Vista - Unable to delete file

Hi,

I am having a very strange problem. I have two folders which I cannot delete
or rename. I can move them around on the disk, but when I choose to delete
them and confirming that I am sure, nothing happens. No error, no warning and
most important no deletion!

If I try to rename the folder I do get an error:
"Could not find this item. This i nog longer located in D:\DeleteIt. Verify
the item's location and try again. FolderName Date Created: 29-5-2007 22:35.
[Try Again] [Cancel]"

Pressing try again does not work. But in explorer, the folder is still there!

I have tried check disk several times, but no luck. Are there any other
tools I can use to get rid of the folders?

--
Regards,

Erik
MCSE 2000/2003

Just found a solution:
Open command prompt
use dir /x to get the 8.3 name of the folder which cannot be deleted
use rd with the 8.3 name of the folder and it is gone!
--
Regards,

Erik
MCSE 2000/2003


"Erik Nettekoven" wrote:

My problem is a bit different. I have a file on the Vista desktop that is
named "filename.mov - shortcut.lnk", where there is a space on either side of
the hyphen. I am unable to delete the link.

I tried the following method: from an elevated command prompt ( Start ->
All Programs -> Accessories and right-clicked Command Prompt, then "Run as
Administrator") Cd to desktop. Dir to get the filename, then Del the long
filename. The system hung until I pressed <crtl>C.

Then, I typed Dir /x to get the 8.3 filename. Then, typed Del
filena~1.lnk. Again, the system hung.

It appears to be looking for specifically "filename.mov" on the desktop. I
am unable to rename the file, can not delete it. Any ideas?

Any help is appreciative. Elbi

"Erik Nettekoven" wrote:

You might try enclosing the long filename in quotes. ("....")

Michael


"Elbi" <Elbi@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:8D8F6929-D822-474B-9998-E3BF5D02469B@xxxxxx

I tried the quotes, but to no avail. What I did find that worked and is no
scarier than editing the registry file is the following:

1) Close all open programs.
2) Open an elevated command prompt by clicking Start > All Programs >
Accessories and right-click Command Prompt, then "Run as Administrator'.
3) From the prompt type: CD %userprofile%\Desktop and press Enter.
4) now type: dir /x to get the 8.3 filename of the file you are trying to
delete and press Enter.
5) leave the Command Prompt window open. Open the Task Manager
(ctrl-shift-esc).
6) In the Task Manager, Close Explorer.exe, leave Task Manager open.
7) From the Command Prompt window, delete the file with del filename.ext
using the 8.3 filename format. Close the command prompt window with EXIT.
8) From the Task Manager, Reopen/restart explorer.exe. Close Task Manager.
9) As a precaution, I reboot the system. That may not have been necessary,
though.

It works.

===========================================

"Michael Walraven" wrote:

Hi, Elbi.

Thanks a lot for that! This question comes up often in these newsgroups and
this new tool will come in handy, I'm sure.

I haven't tried it myself, but I wonder: Would it work to use Task Manager
to close Explorer.exe first, and then use Administrator:Command Prompt to
use Dir /x and Del <8.3 filename.ext>, and then restart Explorer.exe? This
cuts out just a couple of steps, but it might be easier (and shorter) to
outline in a newsgroup post. (And for me to remember.)

Maybe the extra steps were necessary because the "undeletable" file was on
your Desktop and because the filename included spaces AFTER the ".mov"? But
a filename really has only a single extension, even though it may look like
it has several. For instance, "file.txt.vbs.exe" really has only a single
extension, ".exe". The ".txt.vbs" come before the final period (dot), so
all that becomes part of the filename itself (which can include periods in
an LFN but not in an 8.3 or SFN), rather than multiple extensions. But your
earlier post said Dir /x produced "filena~1.lnk", which appears to be the
correct handling of your "filename.mov - shortcut.lnk", even with the spaces
inside the filename.

I'm glad you found the fix. Congratulations!

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
rc@xxxxxx
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail 2008 in Vista Ultimate x64)

"Elbi" <Elbi@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:AF01F2BB-2E81-4471-A19B-CA38E0BB8D5E@xxxxxx