions is No

Even though the file-system NTFS supports case-sensitivity for file and folder names.

But the Win32 subsystem does not support this. As explorer.exe, cmd.exe and the IIS FTP server are all Win32 applications, you wont be able to create files that only differ in their case.

You can use programs that are not Win32 based to create such files but then you can't deterministically say which of these files a Win32 based app would pick.

So unless you never use any Win32 programs that have to deal with files, you should not considered enabling it.

You would also confuse the hell out of your (Windows-)users.

Peter Hahndorf
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  • this would be for a web server, so I would be the only Windows user. I have a 32bit C++ application that creates case sensitive files and after running some tests, name collisions would definitely occur at some point. Do you happen to know if there is an API for Win32 applications that would let you read/write/delete case sensitive files? – Caroline Beltran Aug 01 '15 at 17:56
  • Update. I found a link that refers to APIs that appear to allow you to work with case insensitive files. I may look at them later, but here is the link: http://www.nicklowe.org/2012/02/understanding-case-sensitivity-in-windows-obcaseinsensitive-file_case_sensitive_search/ – Caroline Beltran Aug 01 '15 at 18:06