Recommended Posts

even tried going into command prompt via the windows 10 trouble shooting and running chkdsk with a full scan... tried manually deleting there... everything

 

chkdsk comes back every time with no problems found, delete just comes back with path not found

  On 20/06/2020 at 14:09, neufuse said:

done that many times, no errors....

 

I've had this issue from the initial windows 10 version all the way up to 2004 now chkdsk shows nothing still

Expand  

In that case, I'd just forget about it. Can you make those files hidden?

 

Another option is to back-up your data (minus those files) and reformat the damn drive - "it's the only way to be sure😄 

 

 

Are they located in a folder which can be deleted (even if it requires temporarily moving wanted files to a temp directory).  What program is creating these files?  What are the file names?

 

What are the details of these files when you powershell Get-ItemProperty   ?

 

Example (fand.txt is file)...

 

PS C:\Users\Jim\desktop> get-itemproperty fand.txt | Format-list -Property * -Force

PSPath            : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::C:\Users\Jim\desktop\fand.txt
PSParentPath      : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::C:\Users\Jim\desktop
PSChildName       : fand.txt
PSDrive           : C
PSProvider        : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem
Mode              : -a----
VersionInfo       : File:             C:\Users\Jim\desktop\fand.txt
                    InternalName:
                    OriginalFilename:
                    FileVersion:
                    FileDescription:
                    Product:
                    ProductVersion:
                    Debug:            False
                    Patched:          False
                    PreRelease:       False
                    PrivateBuild:     False
                    SpecialBuild:     False
                    Language:

BaseName          : fand
Target            : {}
LinkType          :
Name              : fand.txt
Length            : 25
DirectoryName     : C:\Users\Jim\desktop
Directory         : C:\Users\Jim\desktop
IsReadOnly        : False
Exists            : True
FullName          : C:\Users\Jim\desktop\fand.txt
Extension         : .txt
CreationTime      : 6/16/2020 18:28:42
CreationTimeUtc   : 6/16/2020 23:28:42
LastAccessTime    : 6/19/2020 19:14:50
LastAccessTimeUtc : 6/20/2020 00:14:50
LastWriteTime     : 6/16/2020 18:28:42
LastWriteTimeUtc  : 6/16/2020 23:28:42
Attributes        : Archive

 

Hello,

 

What is the completely path specification and filename that is showing up for the 0-byte long files? 


Have you checked using a program like Microsoft Sysinternals' handle to see if what process is its owner?

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

 

  On 20/06/2020 at 13:46, neufuse said:

same thing it's like the file isn't there but there is a record to it in the MTF ...

Expand  

That would imply the files disappear when not in use, wouldn’t it? Does WSL also not think the file exists?

  On 20/06/2020 at 15:46, Peresvet said:

In that case, I'd just forget about it. Can you make those files hidden?

 

Another option is to back-up your data (minus those files) and reformat the damn drive - "it's the only way to be sure😄 

 

 

Expand  

no, you can't even change properties of them... if you go into their properties it just has a red x with "the requested security information is either unavaiable or can't be displayed" for security and for the general tab  everything is blank, accessed, modified, created size etc... only location is there and type of file is just "file"

  On 20/06/2020 at 17:18, goretsky said:

Hello,

 

What is the completely path specification and filename that is showing up for the 0-byte long files? 


Have you checked using a program like Microsoft Sysinternals' handle to see if what process is its owner?

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

 

Expand  

there is no owner process.. I can't even delete them using windows 10's safe mode command prompt..

 

I thought maybe file name length was the issue but the full path included is only 170 characters, I've seen long file names in windows from apps that exceeded 255 chars that get messed up with the path included, but nope not even that is the case

  On 20/06/2020 at 17:40, adrynalyne said:

That would imply the files disappear when not in use, wouldn’t it? Does WSL also not think the file exists?

Expand  

if I go into ubuntu via WSL I get the same thing, there is a zero byte file at the path that can't be accessed or deleted... the files are never "in use" when I'm trying to access them... I can pull this drive and put it into another system and I get the same results

  On 20/06/2020 at 16:28, Jim K said:

Are they located in a folder which can be deleted (even if it requires temporarily moving wanted files to a temp directory).  What program is creating these files?  What are the file names?

