HELP: File Deletion Problem

[Ted Rodrick]

I'm running WindowsXP on a 2.8 GHz sytem. A few months ago I
purchased a 250 GB External HD (Maxtor One Touch 250). I have
approx 120 GB of data (multimedia files) on that external HD.
I'm not sure it matters, but the external drive is connected
via USB 2.0.

A week or so ago ... while doing some file management tasks
on the external drive using Windows Explorer ... I experienced
a hard system crash (total system freeze, had to turn system
power off to get out of it). Some (quite a few) files got
"clobbered," apparently. From Windows Explorer, they show
up as *very* large (greater than 2 GB), even though the
actual files originally were in the 1-to-10 MB size range.
The PROBLEM is that I am unable to delete these files; in
fact, if I even attempt to "select" any of these files in
either Windows Explorer or My Computer, the file manager
applet freezes, and is non-responsive (have to envoke Task
Manager to escape). When I attempt to delete a subdirectory
containing any of these corrupt files (Right-click, Delete),
the attempt fails ... get a Dialog Box saying "unable to
access/read on or more files. The cumulative aggregate of
these "munged" files is eating up some 90 GB of space on
the external HD; since I have some 120 GB of "normal" files
on the external 250 GB drive, I now have only some 40 GB of
"free" space on the drive.

I assume that ... if I took the Draconian step of *formatting*
the external drive, these humongous corrupt files would indeed
vanish; however, so would the approx 120 GB of good data. I
have a DVD-Burner, but the thought of burning some 30 DVDs
to backup the "good" data is daunting.

So ... to summarize the problem ... 30+ corrupt files that
appear (to a file manager) to be 2+ GB each, eating up a
*lot* of HD space ... and no obvious (at least to me) way
to delete them (without taking a lot of "good" data with
them. Oh yeah ... one other thing ... I attempted to run
CHKDISK on the external drive (with autofix button selected)
and that process fails ("Unable to Complete" error message).

If anyone can suggest a corrective action (other than
formatting the dang drive), I would be *MOST* grateful.

TIA,

Ted Rodrick

 

[Guest]

Open a command prompt (assuming W2K or XP)

Look at the system time - say it is 18:23

Type: AT 18:24 /interactive cmd.exe

When the clock strikes 18:24, the AT scheduler will start a CMD window,
running under the system account (which generally has higher privileges than
a mere admin account)
If you start regedit, for example, you can access those security registry
keys that are blocked to you as an admin.

Anyway, from the system cmd prompt - try typing DEL followed by the filename
of one of the "very large" files. If you can't delete it from a system
command prompt, then you are royally stuffed.
Find someone with a big empty hard disk and a USB2 port, dump the good data,
and reformat.

EdT

 

[roger]

Hi ted,
[...]

So ... to summarize the problem ... 30+ corrupt files that
appear (to a file manager) to be 2+ GB each, eating up a
*lot* of HD space ... and no obvious (at least to me) way
to delete them (without taking a lot of "good" data with
them. Oh yeah ... one other thing ... I attempted to run
CHKDISK on the external drive (with autofix button selected)
and that process fails ("Unable to Complete" error message).

If anyone can suggest a corrective action (other than
formatting the dang drive), I would be *MOST* grateful.

You can try booting from the XP CD, going to the Recovery console and
deleting your files there with the del command. (or rd /s command in
case of directories)
This will work if you have XP Pro, before doing this you have to
increase the Recovery Console capabilities, so as to use Set
AllowAllPaths = TRUE

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=kb;en-us;Q314058

http://www.theeldergeek.com/recovery_console.htm
Note the registry edit halfway down the scroll. This makes the
Recovery Console not to ask for a password.

310497 - HOW TO: Add More Power to Recovery Console By Using Group
Policy in Windows XP Professional
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310497

Good luck

 

[Ted Rodrick]

Hi Roger

Hi ted,
[...]

So ... to summarize the problem ... 30+ corrupt files that
appear (to a file manager) to be 2+ GB each, eating up a
*lot* of HD space ... and no obvious (at least to me) way
to delete them (without taking a lot of "good" data with
them. Oh yeah ... one other thing ... I attempted to run
CHKDISK on the external drive (with autofix button selected)
and that process fails ("Unable to Complete" error message).

If anyone can suggest a corrective action (other than
formatting the dang drive), I would be *MOST* grateful.

You can try booting from the XP CD, going to the Recovery console and
deleting your files there with the del command. (or rd /s command in
case of directories)
This will work if you have XP Pro, before doing this you have to
increase the Recovery Console capabilities, so as to use Set
AllowAllPaths = TRUE

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=kb;en-us;Q314058

http://www.theeldergeek.com/recovery_console.htm
Note the registry edit halfway down the scroll. This makes the
Recovery Console not to ask for a password.

310497 - HOW TO: Add More Power to Recovery Console By Using Group
Policy in Windows XP Professional
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310497

Good luck

I am running WindowsXP Pro (actually titled Media Center Edition),
but ... unfortunately ... it is an OEM version that came pre-
installed on this HP Media Center PC m270n. Therefore, I do
*NOT* have a WindowsXP CD; the system came with a 5GB partition
on the internal hard drive that HP "tech support" claims has
everything that comes on the MicrosoftXP Installation CD; this
*may* be true, but I don't think it's possible to BOOT from
the D:\ partition. Shame on me for not making sure that the
system I purchased *did* come with WindowsXP CD and whatever
manuals come with the separate purchase of WindowsXP.

