Unable to delete folder and files

[jgcracknell]

I have several folders and files I can't delete

 

Some clearly have a space before the name e.g. " my ecv" (I don't know if there are trailing spaces)

 

Some just come up with "could not find this item - then the location" - Verify the Item's location and try again.

 

Thanks for any help and advice.

[kmount]

Is it in a deep path?

[jgcracknell]

Is it in a deep path?

 

Hi

 

D:\to_delete\To sort\Problem Areas\old to delete\x-brodier\ my ecv

 

is one of them - I've renamed some of the directories as you can see - but can't move the rest.

[kmount]

Hm.. used to see this when it was a very deep path but that's not very deep.

 

Have you tried via a command prompt?

[jgcracknell]

Hi - tried via command prompt - making a share and accessing it that way. Renaming....it just wont go!

[Dos_Box]

I've also found turning an upper folder into a share and deleting remotely works as well.

[jgcracknell]

Hi Ken

 

Tried that - no luck

[jgcracknell]

I have got rid of a couple of dodgy files with del "\\?\PATHTO FILE" but it isn't working for folders - one claims to be empty but has a system file in place

[sted]

is it worth booting off say barts pe and trying that?

[Tallwood_6]

delinvfile or similar would do the job, you can download a working trial.

[DMcCoy]

Also try dir /x to see what windows is using for the short name, you may be able to rename from command line with that instead. Also rmdir /s with the absolute (\\?\) path (short name) may work for the folder.

[Stuart_C]

Turn on hidden files and check there nothing there. Also check that you have full control over all the files in the directory (if there are any).

In the past Ive had problems with odd Java files in users profile folder where only the user has ad access. I've had to manually take owernership, give myself permission to delete then delete them.

[Chuckster]

I've only tried this on a workstation and never on a server level. My first instinct would be to turn towards a Linux distro CD and booting off from that to delete the stubborn files. Then again, will it recognise the drives as seperate partitions considering they're raided..?

[JenJenMI]

Also try dir /x to see what windows is using for the short name, you may be able to rename from command line with that instead. Also rmdir /s with the absolute (\\?\) path (short name) may work for the folder.

 

Thanks for this suggestion. I was unable to delete some OLD files (I dare say DOS old, but who knows.) They had 8 character names in caps ending with periods and no file extensions.

 

Doing the dir /x gave me the old style name (i.e. ABCDEF~1) and I could delete them command line using that syntax.

[Oaktech]

could you try deleting via 7zip or unstoppable copy?

[round2it]

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-server-2008/82394-tip-delete-those-pesky-files-windows-refuses-delete-filename-too-long-ect.html