RC,
Thanks for your detailed tips. Regarding your first tip, I tried
opening a
command window and using the dir command to get a directory listing (I
also
checked for hidden files using the /a h switch), but the file isn't
listed
there.
Regarding your second tip, I'm a little hesistant to try deleting the
folder, since it's my Windows "user" folder (C:\users\edwgre). I'm
afraid
deleting and recreating the folder in a command window might break
something
else.
But you raise a good point. If I back up my files, log on to the
workstation
as a different user, delete my local user account and user folder, and
the
log back on as myself, the folder should be recreated from my domain
account.
I'll give it a try and let you know how it works.
If anyone else as any other ideas in the meantime, please let me know.
Thanks!
- Greg
--
- Greg
http://gregsedwards.spaces.live.com
:
Hi, Greg.
Well, there's always the brute force method: using MS-DOS-type
commands
in
a Command Prompt window.
In a CP window, use the ancient Dir command from days before
Directories
became Folders. Add some switches to make it produce the kind of
information you need. (As usual in a CP window, type the command
followed
by /? (Dir /?) to see a mini-Help file listing the parameters and
switches
available with that command.) Then use the Del command.
Your TinyUrl link did not show the name of the folder the mystery file
is
in, so I'll use C:\Mystery in my example. (It might actually be
C:\Users\Greg.) At the C:\> prompt, enter this command:
dir c:\mystery /x
This should produce a normal Directory listing with one additional
column
showing the 8.3 filename for each file, including your mystery file.
Even
if a file has a name with no printable characters, it must have a
filename
of at least 1 ASCII character, and dir /x should show that filename.
Then
delete that filename.
If some glitch on the hard drive has actually produced a file with no
name,
then there's one final trick in the book. Create a new folder and
move
everything else from C:\Mystery to that new folder, leaving ONLY that
one
no-name file in the old folder. Then Remove (not Delete) the old
folder
with the command: RD C:\Mystery /s. Finally, rename that new folder
to
C:\Mystery.
If this did not work, please post back with a step-by-step narration
of
exactly what you did and what results you saw, including the verbatim
text
of any error messages. Simply "I tried it" doesn't tell us much, and
neither does "Didn't work."
And also please let us know if it did work.
RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
(Running Windows Live Mail 2008 in Vista Ultimate x64 SP1)
"Greg Edwards" <gregsedwards at hotmail.com (no spam, please)> wrote
in
message I have a mystery file in my Personal folder in Windows Vista, and
it's
driving me nuts. The file just displays a blank paper icon with no
name
(see
http://tinyurl.com/ywej72 for reference).
I can't delete it, and when I attempt to view its properties, a
blank
Properties window is displayed (see
http://tinyurl.com/2gq6oy for
reference),
so there's no way to view or change security permissions for the
file.
I'm sure it's a corrupt file stub (Defender and Trend OfficeScan
don't
seem
concerned about it), but I'd just like to get rid of it.
Does anyone have an idea how I might remove it (perhaps a registry
hack)?
Thanks!
