Windows – How to force Windows to rename a file with a special character

filenamesrenamespecial characterswindows

I have a song that Windows can't play because there is a question mark in the name of the file.

"Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?.ogg" // as an example

So I try to rename it and Windows complains whether I try it in Explorer or from command prompt.

Error I get when trying to copy, rename, or move is:

The Filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect

Is there a Windows way to force a rename in this case?

Update

I'll keep an eye on this question, but after 13 answers and many attempts (aside form 3rd party solutions) it seems that Windows can't do this (or at least my windows can't, no short names). So I'm accepting the answer which was my original solution anyway of using Linux. It would be nice to see Windows handle this somehow, so don't stop just because I've accepted this answer, the question still stands!

Best Answer

Grab a linux live-cd and use that.

Related Question