re: It's possible!
Friday, January 24, 2003 at 4:45 pm
Windows XP Annoyances Discussion Forum
Posted by RobinWood
(1 messages posted)
"No pain", but this method won't work in most difficult cases... like invalid files
names, folders within recycle bin (harckers sometimes use Norton recycler folder
to store files!), or unwanted files uploaded on your FTP server.
After a few hours I found a solution (I have win XP and two NTFS partitions). It
should work in a few very annoying cases. At first, I've tried many things using
the command (dos-like) windows of XP, then using safe mode, using rename, move, replace,
check disk, ending Explorer.exe, rebooting, even changing permissions (owner), using
cacls.exe, rather files utilities, etc. all had no effect. Nothing succeeded to remove
strange files within my recycle bin. I could move them, but never delete them. At
last I found an article on Microsoft support site. I had many file (using 2 GB of
my Harddrive!) with invalid names and extension (something like 00024590.), and even
no way to change files properties. Each time I tried to remove them I got the famous
"Cannot find the specified file" or "invalid path", "cannot delete"... messages.
If you are in the same case, try this:
If the files you want to delete are on c:\temp, go click on Run in the Start Menu
and launch the command windows (type: cmd). Then type exactly:
del "\\?\c:\temp\FILENAME.XXX" (XXX = file extension)
Confirm delete by YES. If you have many files in the same directory or if you have
no valid file extension, just type:
del "\\?\c:\temp\*.*"
(It works! but don't forge the " ")
There was one file that I could not delete. It looked exactly like others files but
I cannot delete it. Fortunatly, I found an option to delete it (it's a problem related
with 8.3 File names on NTFS). Just add this command option:
del "\\?\c:\temp\FILENAME.XXX" /a
or, if you have a few file or files with invalid extension:
del "\\?\c:\temp\*.*" /a
It should be OK. Then, you can remove the empty folder just using "rd" command (ex:
c:\rd temp)
I cannot explain what is the relation with "8.3 Files names" on NTFS and "uneradicable
files". But if this last option still not work, try to desactived "8.3 files names"
(it's only a registry value to change, you can find this easily on the web, or use
a tweak program, like Tweak-XP pro - then, reboot and try again!).
You can find more information on the Microsoft page, with a few others methods to
delete unwanted files, depending on your problem:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320081
Good luck !
PS: If it does not work, and to make sure quickly that your problem has no relation
with windows permissions, type the command CACLS at the root of your HD, followed
by the path of the directory containing the undeletable files. Example:
cacls c:\temp
If your computer name is BIGBOSS, your user name Robert, you should see (at least):
BIGBOSS\Robert: (OI) (CI) F
The "F" means you have full access. So, there is probably no problem with permissions.
You can find more info about cacls.exe commands on the web.
On Wednesday, January 22, 2003 at 5:45 am, gold_archimedes wrote:
>Haha, guys, I have discovered a method that works for some "undeletable" files.
>
>
>Just create a text file (empty one) in another folder (other than the folder that
>contains that particular file).
>Rename the txt file to the name of the file that is not-removable. Then click and
>drop the newly created and named file into the folder containing the stuborn file.
>
>This will overwrite the original file with the one you have just created.
>
>Well, for all the dummies out there, this is a clean-cut method. No need to learn
>DOS prompt, no need to start with DOS mode.....no pain (unfortunately there will
>always be pain with windows around).
>
>
- Written in response to:
- re: Cannot delete a file in XP (gold_archimedes: Wednesday, January 22, 2003 at 5:45 am)
Responses to this message:
 | Bravo! (jgirl: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 at 5:58 am) |
| uau (tartar: Monday, February 9, 2004 at 2:11 am) |
|
|
All messages in this thread [show all]
 |  | | | |  | re: It's possible! (RobinWood: Fri, Jan 24, 2003, 4:45 pm) |
| | | | | | | Bravo! (jgirl: Wed, May 21, 2003, 5:58 am) |
| | | | | | | uau (tartar: Mon, Feb 9, 2004, 2:11 am) |
| | | | | | |  | re: uau (electroguy: Tue, Aug 17, 2004, 8:36 pm) |
| | | | | | | |  | re: uau (ah-jay: Wed, Oct 17, 2007, 1:05 am) |
| |
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