Can't delete a folder and its contained file

  • Thread starter Thread starter PT
  • Start date Start date
P

PT

Using XP Home
Can't delete a certain folder and its contained file. They are not
read only.

Folder error message; "Cannot delete (file name): access denied. Make
sure the disk is not write protected and the file is not currently in
use.

Right clicking the contained single file causes a hang.

This file was created by a Windows Media CD rip, and has a humongously
long name, consisting of things like the song name, key, composer,
publisher, and their favorite flavors of ice cream. I learned this by
attempting to go to the DOS cmd.exe, navigating to the folder, and
doing the delete there. I got the error message that the file name is
too long.

Any further ideas welcome.
 
Share this folder to yourself, it will make the system think that the file
name is short and it will be deleted using the shared folder. I have stepped
on the same rakes many times when I was creatiing the file using the LAN
share, but then the same file was inaccessible on the server because of the
file name length. Couple more examples VS temp files, IE temp files... it's
enough to redefine the temp folder closer to the disk root to avoid similar
issue with the file name length.

Just D.
 
Using XP Home
Can't delete a certain folder and its contained file. They are not
read only.

Folder error message; "Cannot delete (file name): access denied. Make
sure the disk is not write protected and the file is not currently in
use.

Right clicking the contained single file causes a hang.

This file was created by a Windows Media CD rip, and has a humongously
long name, consisting of things like the song name, key, composer,
publisher, and their favorite flavors of ice cream.  I learned this by
attempting to go to the DOS cmd.exe, navigating to the folder, and
doing the delete there.  I got the error message that the file name is
too long.

Any further ideas welcome.
Click to expand...

Unlocker (as mentioned) is popular for stubborn things.

http://ccollomb.free.fr/unlocker/

or another option for those humongous, invalid, too long things if
unlocker doesn't do it.

http://www.purgeie.com/delinv/
 
PT said:
Using XP Home
Can't delete a certain folder and its contained file. They are not
read only.

Folder error message; "Cannot delete (file name): access denied. Make
sure the disk is not write protected and the file is not currently in
use.

Right clicking the contained single file causes a hang.

This file was created by a Windows Media CD rip, and has a humongously
long name, consisting of things like the song name, key, composer,
publisher, and their favorite flavors of ice cream. I learned this by
attempting to go to the DOS cmd.exe, navigating to the folder, and
doing the delete there. I got the error message that the file name is
too long.

Any further ideas welcome.
Click to expand...

Hi "PT",

In cmd.exe, do a "DIR /X" (without quotes) to see the short 8.3 filename,
then try DEL with the short name. If there are no other files in the folder
you want to keep, while in the next higher folder (directory) use the
"RMDIR /S <FolderName>" (without quotes, and with correct folder name)
to remove the directory/folder and everything in it.

Here are some other possibilities:

Cannot delete file or folder Windows Problem Solver
http://winhlp.com/node/39

HOW TO Delete an Undeletable or Locked File
http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2007/06/04/how-to-delete-an-undeletable-file/

(Be happy... Be VERY happy! :)
--Richard
 
In cmd.exe, do a "DIR /X" (without quotes) to see the short 8.3 filename,
then try DEL with the short name. If there are no other files in the
folder
you want to keep, while in the next higher folder (directory) use the
"RMDIR /S <FolderName>" (without quotes, and with correct folder name)
to remove the directory/folder and everything in it.
Click to expand...

If the file name is too long wit will not help. It's really easy to create a
very long name from the share folder when the system "thinks" this this is
the root and does that.

Just recalled - there is one more way - open the file manager, press F2,
rename the file if possible and them delete. There are some funny situations
when the IE creates links from the web pages and places them to the desktop.
The names of these files is very long and there is no way to
delete/open/move these files, but they can simply be renamed to something
shorter and it works just great onmy machine.

Just D.
 
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