The un-erasable file!!!

[Ange062]

There is a file that had an error when i was downloading it from my email account that is siting on my desktop. When i try to erase it, i get "Cannot delete file: Cannot read from the source file or disk." error. So i cant erase the damn thing, yet its still sitting there on my desktop. Ive tried doin it in safemode also, any other ideas????

[ninethreeeleven]

google the error.

I had that once, on a friends computer. Some asshole kid came over and put on a folder called "Gay Porn" and said "you wont be able to delete it" took me 10 mins. Most of which was searching google for an answer on a 56k modem.
I also threw a shoe at the kid when I finally saw him again, good throw too if I do say so myself.

[Ranma_Sao]

if you look at it from a cmd prompt what does it look like? Is the filename greater then 256 characters?

[Ange062]

if you look at it from a cmd prompt what does it look like? Is the filename greater then 256 characters?

doesnt show up under a cmd prompt....

[Ange062]

google the error.

I had that once, on a friends computer. Some asshole kid came over and put on a folder called "Gay Porn" and said "you wont be able to delete it" took me 10 mins. Most of which was searching google for an answer on a 56k modem.
I also threw a shoe at the kid when I finally saw him again, good throw too if I do say so myself.

everything i found on google hasnt worked. I tried:
*renaming it -> just gives me the error again
*using the winfile command, doesnt work
*checked attributes -> nothing out of the normal
*safe mode -> nothing
*cmd prompt -> doesnt show up


I dunno, ive never even heard of anything like this.......

[Glow]

you try removing it in safe mode?

[The Bryophyte]

There is a program called "wholockme" that should tell you what is locking the file and allow you to delete it. If this is truly an error with reading it however, you might want to try hijackthis. Under its miscellaneous tools it has an options to delete a file on the reboot. Simply pick the file, restart your computer, and you should be set.

[RavenD]

If you're on XP Pro, take ownership of the file.
RIght click on the file, go to properties, and go to the security tab. Hit advanced, check the box that says "Inherit from parent the permission entires that apply to child objects.....", hit ok.
You should be able to delete it now.

[Roach]

Strange it doesn't show up under the command prompt, usually I just kill the explorer process and than delete the file using the prompt.

[Ange062]

If you're on XP Pro, take ownership of the file.
RIght click on the file, go to properties, and go to the security tab. Hit advanced, check the box that says "Inherit from parent the permission entires that apply to child objects.....", hit ok.
You should be able to delete it now.

under properties, there is only the general tab for this file. It shows the path, says its 0 bytes, no created, modified, or acessed information, and nither the read-only or hidden attributes are selected. There are no other options.

[[F8]]

Is it possible to use a "live" linux cd, mount the partition, and delete the file?

[RavenD]

under properties, there is only the general tab for this file. It shows the path, says its 0 bytes, no created, modified, or acessed information, and nither the read-only or hidden attributes are selected. There are no other options.
Is simple file sharing enabled? IIRC when its enabled, there's no security tab.

[monsterxero]

I remember having a similar problem. GIPO's MoveonBoot worked for me. Here's a link to the freeware version http://www.gibinsoft.net/gipoutils/bin/moveonb.exe

[MrkXCeL]

in command prompt . did u use the DIR /A attribute?

[Calavaro]

a very quick search gave me this.
http://www.petri.co.il/delete_undeletable_files.htm
and
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_undeletable_file.htm

[westrock2000]

OSX does this sometimes to my memory cards. When I look at the card on Windows all kinds of weird files and folders show with crazy names (though they are not present on OSX). But I can't delete them, I get the same error.

[Joshua]

Go into safe mode command prompt only, cd to the directory of file and you will be able to del the file. I've had to do this 3 times this week to get rid of bad avi files downloaded off of limewire.

[S1nF1xx]

Start> Run > chkdsk /r, select yes to scan at next reboot, then reboot.

The file is probably corrupted and this should fix it. Which will either remove it or let you delete it.

[Ange062]

MrkXCeL: the file shows up when i use dir /a, thanks for the tip

Calavaro: tried this several times, it says that the file cannot be found, even though it lists it when i type dir /a

Joshua: tried this several times, says the file cannot be found, again, even though its listed under dir /a

S1nF1xx: tried chkdsk and defrag twice each, didnt get rid of it though


Im freakin spellbound here, i think its crazy that you can see a damn file, yet cant get rid of it. Maybe its time to just reformat and give XPx64 a whirl.

