Ghost file

[Ray]

Windows X Pro Sp2

A jpg image was downloaded to an image file. When I try to delete it I get
the message "Cannot delete file: Cannot read from the source file or disk."

Properties show it as 0 bytes and 0 size but the file name remains in the
directory. I deleted the one reference in the registry, opened Safe Mode and
located the file with the same message "Cannot delete ...

There must be a way to remove it but it's a mighty sneaky one. I used three
different virus searchers with no hits.

Ray

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Cannot delete file Cannot read from the source file or disk

You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320081

See: Invalid File Names here...
How to locate and correct disk space problems on NTFS volumes in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315688

How to Remove Files with Reserved Names in Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/120716

How to Remove Files with Reserved Names in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315226

<quote>
Cause 3: File system corruption is preventing access to the file
You may not be able to delete the file if the file system is corrupted. To
resolve this issue, run the Chkdsk utility on the disk volume to correct any
errors.

Bad sectors on the disk, other faulty hardware, or software bugs can corrupt
the file system and put files in a problematic state. Typical operations may
fail in a variety of ways. When the file system detects corruption, it logs
an event to the event log and you typically receive a message that prompts
you to run Chkdsk. Depending on the nature of the corruption, Chkdsk may or
may not be able to recover file data; however, Chkdsk returns the file
system to an internally consistent state. For additional information about
using the Chkdsk utility, click the following article numbers to view the
articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Error message: The file or directory is corrupt...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/176646

An explanation of the new /C and /I Switches that are available to use with
Chkdsk.exe
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314835
<quote>
from...
You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320081


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Ray]

Tried all the listed sites with no help. The file in question is named
"chickendinner.jpg." - A dot after jpg. I can do nothing with the file at
all. Cannot rename, move or delete.

Thanks anyway.

Ray

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Ray,

With chickendinner.jpg. the trailing period makes it an invalid name.

Cause 6: The file name includes an invalid name in the Win32 name space
here...
You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320081

Try this to delete the file.

Open a command prompt...
Start | Run | Type: cmd | Click OK |
In the command prompt window type or paste:

del "\\?\

Drag the file into the command prompt so you do not have to type the name
and path.
Click on the command prompt Title bar to give it focus.
Make sure that there are NOT three double quotes, only two, like...

C:\>del "\\?\%userprofile%\Desktop\New.txt"

Then hit enter.

del is the delete command. Deletes specified files.

\\?\ turns off some checking of illegal names as a side effect of allowing
paths up to 32,000 characters.

Dragging the file into the command prompt automatically types the path &
file name and adds the double quotes.

Ignore what Outlook Express is trying to make into hyperlinks, i.e. \\?\
that can be copied and pasted into a command prompt or into Notepad and then
into a command prompt.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In