Skip to Content

Case Sensitivity in Shared Folder Paths on Windows Server 2016

Understand Case Sensitivity in Shared Folder Paths

While working with Windows Server 2016, you’ve observed a discrepancy in the capitalization of shared folder paths. Specifically, your “IT” folder on the server “FS0” is displayed as “\Fs0\it” instead of “\FS0\IT.” This behavior is related to the case sensitivity settings in Windows.

Here’s what you need to know

Windows File Systems and Case Sensitivity

Windows operating systems, including Windows Server 2016, are generally not case-sensitive when it comes to file and folder names. This means that they do not distinguish between uppercase and lowercase characters in paths. Hence, “IT” and “it” are considered the same in the context of file and folder names.

Navigational Flexibility

The good news is that you can navigate to the shared folder using either “\FS0\IT” or “\Fs0\it” because Windows treats them as identical. This flexibility in path handling allows users to access shared resources without being concerned about case sensitivity.

Consistency in Display

In your observation, the shared path for another folder, “Folder,” correctly displays as “\FS0\Folder” with consistent capitalization. This behavior can vary based on factors like how the folder was originally created and named.

In summary, the behavior you’re experiencing is normal for Windows, and it shouldn’t cause any issues in accessing shared folders. Windows generally ignores case sensitivity for file and folder names in paths, ensuring ease of use and access for users.