[Kris]

']Is it possible to use a "live" linux cd, mount the partition, and delete the file?
Probably not since he's probably using NTFS

[OldMX]

So this practical joke turns to be a windows flaw or a file system bug??

oldmx

[puck]

Theres a known bug in windows where by using some ASCII characters a folder will not be deleteable by windows.

You can try using Safe Mode Command Prompt and using wildcards (*) to delete the folder usig deltree or del, try both.

[Billiam411]

"OSX does this sometimes to my memory cards. When I look at the card on Windows all kinds of weird files and folders show with crazy names (though they are not present on OSX). But I can't delete them, I get the same error."

Westrock2000 - those files that don't show up on OSX are the "settings" for the memory card. This includes the Name and any icon/color you give it. If you delete those in windows, it will give you the default name and icon for it.

[pigster]

try using DEL \\.\driveletter:\path\filename (bypasses reserved name checking)

for example

DEL \\.\C:\DOCUME~1\pigster\Desktop\dummy.fil

You may need to try

DEL \\.\C:\DOCUME~1\pigster\Desktop\*.fil

or

DEL \\.\C:\DOCUME~1\pigster\Desktop\??????.fil

If it's a directory, then substitute RD for DEL

[Jawadali]

everything i found on google hasnt worked. I tried:
*renaming it -> just gives me the error again
*using the winfile command, doesnt work
*checked attributes -> nothing out of the normal
*safe mode -> nothing
*cmd prompt -> doesnt show up


I dunno, ive never even heard of anything like this.......

The exact same thing used to happen to me in my previous install (I'm using WinXP Home, and recently reformatted). It seemed to happen while dragging and dropping items to the desktop, and seemed shortcut-related.

I even booted a Knoppix LiveCD, and could not delete the file (got the same error).

I just ended up reformatting, as my antivirus (norton) was an old edition and started giving me other problems.

[eno-on]

rmdir/s C:\Documents and Settings\*username*\Desktop\filename

[Ranma_Sao]

Can you just post the files name, I asked for this information, since I want to know if it's greater then MAX_PATH.

[nessus]

Move all other files out of the desktop directory. Do a del *.*.

What error do you get? Any event log entries?

[Ange062]

Can you just post the files name, I asked for this information, since I want to know if it's greater then MAX_PATH.

capd77qk.

that is exactly the file name, there is no extention. It was an email attachment i was trying to download to my desktop, but it didnt work from the web browser for whatever reason. I then opened it up in outlook no problem (it was just a word document from work).


eno-on: I get same error, cant find file

pigster: same thing


This is freakin unbelievable!!!! Thanks for the effort though guys.

[Obi_Kwiet]

You must have forgot to put the file extension after it. Windows does not always show them. The file name may be Random in Winodws but in DOS it might be random.exe. Just killed a file just like yours by adding .exe to it and doing it in command prompt. Just check what kind of file it is and add that extension to it. There's always an extension.

[MaxBoostTurbo]

try using ERD commander to access the disk

[doox00]

I have had this exact same thing happen to me twice in the past few months.

all you have to do is bring up task manager, end task on explorer.exe in processes tab, then click on file and run.. type cmd and hit enter, in the cmd window cd to your desktop "documents and settings"\username on xp\desktop
and del (filename)

if you do not know how to cd into documents and settings do this at the command prompt
cd\
cd "documents and settings"
cd (login/username)
cd desktop
del (filename)
exit
the file run, type explorer.exe and good to go

[Jawadali]

I saw this on another forum and thought it may help (haven't really read through it):

http://forums.pcper.com/showthread.php?t=391796

[eno-on]

then remove everything from the desktop, put it in a folder, then use
rmdir/s C:\Documents and Settings\*username*\Desktop\

[Ange062]

You must have forgot to put the file extension after it. Windows does not always show them. The file name may be Random in Winodws but in DOS it might be random.exe. Just killed a file just like yours by adding .exe to it and doing it in command prompt. Just check what kind of file it is and add that extension to it. There's always an extension.

nope, never assigned one when i saved, but tried many times after, and i always get the same error.

doox00: tried this many times if you read the post, its a no go.

I reformatted and installed XPx64, which so far seems awesome! Loads faster, and just seems snappier in general. Thanks for the help guys, but nothing seemed to work. I guess itll remain an UNSOLVED MYSERTY

[undeadsac]

I remember having a similar problem. GIPO's MoveonBoot worked for me. Here's a link to the freeware version http://www.gibinsoft.net/gipoutils/bin/moveonb.exe

great program, this is what Id use

[Ange062]

great program, this is what Id use


that didnt work either. Crazy stuff that was. I just reformatted and am trying out XPx64 now, which seems cool so far. Thanks for the help guys.