 

What are the details of these files when you powershell Get-ItemProperty   ?

 

Example (fand.txt is file)...

 

PS C:\Users\Jim\desktop> get-itemproperty fand.txt | Format-list -Property * -Force

PSPath            : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::C:\Users\Jim\desktop\fand.txt
PSParentPath      : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::C:\Users\Jim\desktop
PSChildName       : fand.txt
PSDrive           : C
PSProvider        : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem
Mode              : -a----
VersionInfo       : File:             C:\Users\Jim\desktop\fand.txt
                    InternalName:
                    OriginalFilename:
                    FileVersion:
                    FileDescription:
                    Product:
                    ProductVersion:
                    Debug:            False
                    Patched:          False
                    PreRelease:       False
                    PrivateBuild:     False
                    SpecialBuild:     False
                    Language:

BaseName          : fand
Target            : {}
LinkType          :
Name              : fand.txt
Length            : 25
DirectoryName     : C:\Users\Jim\desktop
Directory         : C:\Users\Jim\desktop
IsReadOnly        : False
Exists            : True
FullName          : C:\Users\Jim\desktop\fand.txt
Extension         : .txt
CreationTime      : 6/16/2020 18:28:42
CreationTimeUtc   : 6/16/2020 23:28:42
LastAccessTime    : 6/19/2020 19:14:50
LastAccessTimeUtc : 6/20/2020 00:14:50
LastWriteTime     : 6/16/2020 18:28:42
LastWriteTimeUtc  : 6/16/2020 23:28:42
Attributes        : Archive

 

Expand  

PS D:\EDI\downloads\incoming-CARRIERS\> get-itemproperty "MDE-ITX-20200121-20200222.DAT"
get-itemproperty : Cannot find path 'D:\EDI\downloads\incoming-CARRIERS\MDE-ITX-20200121-20200222.DAT'
because it does not exist.
At line:1 char:1
+ get-itemproperty "MDE-ITX-20200121-20200222.DAT ...
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ObjectNotFound: (D:\EDI\downlo...0222.DAT :String) [Get-ItemProperty], ItemNotFo
   undException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : PathNotFound,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.GetItemPropertyCommand

Try deleting the file/folder from Safe Mode and check if the issue persists.

Step 1: Boot to Safe Mode.

a. Press the ‘Windows + R’ keys on the keyboard.

b. In the ‘Run’ window type ’MSCONFIG’ and click ‘Ok’.

c. Click the ‘Boot’ tab.

d. Under ‘Boot Options’, select the ‘Safe Boot’ option.

e. Choose the type of safe mode by selecting one of the options below the Safe boot check box:
Select ‘Minimal’.

f. Click OK and then restart your PC.

  On 22/06/2020 at 09:12, yuanyasmine said:

Try deleting the file/folder from Safe Mode and check if the issue persists.

Step 1: Boot to Safe Mode.

a. Press the ‘Windows + R’ keys on the keyboard.

b. In the ‘Run’ window type ’MSCONFIG’ and click ‘Ok’.

c. Click the ‘Boot’ tab.

d. Under ‘Boot Options’, select the ‘Safe Boot’ option.

e. Choose the type of safe mode by selecting one of the options below the Safe boot check box:
Select ‘Minimal’.

f. Click OK and then restart your PC.

Expand  

 

  On 20/06/2020 at 19:41, neufuse said:

I can't even delete them using windows 10's safe mode command prompt..

Expand  

 

  On 22/06/2020 at 09:12, yuanyasmine said:

Try deleting the file/folder from Safe Mode and check if the issue persists.

Step 1: Boot to Safe Mode.

a. Press the ‘Windows + R’ keys on the keyboard.

b. In the ‘Run’ window type ’MSCONFIG’ and click ‘Ok’.

c. Click the ‘Boot’ tab.

d. Under ‘Boot Options’, select the ‘Safe Boot’ option.

e. Choose the type of safe mode by selecting one of the options below the Safe boot check box:
Select ‘Minimal’.

f. Click OK and then restart your PC.

