In MSDN,
String Meaning
\\.\C: Opens the C: volume.
\\.\C:\ Opens the file system of the C: volume.
I could open \\.\C: volume device.
But I couldn’t open \\.\C:\ directory by CreateFile.
How can I open the directory by CreateFile with \\.\ prefix.
And if I open the directory, what can I do by using the handle.
Are C:\ and \\.\C:\ same?
From the same MSDN page:
Most likely since the WinAPI does not support the trailing backslash they mean the same but behave differently