File won't delete

[Richard LeBlanc]

How do you delete a file that is empty and won't delete?

 

[Guest]

Richard,

What is the filename?
What is it's location?
Extension?
Have you tried to delete it in safe mode?

 

[Richard LeBlanc]

I am in error. It is a folder on a separate partition on the hard drive.

 

[Pegasus [MVP]]

Repeating some of SPAMCOP's questions (and adding my own):- What happens when you try to delete it?
- What error messages do you see?

 

[ju.c]

These are the best apps for file deletion, all free.

Unlocker 237 KB
Info: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/
Download: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/unlocker1.8.7.exe

KillBox 90 KB
Info: http://www.killbox.net/
Download: http://www.killbox.net/downloads/KillBox.exe

FileASSASSIN 163 KB
Info: http://www.malwarebytes.org/fileassassin.php
Download: http://www.malwarebytes.org/fa-setup.exe

DelinvFile 600 KB
Info: http://www.purgeie.com/delinv/index.htm
Download: http://www.purgeie.com/dl/divfinst.exe


This is a trick to delete an undeletable file by restoring a file over it with a file
created with the same name using a drive imaging program.

Instructions:

1. Create a text file and write in it a couple of letters.
2. Save that file in your root drive (C: for example) with the
same exact name and extension as the file you want to delete.
3. Now make a backup your new file (I used Acronis True Image).
4. Open your backup program and restore the file you created to
the folder where the undeletable file is, overwriting it.
4. Now you can delete it!
5. Run chkdsk


ju.c

 

[Twayne]

These are the best apps for file deletion, all free.

Unlocker 237 KB
Info: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/
Download: http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/unlocker1.8.7.exe

KillBox 90 KB
Info: http://www.killbox.net/
Download: http://www.killbox.net/downloads/KillBox.exe

FileASSASSIN 163 KB
Info: http://www.malwarebytes.org/fileassassin.php
Download: http://www.malwarebytes.org/fa-setup.exe

DelinvFile 600 KB
Info: http://www.purgeie.com/delinv/index.htm
Download: http://www.purgeie.com/dl/divfinst.exe


This is a trick to delete an undeletable file by restoring a file
over it with a file created with the same name using a drive imaging
program.

Instructions:

1. Create a text file and write in it a couple of letters.
2. Save that file in your root drive (C: for example) with the
same exact name and extension as the file you want to delete.
3. Now make a backup your new file (I used Acronis True Image).
4. Open your backup program and restore the file you created to
the folder where the undeletable file is, overwriting it.
4. Now you can delete it!
5. Run chkdsk


ju.c

Interesting. Here it only created fname(2) instead of overwriting it
though. Can the issue be forced somehow?

Twayne

 

[ju.c]

Yes, you can force overwriting a file instead of renaming it by
changing the setting for your backup program to overwrite by
default.


ju.c

 

[Robin Clay]

Interesting. Here it only created fname(2) instead of overwriting it
though. Can the issue be forced somehow?

B E W A R E !!!

I had this problem a while back.

A minor text file at the end of a long path (i.e. in a minor folder) just
WOULD NOT DELETE ! I deleted all the other files and lots of folders along
the path, but this one WOULD NOT GO !

Eventually, by brute force I managed to get rid of it.

It was cross-linked, and I lost my entire "My Pictures" folder, which CHKDSK
converted into - wait for it - seventy thousand separate files !

So do a complete back-up FIRST !!!!

Yes, I know, you've done that...... haven't you !


Regards

Robin

 

[Richard LeBlanc]

Thank you for all the help. I will try some of these ideas out

 

[ju.c]

You're welcome.

Please let us know what worked or didn't, thanks.