Microsoft KB Archive/135604

= DIR /O:N /S Does Not Sort Directory Names in Alphanumeric Order =

Article ID: 135604

Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.5
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
 * Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Developer Edition
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.5
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51
 * Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Standard Edition

-



This article was previously published under Q135604



SYMPTOM
When you run the DIR /O:N /S command at a Windows NT command prompt to list directory names in ascending alphanumeric order, the directory names that contain one or more numbers are listed after, instead of before, the names containing only letters.

This problem occurs only with directory name listings; program and data files are listed in the correct order.

Example
Your C drive has the following directories:

C:\WIN32

C:\WINDOWS

C:\444

You issue the DIR /O:N /S command and the output appears in the following incorrect sort order:

C:\WINDOWS

C:\WIN32

C:\444

The directories should be listed in the following order:

C:\444 C:\WIN32 C:\WINDOWS



CAUSE
The directories are located on a Windows NT partition using the file allocation table (FAT) file system.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, convert your FAT partition to use the Windows NT file system (NTFS).

To convert your FAT partition to NTFS use the Windows NT CONVERT.EXE utility program. To get help on CONVERT.EXE, type the following at a Windows NT command prompt:

convert /?



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words: prodnt vdm sort

Keywords: kbother KB135604

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.