Can't delete/remove/change a foldername with a space at the end.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ant
  • Start date Start date
A

Ant

Hello. I am have a weird problem in Windows XP Professional SP1 (all
updates; 1 GB of RAM, Athlon XP 2200+, ASUS A7V333, etc.).

I am unable to delete a Start Menu folder "C:\Documents and Settings\All
Users\Start Menu\Programs\D-Link AirPlus Access Point " (note the ending
space). I couldn't delete it in command prompt (rd /s gives me ),
Explorer, Start Menu (both Classic and new one). Both explorer and Start
Menu errors (delete) are: "Error deleting file or folder -- Cannot
delete file: cannot read from the source file or disk."

I already ran chkdsk to fix any problems, and it didn't help to fix this
problem. Any ideas?

Thank you in advance. :)
--
"Cheerios: Hula-hoops for ants." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip Pi (Ant); The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )
 
Ant said:
Hello. I am have a weird problem in Windows XP Professional SP1 (all
updates; 1 GB of RAM, Athlon XP 2200+, ASUS A7V333, etc.).

I am unable to delete a Start Menu folder "C:\Documents and Settings\All
Users\Start Menu\Programs\D-Link AirPlus Access Point " (note the ending
space). I couldn't delete it in command prompt (rd /s gives me ),
Explorer, Start Menu (both Classic and new one). Both explorer and Start
Menu errors (delete) are: "Error deleting file or folder -- Cannot
delete file: cannot read from the source file or disk."

I already ran chkdsk to fix any problems, and it didn't help to fix this
problem. Any ideas?

Thank you in advance. :)
--
"Cheerios: Hula-hoops for ants." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip Pi (Ant); The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )
Click to expand...

Try rebooting into command prompt by clicking F8 at reboot.Windows may
be using file or folder.Or see if you have administrator rights to
modify folder.Also in properties it may be read only,uncheck that.
 
Hello. I am have a weird problem in Windows XP Professional SP1 (all
I haven't tried safe mode method yet. However, I did reboot twice to
delete it. Also, I can't right click (I doubt it will work) in Start
Menu. Nothing shows up. I can right click in Windows Explorer. However,
I get 0 byte, no type of file, no open with, no dates, unchecked
attributes, etc. Also, I tried both Administrator account and my account
with administrator access. Just now, I finished running Norton AntiVirus
2002 scan and found no infections.
Click to expand...

I forgot to mention this:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs>rd "D-Link
AirPlus Access Point "

The system cannot find the file specified.

I am going to go try safe mode after posting this.
--
"Cheerios: Hula-hoops for ants." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip Pi (Ant); The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )
 
I got it fixed! I tried using the short filename.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs>rd /s d-link~1
and poof, it went byebye!

Now, what the frick happened? Why couldn't I do the easier ways? Is this
a known bug in XP?


Hello. I am have a weird problem in Windows XP Professional SP1 (all
updates; 1 GB of RAM, Athlon XP 2200+, ASUS A7V333, etc.).

I am unable to delete a Start Menu folder "C:\Documents and Settings\All
Users\Start Menu\Programs\D-Link AirPlus Access Point " (note the ending
space). I couldn't delete it in command prompt (rd /s gives me ),
Explorer, Start Menu (both Classic and new one). Both explorer and Start
Menu errors (delete) are: "Error deleting file or folder -- Cannot
delete file: cannot read from the source file or disk."

I already ran chkdsk to fix any problems, and it didn't help to fix this
problem. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
--
"The shadows now so long do grow,... That brambles like tall cedars
show,... Molehills seem mountains, and the ant... Appears a monstrous
elephant." --Charles Cotton's poem
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Phillip Pi (Ant); The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: (e-mail address removed) or (e-mail address removed)
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )
 
I am not sure, but this sounds like something I read about as a way of
preventing people from deleting files by actually using an ASCII character
to make the space at the end of the filename. Using Windows to type in a
space is not the same, so you can't access the file because you are entering
the wrong name.
 
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