Unable to rename, move or delete folder

[Peter Wilkins]

I have a folder which I cannot delete.
I no longer need it. It is not in use.
When I try to delete it, I get an error message:
"Cannot delete file: Cannot read from the source file or disk"
When I try to move it, I get the same message.
When I try to rename it, I get the same message.

I have run chkdsk /f, it makes no difference.

The folder works - I can copy files into it and move them out.
I can even delete files that are in the folder, but I cannot delete
the folder.

I have tried deleting it from within Windows and from a command
prompt, but no joy either way.

Any ideas on how I can get rid of this annoying folder please?

 

[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 CHKDSK and the New /C and /I switches
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/187941
<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

 

[Peter Wilkins]

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 WindowsXP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315688
snip

Sorry, I should have said that I went to the knowledge base first off,
so I've been there done all that, but nothing there matches, nothing
works, hence my plaintive plea in the newsgroup!

 

[witan]

Cannot delete file Cannot read from the source file or disk

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

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

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

How to Remove Files with Reserved Names in Windows XPhttp://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 CHKDSK and the New /C and /I switcheshttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/187941
<quote>
from...
You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volumehttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/320081

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

[snip]

Wesley's post is full of very useful information. One small query,
please: I read the article "explanation of CHKDSK and the New /C and /
I switcheshttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/187941", which says it
"APPLIES TO · Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server
Edition ..." etc., but does ***not*** specifically mention Windows-
XP. Why is XP omitted?

 

[witan]

Cannot delete file Cannot read from the source file or disk

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

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

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

How to Remove Files with Reserved Names in Windows XPhttp://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 CHKDSK and the New /C and /I switcheshttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/187941
<quote>
from...
You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volumehttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/320081

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

[snip]

Wesley's post is full of very useful information. One small query,
please: I read the article "explanation of CHKDSK and the New /C and /
I switcheshttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/187941", which says it
"APPLIES TO · Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server
Edition ..." etc., but does ***not*** specifically mention Windows-
XP. Why is XP omitted?

Sorry I was a bit hasty! In the article there is a link For a
Microsoft Windows XP version of this article, see 314835. (http://
support.microsoft.com/kb/314835/EN-US/)

 

[Nightowl]

Hi Peter

A few things to try (if you haven't already

1. Open a Command window, cd to the parent folder, then try to remove
the unwanted folder with RD /S [foldername] .

2. If that doesn't work, at the parent directory type DIR /X which
should show a directory listing of the "short" 8.3 filename of the
folder. Try the RD command as in 1 above using the short name.

3. Open a Command Window and open Task Manager. In TM on the Processes
tab, find explorer.exe and click on End Process. Leaving TM open, go to
the Command window and try 1 and/or 2 again. Afterwards return to TM,
click on File > New Task and type "explorer.exe" (without the quotes),
then click on OK to restore your desktop and taskbar.

Hope one of these helps; please let us know how you get on.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Delete - Can't Delete Files or Folders
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_d.htm#del

How To Delete "Undeletable" Files And Folders In XP
http://www.bootdisk.com/xptop20.htm#8

MANUALLY DELETING STUBBORN FILES
http://aumha.org/a/stubborn.php

How do I delete an "undeletable" file?
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_undeletable_file.htm

Delete A File That Is Seemingly "Undeletable"
http://www.theeldergeek.com/delete_undeletable_file.htm

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Peter Wilkins]

Hi Peter

A few things to try (if you haven't already

Thanks, at this stage, I'll try anything!

1. Open a Command window, cd to the parent folder, then try to remove
the unwanted folder with RD /S [foldername] .

Didn't work. Got message "The system cannot find the file specified"

2. If that doesn't work, at the parent directory type DIR /X which
should show a directory listing of the "short" 8.3 filename of the
folder. Try the RD command as in 1 above using the short name.

Didn't work. The folder doesn't have a 8.3 listing, just the full
folder name: "Lackey, Mercedes - Mage Storms 1-3 "

3. Open a Command Window and open Task Manager. In TM on the Processes
tab, find explorer.exe and click on End Process. Leaving TM open, go to
the Command window and try 1 and/or 2 again. Afterwards return to TM,
click on File > New Task and type "explorer.exe" (without the quotes),
then click on OK to restore your desktop and taskbar.

Same as before - "The system cannot find the file specified"

Hope one of these helps; please let us know how you get on.

I'm still working through Wesley's good suggestions but so far nothing
has worked. Very perplexing - the system cant find the folder, but I
can move files in and out of it and delete files from within it - just
cant delete the folder. Nothing is using it, I'm sure, but I'm about
to try everything from safe mode and from another user with admin
privs. I'll let you know if I get anywhere with it!

 

[cornedbeef007-groups]

Hi Peter

A few things to try (if you haven't already

Thanks, at this stage, I'll try anything!

1. Open a Command window, cd to the parent folder, then try to remove
the unwanted folder with RD /S [foldername] .

Didn't work. Got message "The system cannot find the file specified"

2. If that doesn't work, at the parent directory type DIR /X which
should show a directory listing of the "short" 8.3 filename of the
folder. Try the RD command as in 1 above using the short name.

