neufuse 4,416 Posted June 20 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aphanic 10 Posted June 20 It peaked my interest, is the program that creates them publicly available? I wonder how it is creating those files (or those entries). By the way, does it run under System or TrustedInstaller? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peresvet 365 Posted June 20 (edited) 1 hour ago, 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 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" 😄 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim K 15,726 Posted June 20 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 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goretsky 1,204 Posted June 20 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adrynalyne 13,943 Posted June 20 (edited) 3 hours ago, neufuse said: same thing it's like the file isn't there but there is a record to it in the MTF ... That would imply the files disappear when not in use, wouldn’t it? Does WSL also not think the file exists? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
neufuse 4,416 Posted June 20 3 hours ago, 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" 😄 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" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
neufuse 4,416 Posted June 20 (edited) 2 hours ago, 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 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 2 hours ago, adrynalyne said: That would imply the files disappear when not in use, wouldn’t it? Does WSL also not think the file exists? 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
neufuse 4,416 Posted June 20 3 hours ago, 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 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yuanyasmine 1 Posted June 22 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peresvet 365 Posted June 22 17 minutes ago, 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. On 6/20/2020 at 10:41 PM, neufuse said: I can't even delete them using windows 10's safe mode command prompt.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
neufuse 4,416 Posted June 22 3 hours ago, 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. * face palm * Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Riva 1,345 Posted June 22 I just created a 0 bytes file and i was able to delete it just fine Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Code Name: Lockdown 9,539 Posted June 22 4 minutes ago, Riva said: I just created a 0 bytes file and i was able to delete it just fine That is not the issue here. It's part of it sure, but it's not the sole issue. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shockz 7,882 Posted June 22 What does robocopy error out with this proposed solution: ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brandon H 3,907 Posted June 22 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 😕 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
goretsky 1,204 Posted June 22 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joe User 506 Posted June 22 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
George P 6,481 Posted June 23 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? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Code Name: Lockdown 9,539 Posted June 23 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? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
neufuse 4,416 Posted July 31 On 6/23/2020 at 4:04 AM, 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? 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 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Greg Zeng 0 Posted Monday at 05:40 AM 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adrynalyne 13,943 Posted Monday at 05:42 AM 2 minutes ago, 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. I feel like you should have read the thread prior to replying. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