Expand  

* face palm * 

  On 22/06/2020 at 12:49, Riva said:

I just created a 0 bytes file and i was able to delete it just fine

Expand  

That is not the issue here.  It's part of it sure, but it's not the sole issue.

  • Like 2

Like I said in my comment from last year; I've run into this a few times going all the way back to XP. I'm guessing it's as you think, there's nothing in the file space but the MFT table thinks there is or something.

Back when I had this issue I tried numerous things all of which have been listed here (besides robocopy) and a few other things and NOTHING worked aside from formatting the drive unfortunately 😕

Hello,

One thing I remember from the DOS era is that if you do not have the TEMP environment variable properly defined and do a directory using a pipe ("|") redirection to the MORE command, the temporary file used to buffer the contents of the directory stream to the MORE command would show up only in the directory listing.  I wonder if a similar effect could be coming into play?

 

Regards,

 

Aryeh Goretsky

 

 

Have you tried running streams on the file?

 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/streams

 

I've heard of files with NTFS streams sometimes causing strange issues like this.

 

I haven't run into a issue like this in years, when I did unlocker worked and I deleted the file.  Since it's created by that specific app you have to use, has it done it before and on other systems or is this isolated to one specific system?

  • 1 month later...
  On 23/06/2020 at 08:04, Code Name: Lockdown said:

Daft question.  What if you open Notepad, type something and try to save over the top of the file?

 

I'm assuing "File cannot be found" still?

Expand  

yes

 

but update, I tried the latest Ubuntu WSL  release and I can delete them from inside of Ubuntu WSL!

 

Finally!! Now If I could just figure out WHY windows can't do it but WSL can

  • 2 weeks later...

This "standard problem" is very common.  It seems so far that the suggestions so far did not work.  In my expert opinion, none of the suggestions should really work.

Several causes for this happen.  All very standard & predictable.

Removal of rubbish files & folders is also easy.

As suggested so far, do the obvious. 

(1) As suggested, "Chkdsk /f".  I generally use Iobit's freeware "Disk Doctor", included in their Advanced Systemcare freeware.

(2) Remove any crazy file attributes, such as READ-ONLY, SYSTEM & HIDDEN.  Super Geeks like myself use powerful geekware, "Servant Salamander".  This Windows-only utility is now freeware.  It is far more powerful than all the Linux file utilities combined.  Perhaps I might do a FAQ on this product.  Used ever since it came out.

Often these rubbish files & folders have crazy reasons for existing. 

(3) If a folder, dig deep into it, to remove as much of the crud buried inside it.  As you dig your way out of the crud, some upper levels might be deleted also.  Any long file names, try to minimize their names, such as -, -=, -=-, etc..

(4) Eventually you get to the files & folders that cannot be removed. 

(5) Move all these together into the one short name folder.

(6) Then move this folder onto the root of the partition.  This can be done easily.  "Moving" is not a hardware movement, but the complex File Allocation Table Change.

(7) Most Linux operating systems can delete this Windows file & folder.  The "bad" Linux systems are now getting the Microsoft penalty, so now make it impossible to delete some Windows files.

(8) The "best" & most reliable way to remove this Windows rubbish is to use "Linuxfx".  It is based on Ubuntu, to appear to be a Windows-10 "copy".  No need to install it.  Just run & boot as usual.

(9) It takes some expertise to create & use Linux boot sticks.  Ask if you need more assistance.

  On 10/08/2020 at 05:40, Greg Zeng said:

This "standard problem" is very common.  It seems so far that the suggestions so far did not work.  In my expert opinion, none of the suggestions should really work.

Several causes for this happen.  All very standard & predictable.

Removal of rubbish files & folders is also easy.

As suggested so far, do the obvious. 

(1) As suggested, "Chkdsk /f".  I generally use Iobit's freeware "Disk Doctor", included in their Advanced Systemcare freeware.

(2) Remove any crazy file attributes, such as READ-ONLY, SYSTEM & HIDDEN.  Super Geeks like myself use powerful geekware, "Servant Salamander".  This Windows-only utility is now freeware.  It is far more powerful than all the Linux file utilities combined.  Perhaps I might do a FAQ on this product.  Used ever since it came out.

Often these rubbish files & folders have crazy reasons for existing. 