Didn't work. The folder doesn't have a 8.3 listing, just the full
folder name: "Lackey, Mercedes - Mage Storms 1-3 "

3. Open a Command Window and open Task Manager. In TM on the Processes
tab, find explorer.exe and click on End Process. Leaving TM open, go to
the Command window and try 1 and/or 2 again. Afterwards return to TM,
click on File > New Task and type "explorer.exe" (without the quotes),
then click on OK to restore your desktop and taskbar.

Same as before - "The system cannot find the file specified"

Hope one of these helps; please let us know how you get on.

I'm still working through Wesley's good suggestions but so far nothing
has worked. Very perplexing - the system cant find the folder, but I
can move files in and out of it and delete files from within it - just
cant delete the folder. Nothing is using it, I'm sure, but I'm about
to try everything from safe mode and from another user with admin
privs. I'll let you know if I get anywhere with it!

I've had a few of these, and I've found that delinvfile from
http://www.purgeie.com/delinv/dldelinv.htm works for me, every time.

Good luck.
BarryG

 

[Peter Wilkins]

Delete - Can't Delete Files or Folders
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_d.htm#del

Initially got "Access denied" trying to open my folder when logged on
as Administrator, but when I went back to me, gave admin full
permission then logged on as admin again, I could access my folder and
follow the procedure but got "cannot delete file: cannot read from the
source file or disk"

How To Delete "Undeletable" Files And Folders In XP
http://www.bootdisk.com/xptop20.htm#8

Didn't work. Got error message "The system cannot find the file
specified"

I also tried from safe mode - same result.

MANUALLY DELETING STUBBORN FILES
http://aumha.org/a/stubborn.php

Basic didn't work - I will try downloading the recommended files
(HijackThis, IBProcMan, Advanced Process Manipulation, and Killbox.)
and try again.

How do I delete an "undeletable" file?
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_undeletable_file.htm

Didn't work. Got error message "The system cannot find the file
specified"

Delete A File That Is Seemingly "Undeletable"
http://www.theeldergeek.com/delete_undeletable_file.htm

Didn't work. Got error message "The system cannot find the file
specified"


I'm still working through your very good suggestions but so far
nothing has worked. Very perplexing - the system cant find the
folder, but I can move files in and out of it and delete files from
within it - just cant delete the folder. Nothing is using it, I'm
sure, as I've tried from safe mode and from another user with admin
privs. I'll let you know if I get anywhere with the last resort -
HijackThis, IBProcMan, Advanced Process Manipulation, and Killbox!

 

[Wesley Vogel]

According to this

folder name: "Lackey, Mercedes - Mage Storms 1-3 "

the folder has a trailing space in the name.

del "\\?\%userprofile%\Desktop\Lackey, Mercedes - Mage Storms 1-3 "

Or whatever the path to the folder really is. I thought that I read it was
on your desktop.

Cause 6: The file name includes an invalid name in the Win32 name space
You may not be able to delete a file if the file name includes an invalid
name (for example, the file name has a trailing space or a trailing period
or the file name is made up of a space only). To resolve this issue, use a
tool that uses the appropriate internal syntax to delete the file. You can
use the "\\?\" syntax with some tools to operate on these files, for
example:

del "\\?\c:\path_to_file_that contains a trailing space.txt "

The cause of this issue is similar to Cause 4. However, if you use typical
Win32 syntax to open a file that has trailing spaces or trailing periods in
its name, the trailing spaces or periods are stripped before the actual file
is opened. Therefore, if you have two files in the same folder named
"AFile.txt" and "AFile.txt " (note the space after the file name), if you
try to open the second file by using standard Win32 calls, you open the
first file instead. Similarly, if you have a file whose name is just " " (a
space character) and you try to open it by using standard Win32 calls, you
open the file's parent folder instead. In this situation, if you try to
change security settings on these files, you either may not be able to do
this or you may unexpectedly change the settings on different files. If this
behavior occurs, you may think that you have permission to a file that
actually has a restrictive ACL.
from...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320081

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Hi Peter

A few things to try (if you haven't already

Thanks, at this stage, I'll try anything!

1. Open a Command window, cd to the parent folder, then try to remove
the unwanted folder with RD /S [foldername] .

Didn't work. Got message "The system cannot find the file specified"

2. If that doesn't work, at the parent directory type DIR /X which
should show a directory listing of the "short" 8.3 filename of the
folder. Try the RD command as in 1 above using the short name.

Didn't work. The folder doesn't have a 8.3 listing, just the full
folder name: "Lackey, Mercedes - Mage Storms 1-3 "

3. Open a Command Window and open Task Manager. In TM on the Processes
tab, find explorer.exe and click on End Process. Leaving TM open, go to
the Command window and try 1 and/or 2 again. Afterwards return to TM,
click on File > New Task and type "explorer.exe" (without the quotes),
then click on OK to restore your desktop and taskbar.

Same as before - "The system cannot find the file specified"

Hope one of these helps; please let us know how you get on.

