Removing directory entries for zero-length files

  • Thread starter Thread starter Peter R. Fletcher
  • Start date Start date
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Peter R. Fletcher

I have just been cleaning up my son's computer system, which was
infested with all sorts of virtual creepy-crawlies. After reinstalling
XP, everything now works, but there are a number of directories that I
would like to get rid of (mainly old personas in the Documents and
Settings hierarchy) which have one or more zero-length files in them.
When I try to delete either the files or the directory trees, I get an
error which says that the file can't be found (perfectly true, but not
helpful!). What am I missing?

Please respond to the Newsgroup, so that others may benefit from the exchange.
Peter R. Fletcher
 
See Help and Support and search for "take ownership"

HOW TO: Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=308421
Click to expand...


I'm sorry , but I don't think that's relevant. I have no difficulty
deleting anything in these directory trees except the zero-length
entries, and I am not getting "Access denied" errors but "File not
Found" (which I am sure is correct, since I assume that there is only
a (spurious) directory entry, with no corresponding file).

Please respond to the Newsgroup, so that others may benefit from the exchange.
Peter R. Fletcher
 
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