Cannot delete a large file (566 Mb).

[Lev]

Cannot delete a large file (566 Mb).

I cannot delete d (without extension) file from C:\Windows. I tried many
different ways:

from under Boot Disk;

from under BartPE CD;

by special utilities.

My Explorer context menu has the Delete file on the next boot position now
for all other files, except the d file.

My system shows it by the dir command, but gives File Not Found on the del
command.

Can somebody help me?

Thanks in advance

Lev

 

[Guest]

What type of file is it.Usually one can R.click a file,select open,then delete
parts of the file emptying recycle bin after each.

 

[Taurarian]

Can't Delete a File or Folder in XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_d.htm#del"

For more information see these links if required:-
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320081
You Cannot Delete a File or a Folder
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;298345
"Access Denied" Error Message When You Try to Delete a File
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;319368
You Receive an "Access Denied" Error Message When You Delete Folders from a Mounted
Drive

 

[Guest]

Try MoveOnBoot:
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/moveonboot.html

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Lev.

Well, as I'm sure you know, there is no valid file named C:\Windows\d in
WinXP. I would be very interested to know what you see if you right-click
on that filename and click Properties. What is the date and time on the
file? I suspect that some kind of malware created it and your problem may
be somewhat bigger than just trying to delete a rogue file. :>(

But, assuming a simple deletion is all you need: Open a "DOS" window and
enter:
dir C:\windows\d* /x

The /x switch should show you the SFN (Short File Name, also known as the
8.3 filename) for the file that appears to be named "d". Every file has to
have a name that complies with the 8.3 filename rules, even if it also has a
LFN. And a filename need not really be long to be a Long File Name; if it
includes a space or other character that is not valid in MS-DOS, a SFN will
be created for it, even if it appears to be only a single character long.
Sometimes the dir /x command shows a quite unexpected SFN for what appears
to be a perfectly legitimate LFN. You might even find that there is a
non-printing leading character BEFORE the visible "d".

My system shows it by the dir command, but gives File Not Found on the del
command.

Perhaps the S (System) or R (Read-only) attribute is set, but not H
(Hidden). Enter: attrib d*.* to see all attributes of all files starting
with d. Or, just to brute-force all attributes away: attrib -r -h -s d*.*

Have you tried del /a? This should delete the file, even if it has some
attributes set.

And then there is always the good old Remove Directory command with the /s
switch. You don't really want to do this to your C:\Windows folder, but if
you can Move or otherwise isolate that problem file in a folder by itself,
then you can wipe out the whole folder, with all its contents, by entering:
rd <foldername> /s When it asks, say Yes, you're sure.

As always in a "DOS" window, type the command followed by /? to see a
mini-Help file listing the switches and parameters available with that
command: dir /?

Tell us exactly what you try and exactly what results you see.

RC

 

[Lev]

Thank to all, but I cannot delete the file as before.

I tried dir C:\windows\d* /x command, but there were nothing like d file -
not by size, not by date.

I tried attrib d*.* command, but I've seen only the files as by
C:\windows\d* /x command.

When I call the file Properties from Total Commander, I do not receive
anything.

When I call the file Properties from Windows Explorer, I do see the
Properties window. In that window: Size is 0 bytes, Size on disk is 0 bytes
and there are no dates - Created, Modified, Accessed. But in the Windows
Explorer window the file has size (565 723 136 bytes) and date (11/06/2004).

By the way I had other d file in the Temporary Internet Files folder and in
the ULKFYHA5 subfolder (or something like this). That d file had the same
date and the similar size (a bit smaller). It was only one file in the
subfolder and I deleted that subfolder along with the d file. But I was be
able to do this only from under Boot Disk, when my WinXP was not active.

Thanks to all

Lev

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, Lev.

Too bad none of those techniques worked for you. :>(

By the way I had other d file in the Temporary Internet Files folder and
in the ULKFYHA5 subfolder (or something like this).

The TIF folders don't behave like "normal" WinXP files and can't be managed
in the same ways. Under the Content.IE5 folder, there typically are 4
subfolders with randomly-created names (like ULKFYHA5). Trying to manage
(delete, rename, etc.) any of these from Windows Explorer - or from the
"DOS" window - is likely to be frustrating. The official way is to open an
IE window and click Tools | Internet Options..., and then use the TIF
section on the first (General) tab to manipulate files and cookies, even
moving the entire TIF to another location (restarting IE probably will be
required). Another way, as you found, is to boot into something other than
that copy of WinXP - you used a "Boot Disk" - so that those files are not
under the control of that OS:

That d file had the same date and the similar size (a bit smaller). It was
only one file in the subfolder and I deleted that subfolder along with the
d file. But I was be able to do this only from under Boot Disk, when my
WinXP was not active.

Another way is to boot into a SECOND COPY of WinXP, what Microsoft calls a
parallel install. This is easy if you have enough disk space (preferably in
another volume). Just boot from the WinXP CD-ROM and tell Setup to clean
install WinXP again (see below). Then boot into that copy of WinXP and use
Windows Explorer from there to navigate to C:\Windows and delete the file
"d" from there. (When you are finished, you can either boot into your main
WinXP and delete that second WinXP by removing its "boot folder" (X:\Windows
?) - or keep it available as a dual-boot option in case it is needed again.

For instructions on how to perform a parallel install, see the topic,
"Install Windows XP to a new folder", in this KB article:
How to install or upgrade to Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316941

RC

 

[Lev]

Thank you, R. C. White.

"Under the Content.IE5 folder, there typically are 4
subfolders with randomly-created names (like ULKFYHA5)."

I have 24 subfolders there, I don't know why! But the folder with d file had
not a special sign (dotted strip) like other subfolders there had (when I
saw them from under Volkov-commander). It was not a normal Content.IE5
folder.

"Another way is to boot into a SECOND COPY of WinXP, what Microsoft calls a
parallel install: and use Windows Explorer from there to navigate to
C:\Windows and delete the file "d" from there."

I tried to delete the d file from under: 1) Boot Disk, 2) Bart PE CD
(WinXP), 3) by Delete file on the next boot - and all of these ways were in
vain. I think that parallel install will give the same result, but it's very
laborious.
Are there other ways? Help, please

Lev

 

[Michael W. Ryder]

Thank to all, but I cannot delete the file as before.

I tried dir C:\windows\d* /x command, but there were nothing like d file
- not by size, not by date.

Did you try dir C:\windows\*d* /x to see if there was a special
character in front of the d?

 

[David Candy]

There is NOT normally 4. There is 1 per 25 Mb of files being stored. Certainly many computers have 4. I think but aren't sure there is a min of 4.