(3) If a folder, dig deep into it, to remove as much of the crud buried inside it.  As you dig your way out of the crud, some upper levels might be deleted also.  Any long file names, try to minimize their names, such as -, -=, -=-, etc..

(4) Eventually you get to the files & folders that cannot be removed. 

(5) Move all these together into the one short name folder.

(6) Then move this folder onto the root of the partition.  This can be done easily.  "Moving" is not a hardware movement, but the complex File Allocation Table Change.

(7) Most Linux operating systems can delete this Windows file & folder.  The "bad" Linux systems are now getting the Microsoft penalty, so now make it impossible to delete some Windows files.

(8) The "best" & most reliable way to remove this Windows rubbish is to use "Linuxfx".  It is based on Ubuntu, to appear to be a Windows-10 "copy".  No need to install it.  Just run & boot as usual.

(9) It takes some expertise to create & use Linux boot sticks.  Ask if you need more assistance.

Expand  

I feel like you should have read the thread prior to replying.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • That Classic model is ugly as hell! The Classic always used to have the most attractive looks, but not any more...
    • This is what GPOs are for, assuming they work for this. But for AD/Entra machines this should be opt in imo
    • the yellow rabbits are not trying seaweed
    • LibreWolf 139.0.4-1 by Razvan Serea LibreWolf is an independent “fork” of Firefox, with the primary goals of privacy security and user freedom. It is the community run successor to LibreFox. LibreWolf is designed to increase protection against tracking and fingerprinting techniques, while also including a few security improvements. This is achieved through our privacy and security oriented settings and patches. LibreWolf also aims to remove all the telemetry, data collection and annoyances, as well as disabling anti-freedom features like DRM. LibreWolf features: Latest Firefox — LibreWolf is compiled directly from the latest build of Firefox Stable. You will have the the latest features, and security updates. Independent Build — LibreWolf uses a build independent of Firefox and has its own settings, profile folder and installation path. As a result, it can be installed alongside Firefox or any other browser. No phoning home — Embedded server links and other calling home functions are removed. In other words, minimal background connections by default. User settings updates Extensions firewall: limit internet access for extensions. Multi-platform (Windows/Linux/Mac/and soon Android) Community-Driven Dark theme (classic and advanced) LibreWolf privacy features: Delete cookies and website data on close. Include only privacy respecting search engines like DuckDuckGo and Searx. Include uBlockOrigin with custom default filter lists, and Tracking Protection in strict mode, to block trackers and ads. Strip tracking elements from URLs, both natively and through uBO. Enable dFPI, also known as Total Cookie Protection. Enable RFP which is part of the Tor Uplift project. RFP is considered the best in class anti-fingerprinting solution, and its goal is to make users look the same and cover as many metrics as possible, in an effort to block fingerprinting techniques. Always display user language as en-US to websites, in order to protect the language used in the browser and in the OS. Disable WebGL, as it is a strong fingerprinting vector. Prevent access to the location services of the OS, and use Mozilla's location API instead of Google's API. Limit ICE candidates generation to a single interface when sharing video or audio during a videoconference. Force DNS and WebRTC inside the proxy, when one is being used. Trim cross-origin referrers, so that they don't include the full URI. Disable link prefetching and speculative connections. Disable disk cache and clear temporary files on close. Disable form autofill. Disable search and form history...and more. Notes: To receive automatic updates, you may refer to the unofficial LibreWolf-WinUpdater that employs a scheduled task to accomplish the same. Download: LibreWolf 64-bit | Portable 64-bit |~100.0 MB (Open Source) Download: LibreWolf 32-bit | Portable 32-bit | Other Operating Systems Links: LibreWolf Home Page | Addons | Screenshot | Reddit Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware
  • Recent Achievements

    • One Month Later
      POR2GAL4EVER earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • One Year In
      Orpheus13 earned a badge
      One Year In
    • One Month Later
      Orpheus13 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      Orpheus13 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      serfegyed earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      559
    2. 2
      ATLien_0
      255
    3. 3
      +Edouard
      163
    4. 4
      +FloatingFatMan
      156
    5. 5
      Michael Scrip
      109
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!