Weird file on my desktop

[Bill]

Got a weird one here hopefully someone can help...I run XP pro with SP2 and
use outlook express as my mail client. I received an email from my boss and
it had a file attached with some work related data in a pdf document. the
file for some reason had an extension of (59.7KB) parenthesis and all and
a space before the first parenthesis. Outlook express would not let me
simply
open this file like normal, I got an error message saying I had no
associated file type for it (of course, who does?) so I saved it to my
desktop. When I did there were 2 files instead, one transparent like a
hidden or system file and a size of 0KB?? I deleted both files when I was
done and after a reboot the transparent file came back and will not go
away!! when I try to delete or move it I get an error message stating that
the source file cannot be found. I'm sure I could probably hide it, but that
still doesn't fix the issue. Any help anyone? BTW Norton antivirus 2002
always updated gives a clean bill of health, so not a virus.....
--

 

[Haggis]

Got a weird one here hopefully someone can help...I run XP pro with SP2
and use outlook express as my mail client. I received an email from my
boss and it had a file attached with some work related data in a pdf
document. the file for some reason had an extension of (59.7KB)
parenthesis and all and a space before the first parenthesis. Outlook
express would not let me simply
open this file like normal, I got an error message saying I had no
associated file type for it (of course, who does?) so I saved it to my
desktop. When I did there were 2 files instead, one transparent like a
hidden or system file and a size of 0KB?? I deleted both files when I was
done and after a reboot the transparent file came back and will not go
away!! when I try to delete or move it I get an error message stating that
the source file cannot be found. I'm sure I could probably hide it, but
that still doesn't fix the issue. Any help anyone? BTW Norton antivirus
2002 always updated gives a clean bill of health, so not a virus.....
--

you could boot to safe mode ...navigate to c:\documents and
settings\*user*\desktop

and delete the file

 

[Bill]

That's a no-go. Will not delete in safe mode either. Same error
message...."Cannot delete file - cannot read from source file or disk" any
other suggestions?

--

 

[...D.]

That's a no-go. Will not delete in safe mode either. Same error
message...."Cannot delete file - cannot read from source file or disk" any
other suggestions?

I once had to rename a file before could delete it.. Try it already?

...D.

 

[Bill]

Tried that too and get the same error message. same thing no matter what I
do.



--

 

[Rock]

Tried that too and get the same error message. same thing no matter what I
do.

I don't know what you've tried but here are some suggestions:

1. Start | Run | Cmd | Navigate to the directory; del <filename>

2.

1. Close all open programs.
2. Open a command prompt.
3. Right-click the taskbar, and select Task Manager.
4. On the Processes tab, select Explorer.exe, and click the End
Process button.
5. Minimize Task Manager, but don't close it.
6. At the command prompt, use the Delete command to remove the
file, and close the command prompt.
7. In Task Manager, go to File | New Task (Run).
8. In the Create New Task dialog box, enter Explorer.exe, and
click OK.
9. Close Task Manager.

3. Boot into Safe Mode _with Command Prompt_. It is one of the choices
from the Safe mode menu. Try deleting the files and removing the
directory from the command line using the del and rd commands. Type the
command followed by /? to see a list of options.

4. Recovery Console: Start the computer with the Windows installation
CD in the CD drive. [Note this will not work with recovery CD's. You
need a windows install CD]. If need be enter the BIOS to set the CD
drive as bootable. After it boots from the CD take the first option for
repair which will take you to the Recovery Console. Assume the
administrator password is blank unless your friend put a password on
this special account, then enter that. Once in there you must issue a
command to allow seeing all the directories. Type in :

Set AllowAllPaths = true, then hit the enter key.

Then try to delete the files and remove the directory. Make sure you
know how to navigate through the directory structure with the cd command
so you don't inadvertently delete something you don't want to. Note
that even with the AllowAllPaths variable set you might not be able to
access all directories from command console.