I'm still working through Wesley's good suggestions but so far nothing
has worked. Very perplexing - the system cant find the folder, but I
can move files in and out of it and delete files from within it - just
cant delete the folder. Nothing is using it, I'm sure, but I'm about
to try everything from safe mode and from another user with admin
privs. I'll let you know if I get anywhere with it!

 

[Nightowl]

[Nightowl]

Didn't work. The folder doesn't have a 8.3 listing, just the full
folder name: "Lackey, Mercedes - Mage Storms 1-3 "

Hmm, that's odd, the short name should be shown just to the left of the
long one. In your case I'd guess it's LACKEY~1.

I'm still working through Wesley's good suggestions but so far nothing
has worked. Very perplexing - the system cant find the folder, but I
can move files in and out of it and delete files from within it - just
cant delete the folder. Nothing is using it, I'm sure, but I'm about
to try everything from safe mode and from another user with admin
privs. I'll let you know if I get anywhere with it!

Please do -- it's always good to hear of another weapon against these
pesky files

 

[Peter Wilkins]

I've had a few of these, and I've found that delinvfile from
http://www.purgeie.com/delinv/dldelinv.htm works for me, every time.

Thanks Barry,
Downloaded and tried it.
It deleted a test folder OK, but not the one I want to delete.
When I try to delete the recalcitrant folder, it goes OK up to the
point of hitting the delete folder button (either one) when it says at
the bottom "Selected Folder "folder name", then when I hit the button,
the folder stays there and at the bottom it says "Error, no folder
selected for deletion".

Back to square one, sigh.

 

[Peter Wilkins]

According to this
the folder has a trailing space in the name.

Thanks again Wesley. On checking the folder does appear to have a
trailing space, but I tried all of the options below and in all cases
still got the message that the system cannot find the file specified.
I tried del, the "\\?\" syntax and rd /s, all same result.

chkdsk /f doesn't fix it either.

I'm stumped! I think I will just leave it there - it doesn't seem to
be doing any harm!

del "\\?\%userprofile%\Desktop\Lackey, Mercedes - Mage Storms 1-3 "

Or whatever the path to the folder really is. I thought that I read it was
on your desktop.

The actual path is:
"C:\Documents and Settings\Peter Wilkins\My
Documents\Downloads\Lackey, Mercedes - Mage Storms 1-3 "

 

[Peter Wilkins]

[Nightowl]

Didn't work. The folder doesn't have a 8.3 listing, just the full
folder name: "Lackey, Mercedes - Mage Storms 1-3 "

Hmm, that's odd, the short name should be shown just to the left of the
long one. In your case I'd guess it's LACKEY~1.

Thanks again.
That's what I thought, but the listing just gave spaces.
So I tried again with the expected "LACKEY~1 but still got the same
result, "the system cannot find the file specified".

I can see a format c:\ coming up! That's better than going to Vista!

 

[Nightowl]

Thanks again.
That's what I thought, but the listing just gave spaces.
So I tried again with the expected "LACKEY~1 but still got the same
result, "the system cannot find the file specified".

I can see a format c:\ coming up! That's better than going to Vista!

Eek, that's a bit drastic! (Though anything's better than going to
Vista!)

Peter, just a mad random thought: you said you could move files in and
out of the phantom folder? If you put a test file in it, then do a
Search for it, where does the search say the file is located?

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Just a thought, Peter, move everything out of

C:\Documents and Settings\Peter Wilkins\My Documents\Downloads

except the undeletable folder and try to delete the Downloads folder.

Probably get the same error, but it's worth a shot.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Peter Wilkins]

Just a thought, Peter, move everything out of

C:\Documents and Settings\Peter Wilkins\My Documents\Downloads

except the undeletable folder and try to delete the Downloads folder.

Probably get the same error, but it's worth a shot.

Yes, that was one of the first things I tried. Not quite the same
result - a similar but different error message which said "Cannot
delete Lackey, Mercedes - Mage storms 1-3 : Cannot find the specified
file. Make sure you specify the correct path and file name".

Thanks for your continuing help though, much appreciated.

 

[Peter Wilkins]

Eek, that's a bit drastic! (Though anything's better than going to
Vista!)

HaHa! I guess I won't do a format, but I won't be going to Vista
either with this machine - My 1.2G of RAM is OK but I only have 64M of
video RAM!

Peter, just a mad random thought: you said you could move files in and
out of the phantom folder? If you put a test file in it, then do a
Search for it, where does the search say the file is located?

When I created a file within the folder and then searched it said it
was in the undeletable folder.

But there is a change in behaviour when I now move a file into the
undeletable folder - a new folder is created with the same name as the
undeletable folder and the moved file goes into that. That new folder
can be deleted but the old one remains undeletable.

Thanks a lot for your help, much appreciated, but I give up!

 

[Nightowl]

es, that was one of the first things I tried. Not quite the same
result - a similar but different error message which said "Cannot
delete Lackey, Mercedes - Mage storms 1-3 : Cannot find the specified
file. Make sure you specify the correct path and file name".

You did put quotes around the folder name, didn't you?