Will note delete File - File not Found!

Hello All -

I've been around here a couple of time in the last couple of years with my Vista machine and you all always seem to have the answers for me. So here I go again.

Now I'm sure there is a simple fix for this, but I can't seem to find it. ....

I happen to have two files now that I can NOT delete. I keep getting the message;


Now, you know I'm looking right at the file (both in Window Explore - the shortcut, and in it's file location) and the item is there. What's the deal! I'll tell you that these are both Favorite Folders file types and they both have files that I'm trying to delete. You see, I tuned up all me favorites & reorganized things alittle and I did this with Chrome. BTW Then, wanting to sync those newly organized favorites to my Favorite Folder, I created a folder caller "Bookmarks Old" and moved all the old favorites into that folder. I opened IE8 and imported the the exported file from chrome and thus repopulated my Favorite folder. Now wanting to delete that "Bookmarks Old" and it will not let me.

Come on - there has got to be a simple fix for this. Please don't even go to the 'complete re-install' line :D

Thanks All!
(was just one -been around for a week or so, then just today another one is acting the same way)

Welcome to the forum,

Try dragging to the recycle bin

Then try the following.

Go to the file, try to right click. If you have the option of going to a previous version, click on it. Then it may be restored to a location where you can delete it.

If rich's suggestion don't work, try "unlocker" it's a free lightweight tool that will help delete stubborn files, it adds itself to the right click context,so it's always easy to find....
Unlocker - Free software downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com

PS: it also adds itself to the startup list in "msconfig" I recommend taking it off that list.(along with others)...but thats another class...lol (if you need instructions post back!!

Believe it or not, sometimes a simple reboot will clear the problem. Have you turned your computer completely off recently? If not, try it and see what happens when you reboot.

If that doesn't work, I would next try Rich's suggestion of transferring the file to the Recycle Bin, closing Recycle Bin, reopening it, going to the file and right-clicking: Restore.

Guys -

Thanks for your thoughts. All the simple things - you can be sure I have tried. It just won't go to that old recycle bin, so therefore I can't restore from recycle.

Here's what it comes down to and what I have accomplished since posting my stubborn little problem the other day. Like I said this was a folder file with a lot of 'bookmarks' in various other folders in that file. Well I decided to just go through that folder and use the old click-shift-click method to delete the individual files until I could find the file or files or folders that was actually causing the problem. Sure enough, it all came down to one 'File Directory' file type that was buried within a few sub-folders in my ever increasing task of trying to stay organized with my bookmarks.

So, I now have all those old bookmarks deleted and in my recycled bucket. But NOW I'm face with 2 sticky little problems. (Kind of).

BTW - I have also since my 1st posting gone ahead and did my monthly little clean up chores with my "Advance System Care" which of course includes all the essentials like cookie sweep, registry sweep, junk stuff dump, a quick defrag, and of course taking out the trash. I also went ahead and did my - oh I should do it more often - full system backup! And yes, I have lived through the early XP days and know the wonders a reboot can do for the system.

Here's the thing about this Directory that won't delete. Which I do have in two places now. Cause I'm thinkin' there is something corrupted with this in my CHROME bookmark structure. (Remember - Chrome does not use my FAVORITES folder it's bookmarks. Boy do I wish it did cause then both browsers could access the same bookmarks and it would not matter what program I was using MY FAVORITES would be in synced!)

When I look at this Directory with properties all I can see that is unusual about it is that it has NO SECURITY SETTINGS. Red X and a message .....

Wait ... I just check (so I would get the message right) - Security is back!! But it does have a strange "Account Unknown" listed in the Groups or Users Names box. :eek:

"Account Unknown(S-1-5-21-204018662-3046388042-99702796-1001)"

Now, I'm kind of thinking that no one really need me to post that exact number but I just thought well maybe .....

I went ahead and attempted to remove this account but, and I kind of knew this was going to happen. I've got to go find the 'PARENT' of this account.

While I'm doing that ....

Anybody got any ideas how this Unknown Account got associated with this directory?
My clean up yesterday must of attempted a fix on this. Because before that, the 2 directories that I have with this problem. In both cases it was the same directory I had call "ART" in chrome. When I looked at the properties on those directories - They both had a completely blank SECURITY tab page with a red x and a not about security missing.
And .... That then brings me to my second problem. Anybody got a clue on how do I fix this within chrome????


THANKS GUYS!!

Sorry if I got a little wordy. ...

OH, before anybody says anything. Remember - the error prompt tells me that "Item NOT FOUND" and say it is no longer located where it IS located. So, yes, while I'm in the properties - I'm lookin' at all the things that tell me the path to this directory. It's ALL correct.

An UPDATE ....

I was curious about that "Unknown User Account" in a Google Chrome created icon, so I check a few other Google products that I have on my system. They ALL have that same Unknown User!!! Picasa.exe, Google Gadgets (even though I don't use it), Chrome.exe ...
but it worse and goes very deep into my system. I did a random check in My Downloads folder -- sure enough, EVERYTHING I have download with Chrome, be it a zip file, a picture, or whatever has that same "Unknown User Account" in it's properties.

Wait ...

Yesterday I spent a good part off my time trying to design a new Logo for my blog site. I used a program call "Logo Design Studio". Created a dozen or so XX.png files and I just checked a few of them. Yep! He's there! I check the executable of the Logo Design and it's not in that files properties. I check some of it's native file saves - I will save a project type with a XX.lds extension. And HE's attached to those files too.

Please guys, what's going on here?? There will now be ... hmmm ... I'm guessing here, but probably over 1,000 file with this mystery user attached to them. How bad is this?

I've tried doing some Google searches on this problem and I'm not coming up with much (probably phrasing the search wrong) I'm not thinking I'm the first one with this problem? But really, I'm at a lost of what to do now.

Again - thanks in advance for any help. While I'm gone I'll be 'crawling' the web for possible solutions. Will check in here as soon as I'm notified one of you guys have posted something.

Be readin' ya
RoyBoyDenver.

sounds like a "nasty" what kind of anti virus/malware are you using?

If It lets you download and install one heres a good one to try... Malwarebytes.org

keep us posted!

Kenny -

Thanks for the reply. I run AVAST and have done so since day one. I find it to be a very good Anti-Virus protection software. Malware/Spyware I use Windows Defender. That being said ....

After doing some other research on that little 'Nasty' "Unknown User" ... I have cooled down a bit on that and I'm finding that there is not much to do about it and he's really not hurting to much. So I'm leaving it.

It's the 'Nasty' file directory (two of them, in two different locations) that I can't delete that is really bugging me. Especially cause one is now on my Desktop and I am a neat freak when it comes to my Desktop. The research I have done on this problem is really coming up empty.

What's a guy to do.

Hi, this how a file can be hidden in Vista. Maybe, it will work in your situation>

Scoroncocolo: How to Hide a File in Vista or XP

This is from our Tutorials, which is alway superior to outside sources. I had both sources available, so I present them to you for your consideration
http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/171992-hide-folder-shortcut-icon.html?filter[11]=File Folder Settings

I have found our own tutorials to be superior to outside sources, since the are easy to understand and always work.