Windows XP: how do I add 00 in front of every file via command prompt?

Question

Windows XP: how do I add 00 in front of every file via command prompt?

I tried REN * 00*.gif but it doesn't work.

Solution

If you really want to rename everything:

for %a in (*.*) do ren %a 00%a

If you only want to rename .gif files:

for %a in (*.gif) do ren %a 00%a

If you need to add the prefix to file names with spaces in them put quotes around the %a and 00%a at the end of the line, i.e.

for %a in (*.*) do ren "%a" "00%a"

Comments

[victoroux]

I know this isn't exactly what you've asked for but there is a program called Bulk Rename Utility that does this and a lot more. I see someone has already answered how to do this via command prompt so you should be set that way :)

[reyes]

great! it works!

[Harry Johnston]

For future reference: this works properly on Windows XP but not on Windows 7; one of the files will be double-renamed (so x.gif would become 0000x.gif in this case). The easiest workaround is to create a new directory and use move instead of rename: move %a x\00%a

[jjxtra]

I'm not seeing the double rename problem on Windows 8, maybe they fixed it

[ᴍᴀᴛᴛ ʙᴀᴋᴇʀ]

Works great! Now to find the undo option... Doh!

[cantsay]

@HarryJohnston works fine for me (Windows 7 Pro SP1 x64)