I appreciate your suggestions and I will research the "Recovery Console"
(starting with your indicated links.

Thanks for trying to help.

Ted Rodrick

 

[Ted Rodrick]

Hi santa,

Open a command prompt (assuming W2K or XP)

Look at the system time - say it is 18:23

Type: AT 18:24 /interactive cmd.exe

When the clock strikes 18:24, the AT scheduler will start a CMD window,
running under the system account (which generally has higher privileges than
a mere admin account)
If you start regedit, for example, you can access those security registry
keys that are blocked to you as an admin.

Anyway, from the system cmd prompt - try typing DEL followed by the filename
of one of the "very large" files. If you can't delete it from a system
command prompt, then you are royally stuffed.
Find someone with a big empty hard disk and a USB2 port, dump the good data,
and reformat.

EdT

I tried the first suggestion; I get a response of "can't find
indicated filepath;" this may (or may not) be due to the fact
that I'm using "long filenames" ... essentially a block of four
alphanumeric characters followed by a string of numbers. OTOH,
maybe I'm just making keyboarding mistake (since the "large" files
in question are "unselectable" I can't use "copy and paste"
techniques to ensure accurate filename). It doesn't help that
the subject files are three layers down in nested folders on
the external drive ... which are putting me over the max characters
per line in the command-prompt mode. <chagrin>

I don't have access to anyone that meets the criteria for the
second suggestion, so ... if I take the *format* approach, I
will have to burn 30+ DVDs to preserve my "good" data. <ouch>

I was hoping there might be a Utility out there (even if I had
to purchase it) that simply *eradicate* a folder, even if it
contained some corrupt files.

Thanks for trying to help,

Ted Rodrick

 

[roger]

Hi,

[...]

I am running WindowsXP Pro (actually titled Media Center Edition),
but ... unfortunately ... it is an OEM version that came pre-
installed on this HP Media Center PC m270n. Therefore, I do
*NOT* have a WindowsXP CD; the system came with a 5GB partition
on the internal hard drive that HP "tech support" claims has
everything that comes on the MicrosoftXP Installation CD; this
*may* be true, but I don't think it's possible to BOOT from
the D:\ partition. Shame on me for not making sure that the
system I purchased *did* come with WindowsXP CD and whatever
manuals come with the separate purchase of WindowsXP.

I appreciate your suggestions and I will research the "Recovery Console"
(starting with your indicated links.

Thanks for trying to help.

Ted Rodrick

You're welcome. Ted.

If you can't get the Recovery Console try this:
Open a command prompt (running cmd.exe from Start > Run) navigate to
the directory of the files using cd, cd..
Open task manager (Ctrl + Alt + Del) and from it close windows
explorer.

Now delete the files from the command prompt using del
name_of_file.extension.

If you want to get rid of a troublesome folder follow the same steps.
just situate yourself on the parent directory and type:
rd troublesome_directory /s

Go to task manager, and in 'New Task' enter explorer.exe.

Good luck

 

[Willie]

Don't beat yourself up over the "NO CD Thing"...Many people don't think of
that when buying a "Factory built machine"...You may be able to go to the
MFGR's web site, and I was told that for about $35 you "May" be able to
obtain discs...not sure though...good luck

Willie

Shame on me for not making sure that the

 

[Peter A. Stavrakoglou]

Hi ted,
[...]

So ... to summarize the problem ... 30+ corrupt files that
appear (to a file manager) to be 2+ GB each, eating up a
*lot* of HD space ... and no obvious (at least to me) way
to delete them (without taking a lot of "good" data with
them. Oh yeah ... one other thing ... I attempted to run
CHKDISK on the external drive (with autofix button selected)
and that process fails ("Unable to Complete" error message).

If anyone can suggest a corrective action (other than
formatting the dang drive), I would be *MOST* grateful.

You can try booting from the XP CD, going to the Recovery console and
deleting your files there with the del command. (or rd /s command in
case of directories)
This will work if you have XP Pro, before doing this you have to
increase the Recovery Console capabilities, so as to use Set
AllowAllPaths = TRUE

Description of the Windows XP Recovery Console
http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=kb;en-us;Q314058

http://www.theeldergeek.com/recovery_console.htm
Note the registry edit halfway down the scroll. This makes the
Recovery Console not to ask for a password.

310497 - HOW TO: Add More Power to Recovery Console By Using Group
Policy in Windows XP Professional
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310497

Good luck

Roger: just to confirm in the event I ever run into this problem with
my external drives - Windows can "see" USB drives when it is in
Recovery Console?

 

[roger]

Hi,

Roger: just to confirm in the event I ever run into this problem with
my external drives - Windows can "see" USB drives when it is in
Recovery Console?

If you're using Windows XP Pro and use the article above to support
the commands set AllowAllPaths = TRUE
set AllowRemovableMedia = TRUE
very probably it will see them, with these commands enabled it can see
the floppy drive and the CD ROM drive.

You might want to check, by enabling these commands in gpedit.msc and
seeing if the Recovery Console effectively sees the USB drives.

Good luck