5. Use the utility "Move on Boot". This marks the file to be deleted
at the next reboot before it can be locked.
http://www.gibinsoft.net/gipoutils

6. Use the Wininit.ini file: Note I haven't used this just read about
it in Windows XP Annoyances:

a. Open Windows Explorer and go to the \Windows folder
b. Double click the wininit.ini file.
i. If this doesn't exist create one with notepad. Once created type
this as the first line: "[rename]" without the quotes but with the
brackets.
ii. If it does exist it should be blank except for the [rename]
section. If it isn't then it was created to install an app.
c. Under the [rename] section on a line by itself add the following line:
i. NUL=c:\folder\filename.ext where c: is the drive where the files
are located, folder is the folder name and filename.ext is the filename.
You can specify as many lines as you want, one for each file to delete.
d. Save the wininit.ini file
e. Restart windows.

 

[Bill]

None of this works, any of the previously mentioned suggestions result in
being informed that the file cannot be found. the exact file name as shown
by explorer is "pagesfromoptbeefhandlingmanual." without the quotes. I tried
the program mentioned and after requesting and receiving my evaluation key
the program informs me that the same key I just receiced and placed where
necessary is now invalid. it still seems to function though and even prompts
me for a reboot after selecting the designated file
to be deleted. Machine reboots the file is still there. The file is on my
desktop so I even deleted my desktop folder and the damn thing was still
there. One other thing to note..there is one other accou7nt on this machine
besides mine and the default and this file appears to be invisible to all
other accounts. stumping....any other ideas on getting rid of this stubborn
beast?



--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remember life is not a box of chocolates it's a jar of
jalapenos...what you do today could burn your ass
tomorrow!!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tried that too and get the same error message. same thing no matter what
I do.

I don't know what you've tried but here are some suggestions:

1. Start | Run | Cmd | Navigate to the directory; del <filename>

2.

1. Close all open programs.
2. Open a command prompt.
3. Right-click the taskbar, and select Task Manager.
4. On the Processes tab, select Explorer.exe, and click the End Process
button.
5. Minimize Task Manager, but don't close it.
6. At the command prompt, use the Delete command to remove the file,
and close the command prompt.
7. In Task Manager, go to File | New Task (Run).
8. In the Create New Task dialog box, enter Explorer.exe, and click
OK.
9. Close Task Manager.

3. Boot into Safe Mode _with Command Prompt_. It is one of the choices
from the Safe mode menu. Try deleting the files and removing the
directory from the command line using the del and rd commands. Type the
command followed by /? to see a list of options.

4. Recovery Console: Start the computer with the Windows installation CD
in the CD drive. [Note this will not work with recovery CD's. You need a
windows install CD]. If need be enter the BIOS to set the CD drive as
bootable. After it boots from the CD take the first option for repair
which will take you to the Recovery Console. Assume the administrator
password is blank unless your friend put a password on this special
account, then enter that. Once in there you must issue a command to allow
seeing all the directories. Type in :

Set AllowAllPaths = true, then hit the enter key.

Then try to delete the files and remove the directory. Make sure you know
how to navigate through the directory structure with the cd command so you
don't inadvertently delete something you don't want to. Note that even
with the AllowAllPaths variable set you might not be able to access all
directories from command console.

5. Use the utility "Move on Boot". This marks the file to be deleted at
the next reboot before it can be locked.
http://www.gibinsoft.net/gipoutils

6. Use the Wininit.ini file: Note I haven't used this just read about it
in Windows XP Annoyances:

a. Open Windows Explorer and go to the \Windows folder
b. Double click the wininit.ini file.
i. If this doesn't exist create one with notepad. Once created type this
as the first line: "[rename]" without the quotes but with the brackets.
ii. If it does exist it should be blank except for the [rename] section.
If it isn't then it was created to install an app.
c. Under the [rename] section on a line by itself add the following line:
i. NUL=c:\folder\filename.ext where c: is the drive where the files are
located, folder is the folder name and filename.ext is the filename. You
can specify as many lines as you want, one for each file to delete.
d. Save the wininit.ini file
e. Restart windows.

 

[Rock]

None of this works, any of the previously mentioned suggestions result in
being informed that the file cannot be found. the exact file name as shown
by explorer is "pagesfromoptbeefhandlingmanual." without the quotes. I tried
the program mentioned and after requesting and receiving my evaluation key
the program informs me that the same key I just receiced and placed where
necessary is now invalid. it still seems to function though and even prompts
me for a reboot after selecting the designated file
to be deleted. Machine reboots the file is still there. The file is on my
desktop so I even deleted my desktop folder and the damn thing was still
there. One other thing to note..there is one other accou7nt on this machine
besides mine and the default and this file appears to be invisible to all
other accounts. stumping....any other ideas on getting rid of this stubborn
beast?

