CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++
bao tran dang
bao tran dang

Reputation: 145

What is the meaning of "\\\\.\\C:" and "\\\\.\\PhysicalDrive0" in CreateFile?

I have read the code as following:

CreateFile("\\\\.\\PhysicalDrive0", 
      0, 
      FILE_SHARE_READ
      NULL, 
      OPEN_EXISTING,  
      0, 
     NULL);  

CreateFile("\\\\.\\C:",
        GENERIC_READ|GENERIC_WRITE,
        FILE_SHARE_READ | FILE_SHARE_WRITE,
        NULL,
        OPEN_EXISTING,
        0,
        NULL);

I do not understand the meaning of the path:

"\\\\.\\C:"
\\\\.\\PhysicalDrive0

Could you please help?

Thanks for your help

Upvotes: 2

Views: 17050

Answers (2)

Matthew Geiger
Matthew Geiger

Reputation: 41

\\.\PhysicalDrive0 translates to \.\PhysicalDrive0 as a String. This location contains the Master Boot Record.

HANDLE MasterBootRecord = CreateFile("\\\\.\\PhysicalDrive0", GENERIC_ALL, FILE_SHARE_READ | FILE_SHARE_WRITE,      //Get a handle on the MBR File
    NULL, OPEN_EXISTING, NULL, NULL);

This is how to properly write the code.

Upvotes: 3

H. Guijt
H. Guijt

Reputation: 3375

\\, in a string, is really just a single backslash, so the 'real' path names are \\.\C: and \\.\PhysicalDrive0.

That particular notation indicates raw device access: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/100027

Upvotes: 5

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