Rename Command (Recovery Console)

Windows

by Tim Fisher

Updated December 15, 2018

The rename command is a Recovery Console command used to rename a single file.

"Rename" and "Ren" may be used interchangeably.

A rename command is also available from the Command Prompt.

Rename Command Syntax

rename [drive:][path] filename1 filename2

drive: = This is the drive containing the file you want to rename.

path = This is the folder or folder/subfolders located on the drive:, containing filename1 that you want to rename.

filename1 = This is the name of the file you want to rename.

filename2 = This is the name you want to rename filename1 to. You can not specify a new drive or path for the renamed file.

The rename command can only be used to rename files in the system folders of the current Windows installation, in removable media, in the root folder of any partition, or in the local installation source.

Rename Command Examples

rename c:\windows\win.ini win.old

In the above example, the rename command is used to rename the win.ini file located in the C:\Windows folder to win.old.

rename boot.new boot.ini

In this example, the rename command has no drive: or path information specified so the boot.new file is renamed to boot.ini, all within the directory you typed the rename command from.

For example, if you type rename boot.new boot.ini from the C:\> prompt, the boot.new file located in C:\ will be renamed to boot.ini.