I have a file on my XP Pro that has a Size = 0 and the Type = File The Date
Modified info is 1/22/2004 10:02 PM.

When I try to delete the file, I get the following error message:

Cannot delete file: Cannot read from the source file or disk.

This file is in a section of the directory structure that I regularly
backup. But the backups are always interrupted and incompleted because of
this file. How can I get rid of this file?

....thanks, patrick

Hi patrick,

See if the information here is helpful:
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_undeletable_file.htm


Regards,

--
Patti MacLeod
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User

Does this particular file have a name? and exactly what
folder is it in? Give the whole directory.

>-----Original Message-----
>I have a file on my XP Pro that has a Size = 0 and the
Type = File The Date
>Modified info is 1/22/2004 10:02 PM.
>
>When I try to delete the file, I get the following error
message:
>
> Cannot delete file: Cannot read from the source file
or disk.
>
>This file is in a section of the directory structure
that I regularly
>backup. But the backups are always interrupted and
incompleted because of
>this file. How can I get rid of this file?
>
>....thanks, patrick
>
>
>.
>

Patti,

Thanks. I went to Kelly's and followed the directions in the tip, but no
success. The 0 byte sized file is still there.

....patrick
"Patti MacLeod" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:eFqfClP$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi patrick,
>
> See if the information here is helpful:
> http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_undeletable_file.htm
>
>
> Regards,
>
> --
> Patti MacLeod
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User
>
>

Wayne,

Hello. The file is in a folder that I created (ex: C:\MyFolder\MyFile).
When I view the properties for the file, I get the following:

Type of file: <blank>
Opens with: <blank>
Location: [path to file from root]
Size: 0 bytes
Size on disk: 0 bytes
Created: <blank>
Modified: <blank>
Accessed: <blank>
Attributes: RO=unchecked, H=unchecked

....patrick

"Wayne B." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:2f8101c3fcfa$9e788d30$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> Does this particular file have a name? and exactly what
> folder is it in? Give the whole directory.
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >I have a file on my XP Pro that has a Size = 0 and the
> Type = File The Date
> >Modified info is 1/22/2004 10:02 PM.
> >
> >When I try to delete the file, I get the following error
> message:
> >
> > Cannot delete file: Cannot read from the source file
> or disk.
> >
> >This file is in a section of the directory structure
> that I regularly
> >backup. But the backups are always interrupted and
> incompleted because of
> >this file. How can I get rid of this file?
> >
> >....thanks, patrick
> >
> >
> >.
> >

You're welcome. Try invoking Advanced Options on startup and choose to boot
into Safe Mode with Command Prompt, and see if you have any luck deleting
the file from there.


Regards,

--
Patti MacLeod
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User

Patti,

Thanks. I followed these steps and got another "no go" ( argh! ). Using
the command prompt, DIR shows the file in the folder, but when I execute DEL
myFileName, I get an error message that the file cannot be located in the
directory.

This is confusing, bewildering, and frustrating. CmdP and XP both display
the file when navigating through the directory structure, but neither of
them see the file when trying to act on it.

....Thanks for your help, Patrick

"Patti MacLeod" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:#qkzE4S$(E-Mail Removed)...
> You're welcome. Try invoking Advanced Options on startup and choose to
boot
> into Safe Mode with Command Prompt, and see if you have any luck deleting
> the file from there.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> --
> Patti MacLeod
> Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User
>
>

You're welcome. If I come up with another idea (which I don't have at the
moment) I'll pass it on to you.


Regards,

--
Patti MacLeod
Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User

If you haven't already,(which u probably have) change
the permissions on the thing and try to delete it then.
This file of yours is baffling.

Mcafee has a utility (if you're not familiar with it)
that deletes and/or shreds junk files and folders. You
can have it to shred your file of choice. Maybe that will
do it???????

This is a >>stretch<<, what I'm about to suggest here.
Go to Task Manager and hit 'processes'. Whatever
process that you're not familiar with, do an 'AOL search'
by just typing in the whole name. (including extention)
It >should< give you as one of your results a site called
liutilities.com. Go to that site and read the
description. If it's not a favorable process, end it in
task manager and go to YouR file and try deleting it
again. Some files are attached in a round-about way to
processes that should not be running anyway. I have
gotten rid of a couple of files that way.

I only suggest that you try this if you're familiar with
things of this nature. If you aren't, I WOULDN'T advise
you trying this at all. Don't want another unwanted
situation. Hope something works for you. Wayne B.

>-----Original Message-----
>Patti,
>
>Thanks. I followed these steps and got another "no go"
( argh! ). Using
>the command prompt, DIR shows the file in the folder,
but when I execute DEL
>myFileName, I get an error message that the file cannot
be located in the
>directory.
>
>This is confusing, bewildering, and frustrating. CmdP
and XP both display
>the file when navigating through the directory
structure, but neither of
>them see the file when trying to act on it.
>
>....Thanks for your help, Patrick
>
>"Patti MacLeod" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>news:#qkzE4S$(E-Mail Removed)...
>> You're welcome. Try invoking Advanced Options on
startup and choose to
>boot
>> into Safe Mode with Command Prompt, and see if you
have any luck deleting
>> the file from there.
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> --
>> Patti MacLeod
>> Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User
>>
>>
>
>
>.
>

"patrick allen" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:<uvpwCxL$(E-Mail Removed)>...
> I have a file on my XP Pro that has a Size = 0 and the Type = File The Date
> Modified info is 1/22/2004 10:02 PM.
>
> When I try to delete the file, I get the following error message:
>
> Cannot delete file: Cannot read from the source file or disk.
>
> This file is in a section of the directory structure that I regularly
> backup. But the backups are always interrupted and incompleted because of
> this file. How can I get rid of this file?
>
> ...thanks, patrick

A lot of solutions here : http://forums.techguy.org/t193280/s.html
Are you under NTFS ?
If you try dir /x in command prompt, do you see the sort name ?

Pierre.