Sorry, you got every last idea I had. You tried each and every one of them?

 

[Kelly]

Hi Bill,

Have no clue about the key being invalid, etc. However, most all systems
have Adobe PDF reader installed at some point. Without knowing more.....

Suggestions in addition:

To remove: Go to Start/Run/Regedit and navigate to one of these keys or
both:

Desktop Icons
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace

Control Panel Icons
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ControlPanel\NameSpace

My Computer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace

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

You Cannot Delete a File or a Folder:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=kb;en-us;Q320081

If none of the above helps, I need more info. Good luck in the meantime!

As per your latter mention, this has to do with All Users, etc. A whole
other thread. )

None of this works, any of the previously mentioned suggestions result in
being informed that the file cannot be found. the exact file name as shown
by explorer is "pagesfromoptbeefhandlingmanual." without the quotes. I
tried the program mentioned and after requesting and receiving my
evaluation key the program informs me that the same key I just receiced
and placed where necessary is now invalid. it still seems to function
though and even prompts me for a reboot after selecting the designated
file
to be deleted. Machine reboots the file is still there. The file is on my
desktop so I even deleted my desktop folder and the damn thing was still
there. One other thing to note..there is one other accou7nt on this
machine besides mine and the default and this file appears to be invisible
to all other accounts. stumping....any other ideas on getting rid of this
stubborn beast?



--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remember life is not a box of chocolates it's a jar of
jalapenos...what you do today could burn your ass
tomorrow!!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tried that too and get the same error message. same thing no matter what
I do.

I don't know what you've tried but here are some suggestions:

1. Start | Run | Cmd | Navigate to the directory; del <filename>

2.

1. Close all open programs.
2. Open a command prompt.
3. Right-click the taskbar, and select Task Manager.
4. On the Processes tab, select Explorer.exe, and click the End
Process button.
5. Minimize Task Manager, but don't close it.
6. At the command prompt, use the Delete command to remove the file,
and close the command prompt.
7. In Task Manager, go to File | New Task (Run).
8. In the Create New Task dialog box, enter Explorer.exe, and click
OK.
9. Close Task Manager.

3. Boot into Safe Mode _with Command Prompt_. It is one of the choices
from the Safe mode menu. Try deleting the files and removing the
directory from the command line using the del and rd commands. Type the
command followed by /? to see a list of options.

4. Recovery Console: Start the computer with the Windows installation
CD in the CD drive. [Note this will not work with recovery CD's. You
need a windows install CD]. If need be enter the BIOS to set the CD
drive as bootable. After it boots from the CD take the first option for
repair which will take you to the Recovery Console. Assume the
administrator password is blank unless your friend put a password on this
special account, then enter that. Once in there you must issue a command
to allow seeing all the directories. Type in :

Set AllowAllPaths = true, then hit the enter key.

Then try to delete the files and remove the directory. Make sure you
know how to navigate through the directory structure with the cd command
so you don't inadvertently delete something you don't want to. Note that
even with the AllowAllPaths variable set you might not be able to access
all directories from command console.

5. Use the utility "Move on Boot". This marks the file to be deleted at
the next reboot before it can be locked.
http://www.gibinsoft.net/gipoutils

6. Use the Wininit.ini file: Note I haven't used this just read about
it in Windows XP Annoyances:

a. Open Windows Explorer and go to the \Windows folder
b. Double click the wininit.ini file.
i. If this doesn't exist create one with notepad. Once created type
this as the first line: "[rename]" without the quotes but with the
brackets.
ii. If it does exist it should be blank except for the [rename] section.
If it isn't then it was created to install an app.
c. Under the [rename] section on a line by itself add the following
line:
i. NUL=c:\folder\filename.ext where c: is the drive where the files are
located, folder is the folder name and filename.ext is the filename. You
can specify as many lines as you want, one for each file to delete.
d. Save the wininit.ini file
e. Restart windows.