Adding subdomain or accessing virtual directories on Plesk for Windows fails: contains reserved device names that cannot be used as the name of a file

Symptoms

• Adding a subdomain or accessing virtual directories on Plesk for Windows fails with one of the following errors:

# C:\Inetpub\vhosts\example.com\subdomains\con\httpdocs: contains reserved device names that cannot be used as the name of a file

filemng failed: The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect. (Error code 123) at C:\Inetpub\vhosts\example.com\httpdocs\COM7.file: contains reserved device names that cannot be used as the name of a file.

Cause

The path to be created or accessed contains reserved Windows OS names such as CON or NUL.

Resolution

1. Connect to the server using RDP.

2. Find the folder/file from the error message and rename it from con or nul to something like sub_con. e.g:

   • Before:

     C:\Inetpub\vhosts\example.com\subdomains\con\httpdocs

   • After:

     C:\Inetpub\vhosts\example.com\subdomains\sub_con\httpdocs