File Will Not Delete

[El Pirata]

I have 2 files on my computer that will not delete. One is a .gif image in my temporary internet files and the second one is an rc video I made a few years ago. Additionally the files will not play/display. They are just there. I tried dragging either onto the desktop or the recycle bin. Nada. I tried dragging into a different folder. Nope. I tried hitting the delete button. Neither Jack nor .... As you can see with the attached image it does not even have delete nor properties as an option when I right click. About the only thing I know about it is that it can't be deleted and it's 43 byte .gif file.


Anyone???

[Unholy]

You have been or have in the past used a peer to peer to download havent you?

Delete it through a cmd window... Know how to do that?

[El Pirata]

Peer to peer like a file sharing program such as an mp3 or like an instant messenger type program? By cmd window are you refering to dos? If yes I know I can delete it there however the last time I tried that I hit del *.* in the wrong directory and really screwed the pooch.

[matthepepe]

del filename next time instead of *.*

[El Pirata]

Ok worked like a charm. I must say I like the cmd window way better than the od way of actually being in dos without the benefit of using a mouse and not having the ability to paste.

[El Pirata]

del filename next time instead of *.*The only problem is that I know there is not way in hell of being able to type the whole file name without making any error whatsoever. Since it was the only thing in the folder, and it's a temporary internet file I felt confident using *.* this time.

I also just learned something as I was typing this, in the word "THIS" trade the position of the S and T then see what you have. I had no intent of typing this word but I came across it while I was proof reading for typos.

[matthepepe]

theres always hitting f2 when you have the file highlighted then hit ctrl+c and it copies the file name, then in your command prompt move to the folder where the file is and del ctrl+v

[matthepepe]

my bad ctrl+v wont work in a command prompt but you can hit the dorp down and choose paste

[whitepimp259]

You could have done what matt said, or you could have acted like you where gonna rename the file then copy it.

[Unholy]

Peer to peer like a file sharing program such as an mp3 or like an instant messenger type program? By cmd window are you refering to dos? If yes I know I can delete it there however the last time I tried that I hit del *.* in the wrong directory and really screwed the pooch.


Yeah, like file sharing like kaza, etc... that looked like the .gif virus that got passed around like crazy on there... Luckily the virus had a mistake in it and didnt do any real damage... just couldn't be deleted via windows.

Glad the command window worked for you!

[The Undead]

the cmd.exe in win XP, is not a true DOS version, it is in fact only a DOS emulator... I think all previous versions of windows (prior XP) where built on the DOS system. So DOS went out the door with 98.


But yeah, alternativyl you could probably have deleted it via safe mode... (press F8 durin boot-up and select Safe Mode)

[matthepepe]

It may not be a true dos prompt, but it does do just about everything you could want to do.

[The Undead]

-didnt add....

you are probably refering to the k... something virus...

saved itself as *.gif.scr
and ulness you don t have the "display extentions" ticked, all you will see is .gif...


The annakournikova(sp) virus did the same...

*.jpeg.vbs


-alas, im a closet geek....

[The Undead]

It may not be a true dos prompt, but it does do just about everything you could want to do.
yeah... it emulates DOS, so for arguments sake, i guess you could call it dos...

[matthepepe]

i think the proper name is command prompt :)

[The Undead]

well, yeah, it is now.. at least...

It was DOS (disk-operating-system) when it was the basis of windows or even before when it was the ONLY Microsoft OS.

[matthepepe]

right you are.

[MoogLe]

anybody have an idea how i would go about deleting a file like this on a thumb drive?

i've already tried using the cmd prompt various times, i even tried formatting the drive and no matter what it says the file is in use or just cant be deleted...

it's not in use because it's not even a complete file, i was transfering ms front page setup to the drive and it got stuck for some reason i cant remember...

so now i have a 30-50 mb file on there that's just taking up usefull space...

any ideas?

[The Undead]

do a google search for a Low-Level-Reformatting program

[MoogLe]

after searching a bit for low level formatting stuff it seems to be a pretty drastic measure... for hard drives atleast, it deletes conversion tables, boot records, everything, so it pretty much F's up the drive....

are you sure it wont do the same to my thumb drive? dont want to lose my 1gb drive

[matthepepe]

after searching a bit for low level formatting stuff it seems to be a pretty drastic measure... for hard drives atleast, it deletes conversion tables, boot records, everything, so it pretty much F's up the drive....

are you sure it wont do the same to my thumb drive? dont want to lose my 1gb drive
Why not make a copy of everything else on that thumbdrive and then just reformat it, then put important stuff back on.

[The Undead]

not at all... Did your thumb drive come with a CD? Mine did, it has got a low-level-reformatting program...

I removed my drive, halfway through copying a file, and i had to do a llr (im lazy) then i just used the windows format G: /FS:FAT command...

[The Undead]

mat:- i think he is more worried about damaging the drive itself

[MoogLe]

Why not make a copy of everything else on that thumbdrive and then just reformat it, then put important stuff back on.
i already tried that as i said in my previous post, windows gave me an error message saying that the file is in use or cant be deleted, i cant remember which one right now.....

i thought it was wierd myself, which is why i'm asking here...

undead would the G: /FS:FAT command work? i may try that....

[The Undead]

WAIT!
The letter g, is the drive letter on my pc, it will probably be different...

It WILL be a alpha-numeric digit tho, so just replace the g with whatever...

-do that from dos prompt.

If that does not work, I really, really sugest a low-level-reformatting program!

[MoogLe]

WAIT!
The letter g, is the drive letter on my pc, it will probably be different...

It WILL be a alpha-numeric digit tho, so just replace the g with whatever...

-do that from dos prompt.

If that does not work, I really, really sugest a low-level-reformatting program!
i know it was your G drive, i'm not computer illiterate just fyi.

but i'll see if i'll try that later

[matthepepe]

if that doesnt solve it just get an incredilby strong magnet and stick it nearby see what happens.

[The Undead]

-that or a hammer

Moogle - dude, you have to remember that i live in South Africa! probably only 1 in ten people know how to use a pc propally - if that...

[TheDragonJedi]

can you rename the file extension? I had this problem once. I've tried numerous stuff but as soon as I renamed the file AND it's extension I was able to delete it. especially if it's .SYS files or .EXE Also type MSCONFIG as the CMD prompt and make sure there is nothing pointing to the file on your thumbdrive in any of the tabs. Hope it helps.

[SeeD-Sephiroth]

G: /FS:FAT should work. If not go with the Low Level Formatting software that should have come with the thumb drive when you bought it.

[MoogLe]

if that doesnt solve it just get an incredilby strong magnet and stick it nearby see what happens.
holy crap, what did you just make me do! it's no longer working!!!!! OMG!!!





















:thefinger lol may as well see if it makes pretty lights if i put it in the microwave like a cd

Also type MSCONFIG as the CMD prompt and make sure there is nothing pointing to the file on your thumbdrive in any of the tabs
hmmm that sounds like something worth remembering. and yes i did try renaming it and that didnt work

oh and undead, i live on an island that just got broadband like 2-3 years ago... so we're not that far off ;)

[The Undead]

dude, the broadband here is 512kb/s, costs like 400 dollars a month.... so yeah...

-Did you seriously put a magnet to your drive??!??!?

[MoogLe]

dude, the broadband here is 512kb/s, costs like 400 dollars a month.... so yeah...

-Did you seriously put a magnet to your drive??!??!?
lol no.

holy crap, i thought we were bad, over here i pay about $90 for 256kb/s

that's still pretty bad, i think 512 costs somewhere around 160-180 per month

[The Undead]

dude, the problem with these damn mofo's is that there is one tellecomunications company, owned by none other than the goverment...

There is another coming into service in like a year or two, but by then i should be back in the states